The Funding and Mentorship Programs Manager at the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College will be responsible for building awareness, recruiting, and cultivating a student, alumni, and Greater Charlotte-based entrepreneurial community around our startup capital and mentorship programs. Our funding programs include: the Try It Fund, Avinger Impact Fund, the Nisbet Venture Fund, the Yoder Applied Research Fellowship, and the CATS Pitch competition. In terms of our mentorship program, this role will serve as the primary contact for our partnership with LaunchCLT which leads the area’s largest mentorship program for entrepreneurs. Moreover, this role will oversee the development of the Davidson Entrepreneurs Network (D.E.N) launched in 2023 to provide a community for Davidson students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends all over the world who participate in the entrepreneurial ecosystem - founders and co-founders, advisors, investors, and community builders. In partnership with the Hurt Hub@Davidson leadership team, this person will host regular information sessions on our programs, liaise with our partners at LaunchCLT, help our audiences apply and review applications, build relationships with and share additional resources with all applicants, and serve as the main contact for teams that win grants and/or equity investments to support the growth of their ventures. This role directly reports to the W. Spencer Mitchem Director of the Hurt Hub@Davidson.

Top candidates will have “fun doing the impossible” and will embody an entrepreneurial spirit, enjoying the process of testing, learning and iterating to develop exceptional experiences for everyone who engages with the Hurt Hub@Davidson. They will not be afraid to take risks and move quickly, while also having an unwavering focus on inclusion, equity, ethical behavior and high quality standards. They must also be excellent communicators and project managers with an acute attention to detail. Most importantly, top candidates will be fully committed to supporting and working with innovators of all ages and stages in our community as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Responsibilities include:

• Building Awareness & Recruiting for our Programs:

  • Develop a communications and recruiting strategy to drive awareness and interest in our funding and mentorship programs that supports entrepreneurs and innovators of all backgrounds, tenure and experience levels. Whenever possible, collaborate with the Hurt Hub leadership team, Davidson faculty, staff leaders, and community partners, especially LaunchCLT.

  • Serve as the primary contact for recruiting program applicants, developing assessment criteria, organizing/managing assessment teams (where applicable), communicating with applicants regarding status of their applications, and promoting new funding opportunities to those in our community. Partner with the Hurt Hub@Davidson Educational Programs manager to ensure interested candidates are well informed as to what should be included for successful applications and what educational programs are available to support their interests.

  • Partner with the Hurt Hub@Davidson Marketing Manager to develop and execute all marketing programs to drive applications and to share the stories of applicants, finalists, and winners of all programs across our website, social media, grant reporting (as needed), and in our annual report. 

  • Develop and survey participants at the conclusion of each program, analyze the results, and develop recommendations for improvements for the future. 

  • Collaborate with the Chief Engagement Officer at LaunchCLT to cross-promote programs, events, and success stories as they arise. Refer appropriate candidates to LaunchCLT for mentorship.

• Developing and Managing Relationships with Funding Program Participants:

  • Build and manage relationships with all applicants and recipients to ensure they’re aware of all Hurt Hub resources to support the development of their ventures. Make recommendations and connections to others on the Hurt Hub leadership team, faculty members, Davidson alumni, potential mentors or other funding sources, as applicable.

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for all Nisbet Venture Fund current and past winners, checking in with them at least quarterly to ensure Davidson has updated legal and financial information regarding our equity investments in their venture. Share all documentation or other updates with the Davidson Endowment team.

  • Prepare summary reports for the Director of the Hurt Hub@Davidson for annual and other reporting purposes as needed. 

  • Develop case studies and stories with the Hurt Hub@Davidson Marketing Manager and Davidson College Communications team to highlight past winners and contestants to drive future participation, general program awareness, and donor support.

• Recruiting, Vetting, and Connecting Mentors and Mentees:

  • Building off of the launch of the Davidson Entrepreneurs Network (D.E.N.), develop a comprehensive recruiting, vetting, and engagement strategy for new mentors and mentees affiliated with Davidson College. Partner with LaunchCLT, when appropriate, based on the needs and interests of the applicant. 

  • Develop and execute processes to support your strategy using the latest technologies and in collaboration with the Hurt Hub Leadership team, ensuring the process is transparent, ethically-sound, and well-documented. 

  • Pair funding program applicants, finalists, winners, and others in our community with mentors either through the Davidson Entrepreneurs Network or LaunchCLT as appropriate. Mentorship can be ad hoc or organized in the context of the funding program.

Other responsibilities:

• Serve as a representative and evangelist for all things happening at the Hurt Hub@Davidson to drive greater awareness and involvement across campus and in our community.

• Participate in Admissions and College Relations activities as requested by the Director of the Hurt Hub@Davidson including trainings, webinars, panels, special events, etc. 

Reports to: Liz Brigham, W. Spencer Mitchem Director, Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College

Information about how to submit an application can be found at https://employment.davidson.edu.

At Davidson College, we believe the college grows stronger by recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff committed to building an inclusive community.  In order to achieve and sustain educational excellence, we seek to hire talented faculty and staff across the intersections of diverse races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, socio-economic backgrounds, political perspectives, abilities, cultures, and national origins.

LJNX