Direct Services Accelerator Coordinator

DIRECT SERVICES - ACCELERATOR COORDINATOR

ICA Fund is seeking a part-time, temporary Direct Services Accelerator Coordinator. This position is based in Oakland, CA with hybrid in-office Tuesdays and Thursdays and remote work.

ICA: NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL

People of color, especially women of color, start businesses at higher rates — but are constrained by structural inequities and are often overlooked by mainstream funders. Through ICAs coaching, connections, and capital we partner with, mentor, and invest in underestimated Bay Area entrepreneurs to accelerate great businesses and build an economy that works for all.

ICA is a Venture Capital Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) committed to closing the racial and gender wealth gaps and addressing structural inequities faced by entrepreneurs of color and women. With a 28-year track record, our tailored accelerator programs and strategic investments support underestimated Bay Area entrepreneurs because we believe in the transformative power of small businesses and foster an inclusive culture that promotes collaboration and mutual respect. Joining our team is an opportunity to contribute directly to our mission, accelerating entrepreneurs of color and women. You’ll play a crucial role in advancing our work and witness the daily impact of our support on local economies. Operating as a lean startup, we challenge traditional financing models, emphasizing racial equity and prioritizing good jobs within ICA.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Director of Direct Services, this role is a “hit the ground running”, active programming based opportunity for an individual who can play an integral role in supporting ICA’s Direct Services team in delivering quality content and curriculum; creating containers of space for companies in programming to learn and grow; and delivering on strategies; and methodologies for implementing program objectives for the upcoming programming.

This role will be immersed in the ICA ecosystem, working closely with the ICA team to logistically support current, past and future entrepreneurs by helping to deliver current programming, workshops and/or Office Hours; supporting in curriculum design, being responsible for implementing the container of programming.

Key Activities

• Strategic Group Management
  • Support with service delivery to cohorts/groups with 20+ individuals through 2 different types of knowledge transfer session (virtual & in-person)

• Session Facilitation
  • Coordinate with facilitators to ensure arrival, prep and materials available
  • Be familiar with session content and “run of show,” support with last minute changes or modifications
  • Monitor virtual session chat/”hands-up”, breaks and attendance
  • Support team with in-person day of logistics e.g. managing vendors, set up and break down
  • Ensuring participants complete post session surveys
  • Maintain space, nurture healthy tension and growth opportunities
  • Foster safe and inclusive space for learning

• Session Planning and Design
  • Understand curriculum arc and have deep familiarity with content and flow of sessions
  • Support with planning and building of pre work, post work and messaging required

• Feedback Loops
  • Support/Maintain communication with ICA team about flow of content and opportunities for iterations
  • Participate in feedback loop evaluations from cohort to team for planning

Learning Opportunities

• Participate in diverse conversations with multiple ICA Business areas to clarify and document ICA’s Direct Services IP/Value Proposition regarding knowledge transfer, business development acceleration and ensuring “investment-readiness”
• Learn business fundamentals in real time by actively participating in ICA’s accelerator programing
• Learn how to optimize new processes and procedures to help increase efficiency across departments
• Learn how to manage and nurture professional relationships in order to better serve to broader community
• Participate in actively engaging entrepreneurs in peer-to-peer support
• Learn how to analyze participant data and uncover and report on relevant themes/insights

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

• Experience coordinating large and small groups
• Experience managing logistics in-person and/or virtually
• Interest in ICA’s work/mission
• Experience working with underrepresented and/or minority groups and individuals that reflect the communities ICA supports
• Interest in supporting underrepresented founders and increasing access to capital
• Interest in small business development and investment
• Excellent writing and communication skills
  • Experience sending out communications to large groups (jobs, school orgs, other internships or fellowships, class projects, ect.)
• Strong interpersonal skills
  • Experience relating to diverse groups, as well as directing needs or requests to the appropriate place
• Naturally curious
  • Eager to learn process and systems
  • Willing to brainstorm new ideas and processes
• Organized, self starter
• Not afraid to ask hard questions or ask for help
• Detail oriented

OUR OFFER AND COMMITMENT

This part-time opportunity is tied to the active programming cycle in 2025 that runs from May to July and meets weekly. Compensation is $40/hour.

Commitment: Jan 2025 - Oct 2025

• Onboarding: Jan - Feb
• Strategy and Planning: March - April
• Active Programming – May – July
  • 5 in-person dates and 18 virtual dates
• Retrospective: Sept/Oct date TBD (1 - 2 hours)

ICA is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, and other legally protected characteristics.

Hiring Process

People are key to our success, and we’d like to get to know you. Depending on your progress through our hiring process, you may go through the following steps: A round of a panel interview, and reference-checking of previous supervisors and colleagues.

How to Apply

Please submit both a resume and a very brief cover letter explaining why you are interested in this role and ICA (combined into one PDF or Word document) by Dec 20th, 2024 to Hannah Shr at: hannah@ica.fund. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis.