Program Manager, Accelerator and Education Programs

Department
 

SING Polsky - Deep Tech Ventures

About the Department
 

The Polsky Center brings the power of ideas in the laboratory, classroom, and community to the world. Through education, resources, and programs, the Polsky Center commercializes discoveries, partners with companies, and attracts venture capital. The Polsky Center runs a top-ranked business accelerator, the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge; operates a 34,000 square-foot, multi-disciplinary co-working space called the Polsky Exchange; manages the George Shultz Innovation Fund that invests in early-stage ventures; and offers a state-of-the-art Fabrication Lab for prototyping new products. Finally, the Polsky Center houses the University of Chicago’s technology transfer unit, which manages all University-based intellectual property originating from faculty research and discoveries that can be licensed to industry partners and investors. Polsky Deep Tech Ventures (DTV) draws on the University of Chicago’s leading research in the sciences, its robust national laboratory affiliations, and partnership with the top-ranked Booth School of Business. DTV is a full-spectrum accelerator and venture support organization dedicated to translating deep tech innovations into startups that bring novel and innovative world-changing products and services to market. Leveraging a cross-campus collaborative mindset, DTV supports deep tech innovators from pre-ideation to sales and marketing and integrates Booth’s entrepreneurial training with a suite of intensive, domain-specific accelerators designed to highlight the University’s core competencies.

Job Summary
 

The Program Manager, Accelerator and Education Programs is responsible for operational program management of accelerator and educational programs, such as the foundational Compass accelerator, as well as domain-specific accelerators, such as the Data Science and the Quantum accelerators. In addition, this position is responsible for support of other DTV programs, such as the George Shultz Innovation Fund, I-Corps and educational programs, as needed. This position manages academic, research, clinical or administrative programs of the University.

Responsibilities

• Executes the programming, education, and operation requirements of the accelerators, with the goal of ensuring that the accelerators are run and operated consistently with the Polsky Center’s other premier programs.
• Manages recruitment process for ventures to participate in the accelerator and other DTV specific programs.
• Evaluates and assists in the selection of individuals for student programs, including facilitating student experience in the program, and serving as the point of contact.
• Supports teams participating in the accelerator programs through quality programming and execution of events, drawing upon appropriate resources as needed. Supports and connects teams to a network of mentors and investors and solicits feedback from teams on their satisfaction with the program.
• Manages communication with all program-specific constituents, including business liaisons, coaches, mentors, student interns, sponsors, and others involved with the program.
• Works together with relevant Polsky Center staff to oversee events and programming execution and logistics.
• Works together with the Polsky Center marketing team on the content for all print and web materials, such as posters, brochures, flyers, surveys, and web pages.
• Attends events as a representative of the Polsky Center and DTV programs to build and maintain relationships, stay up to date on entrepreneurial initiatives and accelerator programs, and participate in programming hosted by external partners as they relate to the goals and purpose of the DTV.
• Sets and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
• Analyzes program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline.

Experience:

• At least two years of experience in program management or other directly related experience.
• Working at a startup accelerator.
• Working with scientists and/or researchers in the sciences.
• Supporting research, startups, initiatives or projects in science and technology fields.

Preferred Competencies

• Work effectively with a variety of constituents, including corporate executives, academic faculty, students, and entrepreneurs.
• Resourcefulness, creativity, detail-orientation, and ability to work independently.
• Effectively multi-task under deadlines.
• Experience working with diverse campus constituencies and populations.
• Outstanding professional/interpersonal/customer service skills.
• Proven ability to seek out, coordinate, and appropriately disseminate information.
• Work well with staff at all levels of the organization as well as vendors, service providers, and other external constituents.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Administration & Management

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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