The Organization: MassChallenge

The Role: Dual-Use Program Manager

Location: Boston, Massachusetts; hybrid role, in Boston office at least two days a week. This role does include some travel.

Reports to: Program Director
Compensation: $85,000-$90,000

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators who are solving massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, investors, and communities to grow and businesses and transform economies. Our mission is to equip bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change. Our mission is BIG, and thus we are a team that gives 100% every day. Our values ensure we stay true to our mission and our core beliefs.

MassChallenge is currently seeking a Dual-Use/Defense Program Manager to join our Acceleration Team at the Boston Headquarters.

Position Summary

This individual will support the greater MassChallenge efforts in dual-use innovation. A key project in this portfolio is MassChallenge’s partnership with the NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) program. This Program Manager works alongside NATO DIANA, as well as European and American stakeholders to design, implement, and monitor program delivery (curriculum, networking events, demo days, etc.)

Location

This Program Manager will be expected to work from the MassChallenge Boston Headquarters on Tuesdays and Thursdays and as otherwise required to successfully deliver the program. Occasional work after-hours will be necessary to support the execution of NATO DIANA and other dual-use focused events. Travel required is estimated at 15-25% both domestically and internationally.

What You'll Do

Program Execution

• Actively communicate with NATO DIANA, US Department of Defense, and other global accelerator sites to ensure successful program delivery.
• Support implementation of defense and dual-use curriculum, including speaker identification and briefing
• Collect key performance metrics from the program, deliverable to NATO DIANA, to measure success and implement adaptations for future iterations.

Community Development

• Recruit experts, mentors, investors and lecturers through strategic networking alongside the MassChallenge dual-use innovation team
• Activate the greater United States dual-use community by organizing engagement opportunities to meet and support the selected cohort of startups.
• Attend, support, and represent MassChallenge at national ecosystem events.

Startup Support

• Advocate for the selected cohort of startups to the NATO DIANA Boston Accelerator Site
• Identify networks, resources, opportunities to promote the growth and scale of the selected cohort of startups.
• Empathize with the entrepreneur, understanding the founder journey, recognizing their needs, and championing their successes.

What You Bring

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3+ years of military experience
• Experience and interest in the United States defense ecosystem & acquisition practices
• Record of leadership, project execution, strategic thinking, and managing deliverables and expectations to a multitude of stakeholders
• Interest and/or experience in accelerator operations

Who You Are:

• You have 3-5 years of military and/or civilian work experience and a strong understanding of military operations and dual-use needs.
• You have exceptional project leadership and management skills with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment.
• You make decisions that consider multiple stakeholder needs, team capacity/bandwidth and organizational growth goals.
• You are a strong collaborator, and you are capable of setting priorities and goals with others across diverse functional departments.,
• You can deal with ambiguity and changing priorities and circumstances.
• Thoughtful, energetic, and diplomatic change ambassador; an experienced professional in understanding organizational dynamics, guiding individuals and teams through complex and changing environments.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Previous accelerator management experience ideal but not required.
• Knowledge of the dual use innovation ecosystem ideal but not required.

Who We Are

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators who are working to solve massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. At MassChallenge we:

• Help entrepreneurs build the next generation of transformational businesses by connecting them with the resources, partnerships, and communities that help them launch, grow, and scale their startups.
• Help our partners build, grow, and evolve their corporate innovation practices.
• Leverage the power of entrepreneurship to strengthen global innovation ecosystems.

Why You Should Join Us

We believe working at MassChallenge is fulfilling because of the mission, challenging because of the pace and work, and rewarding because you get to build to the next step in your career here. When you join MassChallenge, you join an incredible team and network of innovators and entrepreneurs, you take ownership over significant and strategically important projects, you focus on impact and output, and you help strengthen the global innovation ecosystem.

Our Core Values:

• Founder Mindset: Optimism, Tenacity, Love the Problem
• Connect & Collaborate: Empathy & Inclusion & Fun, Build Community, Connect the Dots
• Progress over Perfection: Build on experience, Fail Fast, Demonstrate Traction

Compensation

• MassChallenge offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment.
• Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with skills and experience.
• For this position, the base salary range is $85,000-$90,000.
• Internal equity considerations and the average salary of the peer range will be reviewed before making a final offer.

**MassChallenge is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We seek individuals from a broad variety of backgrounds with varying levels of experience who have a desire to do meaningful work. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.