Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday break and are hitting 2015 as fired up as I am.
One of things I’m most excited about this year is my new role as Managing Director of Techstars Seattle — complementing my ongoing seed stage investment work at Founders’ Co-op. I took over the program from my partner Andy Sack late last year and used the waning days of 2014 to gather feedback from past investors and alumni about how to make Techstars an even more powerful rocket engine for Seattle’s startup ecosystem.
I’m now ready to start putting those ideas into practice, but I need some seriously awesome help to make it so.
Right now, Techstars Seattle is an army of one (me). While Andy was passing the baton to me we also said goodbye to Linsey Battan, our amazing veteran Program Director (who moved to New Orleans to join her husband for his medical residency), and Egita Polanska, Linsey’s right-hand woman (who returned to her home in Eastern Europe at the conclusion of the short-term visa program that had sponsored her stay). So I’m starting with a clean sheet of paper on both program and team — which is both exciting and a little daunting all at the same time.
To deliver the world-class accelerator program I have in mind, I’m going to need an absolutely amazing Program Manager. If you or someone you know is on fire to play a key role in the Pacific Northwest’s most selective startup accelerator, I’d like hear from you, and soon.
Here’s a little more detail on what the job entails…
Along with the Managing Director (MD), the Program Manager (PM) is tasked with the overall success of Seattle’s Techstars program. This role offers both high visibility and responsibility, working in close collaboration with the MD and mentors to help 10-12 early stage companies each year through the Techstars program and beyond.
The PM is responsible for the operations, execution and administration of the entire program, starting with pre-program (recruiting and selection), through the 3-month program (hands-on with the teams and mentors), and post-program (feedback, improvement and prep for the next cycle). During the off-season (when the Seattle program is not in active session) PMs also have responsibilities + objectives in support of the global Techstars ecosystem.
A willingness to learn and fearlessness in tackling new problems is a must. Events + logistics experience as well as familiarity with the early stage / venture backed company ecosystem is strongly preferred. Like all startup jobs, this role is a mix of grit and glamor, with a heavy emphasis on grit.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manage relationships and coordination with mentors
- Manage relationships with Local and Global Techstars sponsors
- Maintain ownership over the content and curriculum of the program
- Calendar management (mentors, talks, events, general programming)
- Event planning + execution
- Recruit companies, vet applications, and assist the Managing Director with company selection
- Recruit and manage Techstars Associates and Hackstars
- Represent Techstars in the local community
Qualifications:
- Strong interest in / competence with technology, startups, entrepreneurship, venture capital
- Proven attention to detail through prior work or life experience
- Experience in event planning and event logistics
- Comfortable with a variety of responsibilities – PMs make investments and wipe down tables!
- Able to operate with minimal direction but high expectations for performance
- Fits the Techstars culture (proceed until apprehended, give before you get, etc.)
- Standard work stuff (can use a computer + software, pass a background check, work in the US)
Compensation:
- Competitive salary relative to experience
- Full health benefits
- Travel as it relates to position responsibilities (recruiting trips, conferences, etc.)
- Working closely with the Techstars Central staff, including the executives of Techstars
- Working with world class entrepreneurs and founders
If you or someone you know is the perfect fit for this role, I’d love to hear from you now. Please email me (chris dot devore at techstars dot com) with a CV / LinkedIn profile and a note about why this is the perfect position for you.
Thanks for reading / sharing / forwarding — let’s do this!
I’ll scout for you.