Startups & Alumni Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Co-Founder & CEO, the Startups & Alumni Manager will be responsible for supporting our growth-stage Fellowship and Alumni programming for diverse 18- to 30-year-old founders from across the country.

The Startups & Alumni Manager will have a diverse range of responsibilities – all with the goal of helping our talented founders grow their businesses and grow as leaders. Ongoing activities will include:

• Consulting 1:1 with founders and connecting them with the people and/or resources they need to be successful
• Networking and developing strategic relationships in the entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Recruiting potential founders, volunteer mentors, and donors for our programs
• Developing and running engaging program sessions for Fellows, alumni, and other Future Founders participants
• Connecting with alumni and continuing to add value to them and their businesses
• Data management, tracking and follow up - keeping records and reporting on impact is essential

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

A successful Startups & Alumni Manager will be an incredible connector, helping our founders leverage our network, coordinate the right kind of speakers, and organize impactful in-person and virtual events for our program participants to achieve their goals.

This role represents a key member of our team who will be a very important presence in our programming and in the lives of our founders.

In the first year on the job, we hope to see the following in your work:

• You have taken the reins of our growth-stage Fellowship and Alumni programs, creating regular programming and peer connection opportunities for ambitious, high-potential founders between the ages of 18 to 30.
• A consultative approach in serving our founders. You’re a great listener and able to connect the dots that help our founders succeed. You’ve immersed yourself in our network of entrepreneurs, alumni, mentors, and other stakeholders, leveraging their collective expertise to make a difference in the trajectory of our program participants. You know you may not have all the answers and that’s okay - there’s a huge network behind you to help execute on our mission.
• You’ve collaborated with the team to plan two memorable in-person retreats (4 days each) that don’t just “check-the-box.” You were able to help our founders skill-up and create lasting peer and mentor relationships.
• You are a strong communicator, both virtually and in person. You’re able to connect with our network and clearly articulate ideas and expectations to people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Public speaking, email communications, social media posts - you love an audience and the audience loves you.
• You consistently work with the senior leadership team to secure new funding for the programs and organization as a whole. As part of this, you will assist with grant reporting, data collection, and program evaluation.
• You enjoy a good spreadsheet. We run a lot of programming and our founders have a ton of goals - you’ve developed a simple-to-use accountability dashboard (on Google Sheets, Airtable, or some other tool that works for you/them) to keep everything organized.
• You are detail-oriented, take initiative, and have a bias toward action. Your follow-up is extraordinary and we’re amazed at how quickly the meeting recap or introduction is sent after your conversations take place.
• Most importantly, you care about our mission of creating opportunity for young people from underrepresented backgrounds within entrepreneurship.

THE CANDIDATE

Our team is made up of entrepreneurs, educators, and people with non-profit backgrounds. We recognize that a team from diverse employment and life experiences makes us stronger.

For this role, candidates should have direct experience coaching entrepreneurs and helping them grow their businesses.

Some other things we’re hoping for in our ideal candidate:

• College graduate with 4+ years of professional experience.
• You demonstrate emotional maturity, flexibility, integrity, and professionalism.
• Experience working with 18- to 30-year-olds in a professional or volunteer capacity.
• A passion and knowledge of the startup ecosystem.
• Capable of high levels of program management and innovation with a strong attention to detail.
• Strong networker, able to recruit new mentors, program participants, and partners through a variety of channels.
• Self-directed with the ability to anticipate the needs of others (specifically founders and fellow team members).
• Technology-oriented with familiarity with tools like Google Workspace and Airtable.
• You have a “can do” attitude and are ready to pitch in when needed.
• Fluent in feedback (giving and receiving).
• A sense of humor.

POSITION DETAILS

• Reports to: Co-Founder & CEO
• Type of Employment: Full-Time Position
• Salary: The budgeted salary for this role is $70,000, but we have some flexibility for candidates based on experience.
• Start Date: February 2025
• Application Deadline: January 3, 2025 (candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis)
• Interviews will begin the week of January 6, 2025
• Location: Future Founders is headquartered in downtown Chicago in the Loop. The role includes the option to work from home, but our team does require meeting in-office 3-4 times a month and the candidate should be local to Chicago and have the ability to attend evening networking events.
• Work Hours: 8:45a-5p Monday - Friday, but some morning, evening and Saturday work time will be required throughout the year. This role will include at least two in-person/large scale retreats a year that include evening and Saturday work. Each weekend day worked will be compensated with the following Monday off.
• The Startups & Alumni Manager will need to comply with current COVID vaccine requirements for Future Founders staff and program participants.