Entrepreneurship Program Manager

The Entrepreneurship Program Manager at the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College will manage and administer existing student and young alum programs including the Applied Entrepreneurship Certificate, the Try It Fund, Avinger Impact Fund, the Yoder Applied Research Fellowship, and the Nisbet Venture Fund while working toward building a comprehensive four-year student experience. The Program Manager will develop relationships with alumni and community members offering students and young alums access to mentors, pitch competition judges, and other experts. This individual will collaborate with the Hurt Hub leadership team to host information sessions, support applicants, provide feedback, foster relationships, and assist teams that receive funding or equity investments. Additionally, they will serve as the liaison for the Davidson Entrepreneurship Club.

Top candidates will have "fun doing the impossible" and will embody an entrepreneurial spirit, enjoying the process of testing, learning, and iterating to develop exceptional experiences for everyone who engages with the Hurt Hub@Davidson. As a team, we embrace human-centered design with a focus on empathetic research and making data-driven decisions to develop our programs. Candidates will not be afraid to take risks and move quickly, while also having an unwavering focus on inclusion, equity, ethical behavior, a commitment to Davidson's Honor Code, and high-quality standards. They must also be excellent communicators and project managers with an acute attention to detail and operational efficiency. Most importantly, they will be fully committed to supporting and working with students and young alum innovators in our community as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Responsibilities include:

• Administer and manage student and young alum-specific pitch competitions and mentorship programs
  
  
  
  • Design, project manage, and operate the student Try It Fund, Avinger Impact Fund, Nisbet Venture Fund, Yoder Applied Research Fellowship and other student-specific pitch competitions that we may develop in the future.
  • Ensure timely marketing, communications, and record keeping for all competitions within our customer relationship management system (Hubspot), including preparing documentation for grant funding distribution and equity investments, in collaboration with members of the Hurt Hub Leadership Team.
  • Recruit, vet, and connect mentors with students and young alums. Ensure the process is transparent, ethically-sound, and well-documented in our CRM for follow up and future matching.
  • Partner with the Learning Experience Designer to create educational materials and resources to support students participating in our pitch competitions.
  
  

• Build awareness & recruit for our programs:
  
  
  
  • Partner with the Hurt Hub's Marketing Manager to develop a communications and recruiting strategy to drive awareness and interest in our entrepreneurship programs and to showcase the stories of applicants, finalists, and winners across our website, social media, to the press, grant reporting (as needed) or donor stewardship activities, and in our annual report.
  • Serve as the primary contact for recruiting program applicants, developing assessment criteria, managing assessment teams (where applicable), communicating with applicants regarding status of their applications, and promoting new funding opportunities and pitch competitions.
  • Develop and survey participants at the conclusion of each program, analyze the results, and identify improvements aligned to our culture of experimentation and making data-driven decisions.
  
  

• Cultivate relationships with program participants and connect them with resources to be successful:
  
  
  
  • Build relationships with and provide guidance to all participants to ensure they're aware of all Hurt Hub resources to support the development of their ventures. Be a resource for them to explore other entrepreneurial opportunities and resources outside campus to further their interests and ventures.
  • Serve as the primary contact for all winners and participants in our startup funding programs, regularly sourcing updates on their ventures and identifying ways the Hurt Hub can support them, including after graduation.
  • Check in at least annually with all past Nisbet Venture Fund acceleration track winners to ensure Davidson has updated information regarding our investment in their venture. Share all documentation or other updates with key stakeholders across the College.
  
  

• Develop a comprehensive four-year program for students and young alums interested in entrepreneurship:
  
  
  
  • Identify and develop core entrepreneurship curriculum based on existing and new programs, collaborating closely with the Assistant Director, Educational Programs, the Cornelson Faculty Innovator in Residence, the Learning Experience Designer, and others on campus to ensure alignment with Davidson's standards.
  • Expand and maintain a diverse pool of qualified instructors for classes, workshops, and speaker programs.
  • In partnership with our campus Community Experience Manager, the Executive Director, Cornelson Faculty Innovator in Residence, the Learning Experience Designer, and relevant faculty members, review Davidson's curriculum each semester to develop a list of courses across all disciplines that support students developing entrepreneurial mindsets and instincts.
  • Develop relationships with venture capitalists, angel investors, SBA approved lenders and banks and/or credit unions supportive of small businesses, and grant-making organizations (e.g. NC IDEA Foundation) within Greater Charlotte and relevant communities globally to ensure the curriculum, mentorship, and other resources support students and young alums who want to pursue those funding paths.
  • Manage the annual program budget, collaborating closely with the Hurt Hub's Associate Director, Operations.
  • Serve as the staff liaison for the Davidson Entrepreneurship Club, including serving as a chaperone for treks or other events they may attend.
  
  

Other responsibilities:

• Quarterly, annually, and as requested by leadership, prepare summary reports regarding participants, their progress, and funding awarded.
• Serve as a representative and advocate for the Hurt Hub@Davidson to drive greater awareness and involvement across campus and in our community.
• Participate in Admissions and College Relations activities as requested by the Executive Director of the Hurt Hub@Davidson including fundraising activities, trainings, webinars, panels, special events, etc.
• Occasional evening and weekend events will be required to attend, but notice will be given in advance.

Requirements:

• Candidates must have at least 5 years experience building, managing and administering academic and/or co-curricular programs within a college or university
• Exceptional program and project management skills, including strategic thinking, negotiation, cross-functional team collaboration, communication (written and spoken), operations and administration, and fluency with CRM platforms and project tracking software
• Growth and entrepreneurial mindset
• Bachelor's degree; masters preferred

Reports to: Liz Brigham, W. Spencer Mitchem '59 Executive Director, Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College

As a part of your application materials, a resume and cover letter are required. Information about how to submit the application documents can be found at https://employment.davidson.edu