Flywheel Foundation Program Manager

If you are passionate about entrepreneurship, community building and economic development, this position offers you the opportunity to serve Cabarrus County and the North Charlotte Region with innovative program leadership offered by the Flywheel Foundation.

The position is based at the Cabarrus Center, powered by Flywheel, located in Concord NC, at 57 Union Street South. As the Foundation’s program you will be interacting on a daily basis with community leaders, mentors, founders and owners of small businesses.

You will also coordinate with program partners including the RCCC Small Business Center, the regional Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation, and many other organizations focused on entrepreneurship.

The Program Manager reports directly to the Foundation’s Executive Director and is responsible ongoing management of the Venture Mentoring Service program licensed by the Foundation from MIT as a primary responsibility, as well as the Retail Lab Program for emerging entrepreneurs in retail goods and services.

The Program Manger exhibits smart thinking that reflects the Flywheel Foundation vision, mission and objectives. The Program Manager has an aptitude for written communication, attention to executional detail, discipline with timeliness, the ability to partner with Cabarrus Center stakeholders, and exhibits a passion for the entrepreneurs and mentors engaged in the Mentor Program.

The Program manager is expected to be an active community networker, assist with fundraising, attend ecosystem events, determine the program focus needed, design and execute programs, and ensure quality attendance and delivery of service to the community.

Training, Implementation and Administration of Mentor Program
Expected hours 20 / week

The Program Manager:

• Successfully completes the MIT VMS training
• Exhibits strong program management and administrative skills
• Practices service-oriented leadership and exhibit strong people skills with the Mentor program customers, both the entrepreneurs and mentors.
• Has an understanding of challenges facing early stage and established small businesses and has a passion for “connecting the dots” with resources
• Maintains and administers the VMS program Traction5 software
• Screens entrepreneurs and mentors, using the MIT training to triage before engagement in the program.
• Uses the MIT playbook, manages processes and procedures
• Develops the agenda and manages monthly mentor meetings
• Oversees scheduling of mentoring sessions and monitors program compliance
• Is responsible for data, metrics, reporting, and financial management
• Oversees mentor / entrepreneur relationships and engagements
• Coordinates facility use with Flywheel Community Manager

Retail Lab Program and Pop-Up Store
Expected hours 5-10 / week

The Program Manager:

• Manages marketing and communication for Spring and Fall cohorts
• Coordinates the venture selection process for the bootcamp with the program Steering Committee
• Coordinates instructors and Learning Management System curriculum
• Organized graduation Pitch Day and applications for Flywheel Foundation starter grants
• Administers the Retail Lab Pop Up store, run as a consignment coop
• Develops and administers the online Retail Lab Store

Other Flywheel Foundation Programs
Expected hours 5-10 /week

A successful Program Manager listens to the entrepreneur, innovation and tech communities and conceives programs that engage those audiences, stimulate start up activity and support the small business community.

Specifically, the Program Manger takes ownership of the intake process at the Cabarrus Center and assists with meetings, events, development, community programming, and community engagement.

• Manages venture and small business intake at the Cabarrus Center and assists entrepreneurs, founders and owners with resource navigation and helpful connections.
• Supports the Community Manager in delivering other programming that includes the following:
• Monthly Indeavor Lunch
• Monthly Jumpstart
• Quarterly Tech Slam ‘N Eggs and Pitch-Space Live Events
• Monthly Accelerate Cabarrus Meetup
• Learning Management System educational series
• Additional programs, events, classes, and workshops, that promote traffic and membership
• Moderates events and programs as required
• Coordinates programming with other ecosystem partners
• Establishes priorities and institutes a process for accomplishing program objectives
• Demonstrates excellent organizational skills and handles multiple tasks simultaneously
• Makes good use of time—working in a timely and efficient manner

Relationships

Internal

• Creates positive working environment within Flywheel and fosters a team approach
• Keeps management up to date on events, knowledge base and business relationships
• Is someone team members can rely on

External

• Develops and maintains effective working relationships within communities served by Flywheel, local educational institutions, the entrepreneur ecosystem and the local business community
• Leverages the resources of the Cabarrus Center and participating organizations on behalf of the entrepreneurs served

Strategic Thinking

• Synthesizes knowledge of business and membership to develop viable knowledge resource database
• Interprets and summarizes data/research for knowledge resource database
• Generates business building ideas for the business

Communication Skills

• Is a good listener

• Demonstrates good follow-up skills
• Holds productive meetings
• Communicates constantly and consistently

Written

• Demonstrates strong business-writing skills (emails, memos, information sheets for knowledge base, etc.)

Oral

• Has mastered responsive, clear, concise, articulate, focused communication skills and presentation style
• Is confident, persuasive and composed in delivery
• Articulates thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely

Computer skills

• MS Office Suite, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive and Google Apps, Mailchimp, Eventbrite and Canva

Attitude

• Demonstrates a passion for excellence in work outputs and outcomes
• Acknowledges that every person’s contribution is as important as the next and that their actions should nurture the concept of team
• Has an upbeat attitude and is dedicated to the success of the Mentor Program
• Demonstrates respect for others, internally and externally
• Demonstrates a creative, flexible and entrepreneurial results-oriented work ethic
• Creates and promotes loyalty to the business and the business’s culture
• Demonstrates a real desire to excel and advance in their career

Physical Demands

• Subject to normal inside office conditions
• Limited travel for business related purposes
• Regularly required to talk and hear in communications with coworkers and membership
• Frequently required to walk, stand, sit and use hands
• Work on computer requires ability to use keyboard
• Occasionally required to reach with arms, carry/lift up to 20 pounds, stoop, kneel, bend, and crouch
• NOTE: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions

Requirements/Qualifications

• Four-year college degree in a related field plus work experience in similar role.

About Flywheel and The Flywheel Foundation

The Flywheel Foundation promotes healthy entrepreneurship ecosystems through events, accessible courses, and investment. We accelerate home-grown economic development with diverse pathways for inception-stage and growth-stage startups by partnering with an expanding network of non-profits, economic development organizations, corporations, and investors. We are committed to working with organizations who put entrepreneurs first, knowing that a resilient and inclusive economy benefits all.

We support hundreds of founders as they work towards identifying problems in the market and creating unique, valuable solutions. Our network of mentors works hard to share their own experiences starting companies while helping founders become better at what they do – changing the world around them.

The Flywheel Foundation serves as connective tissue both within and across regional entrepreneurship ecosystems. Our role is to develop new programs that fill gaps in developmental support and capital access not currently addressed by support organizations within a region, and to connect regions, sharing expertise and best practices as Flywheel builds its network of innovation centers in the Southeastern United States.

Flywheel designs and operates coworking innovation space in partnership with premier educational institutions and local community partners. We currently operate in the Triad Region of North Carolina served out of
Winston-Salem, Greater Charlotte / Cabarrus served out of Concord, NC, and Upstate SC out of the Crescent Startup Community in Greenville, SC. Additional projects are in development in Lexington, NC, Greenwood, SC and North Wilkesboro, NC.

Our network will continue to grow throughout the Southeast in mid-size and smaller cities that have the right ingredients and community support for early-stage entrepreneurs.

The Flywheel Foundation enables an active coworking innovation model to build member communities and stimulate entrepreneurship – and that’s important. Our model helps college and university entrepreneurship programs engage with our co-located companies and programs. We actively assemble Entrepreneurship Service
Organizations (ESOs) as resident program partners under one roof to efficiently deliver resources and capital.

At Flywheel, we’re passionate about building a purpose-driven community among our members. Our coworking culture helps our members develop personally and professionally. We are actively involved - not only providing the affordable, flexible space and amenities, but more importantly helping members accelerate their success through curated social and professional development events.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

COVID-19 considerations:
Refer to our Covid 19 on the Flywheel Website

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Concord, NC 28025: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

License/Certification:

• NC Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: One location