Program Manager - The gener8tor Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator

Salary: $75,000

Location: Chicago, IL

Description

Are you passionate about driving innovation in climate tech and water technology? Do you excel at managing complex programs and grants? Are you committed to supporting entrepreneurs tackling critical environmental challenges? If so, this position is for you!

gener8tor, a nationally recognized startup accelerator, is seeking a Program Manager to support our Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator (GLIA) program in Chicago, IL. This program, launched in partnership with NOAA and various regional partners, aims to accelerate startups addressing critical challenges in the Great Lakes region.

The Program Manager will support three 12-week programs per year, each investing $100,000 of non-dilutive funding into five startups. You'll play a crucial role in recruiting and selecting companies, executing programming, providing startup coaching, and building networking opportunities. Additionally, you'll be responsible for managing the NOAA grant, ensuring compliance, and reporting on program outcomes.

As a member of the gener8tor team, you'll be an essential part of our international platform, connecting startup founders, investors, universities, and corporations. Your work will directly impact startups addressing climate resilience and water technology challenges in the Great Lakes region as well as our other sustainability programming across the country

Success for a Program Manager means owning all aspects of the program logistics and operations, including grant management, while supporting the recruitment and selection of innovative founders. You'll coordinate weekly program events, manage cohort community-building activities, and lead the planning of the end-of-program showcase event. Reporting to the program's Managing Director, you'll collaborate across the organization with gener8tor's centralized support teams and the broader Sustainability Team.

At gener8tor we…

• See genius in every community. Across race, place and gender, we believe the company has a chance to accomplish a generational challenge in bridging genius with opportunity.
• Never self-defeat and have a “play to win” mentality. We revolve everything we do around helping the entrepreneurs in our programs.
• Are curious. We work hard to find hidden gems others overlook.
• Believe no job is beneath us. We wipe down the tables and load up the U-Hauls with enthusiasm. Work as a team to get $#!^ done!
• Strive for “that guy emailed me.” We share a commitment to take a bottom-up approach to building strong, personal, 1-1 relationships. We believe that the best way to quality is through quantity.

Our values are core to how we work. If they don’t resonate with you, this role might not be the right fit.

Responsibilities

• Manage logistics and ensure the operational success of all aspects of the GLIA, including grant management and compliance with NOAA requirements.
• Assist in recruiting startup applicants and support the due diligence and selection process for three GLIA cohorts annually.
• Track metrics and prepare reports for gener8tor, NOAA, and other external program partners.
• Actively participate in all aspects of the accelerator program including recruitment, team meetings, mentor swarms, investor swarms, lunch & learns, and Great Lakes region networking events.
• Collaborate with the broader sustainability team to develop new strategies, assess program strengths, improve processes, and ensure best practices are followed while supporting our other sustainability programs
• Support GLIA alumni and maintain ongoing relationships.
• Represent gener8tor in the Chicago community and broader Great Lakes region, actively participating in the startup ecosystem.
• Collaborate with other members of the gener8tor team to support national programs.
• Be the #1 cheerleader for the Great Lakes climate resilience and water technology startup ecosystems.
• Manage the NOAA grant, including budget tracking, performance reporting, and ensuring compliance with federal grant requirements.

Requirements

• Experience with operations, logistics, program/project management, and grant management is required. Experience supporting an accelerator, incubator, or venture fund is recommended.
• Familiarity with federal grant management practices, preferably experience with NOAA or similar agency grants.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and a self-starter. Experience in program/project management, venture capital, or environmental organizations is beneficial.
• Knowledge of or strong interest in climate resilience, water technology, and Great Lakes environmental challenges.
• Flexibility to travel up to 25%, work some nights and weekends.
• Collaborative, team-based mindset. You will work closely with the Managing Director, other Program Managers, founders, external partners, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, highly independent environment and juggle multiple projects and responsibilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling grant reports and presentations.
• Willingness to dive deeper into the climate tech, water technology, and startup communities.
• Commitment to equity across race, place, and gender, with the ability to see genius in every community.

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