Manager, Ray of Hope Accelerator

Role Overview

• Manage implementation of the annual Ray of Hope Accelerator in alignment with organizational strategy and program objectives.
• Manage the full participant lifecycle, including recruitment, eligibility criteria and conflict of interest mitigation, selection, candidate reviews, onboarding, program delivery, and alumni engagement.
• Continuously refine program curriculum, content, and participant experience based on cohort feedback, emerging industry needs, and program outcomes.
• Coordinate virtual and in-person accelerator programming, including retreat, workshops, mentorship, networking opportunities, and Demo Day.
• Maintain and continuously improve program systems, processes, tools, and documentation.
• Ensure an exceptional participant experience throughout all phases of the accelerator.
• Conduct annual accelerator impact reporting utilizing impact assessment protocols.
• Collaborate with Communication and Impact team members to effectively tell the story of the Ray of Hope participants, program, and alumni.
• Manage annual startup recruitment efforts to ensure a strong, diverse, and mission-aligned applicant pool.
• Form annual accelerator selection committee.
• Coordinate application review processes, due diligence activities, and Selection Committee engagement.
• Support relationships with startup pipeline partners, ecosystem organizations, universities, accelerators, and innovation networks.
• Monitor trends within biomimicry, climate innovation, regenerative design, and nature-inspired entrepreneurship to inform recruitment strategies.
• Maintain effective systems, processes, reporting, budgeting, and stakeholder coordination to support successful program delivery and participant outcomes.
• Cultivate and steward productive relationships with mentors, speakers, reviewers, investors, volunteers, partners, and other stakeholders to strengthen program quality and impact.
• Coordinate cross-functional collaboration and resources across staff, contractors, volunteers, and organizational teams to ensure aligned execution and visibility of program priorities.
• Monitor program performance, participant experience, and operational effectiveness, identifying and implementing improvements that enhance efficiency, impact, and scalability.
• Support development of alumni engagement program as part of accelerator.
• Manage ongoing engagement with accelerator alumni.
• Support alumni through community-building opportunities, introductions, resource sharing, and storytelling efforts.
• Collect and maintain data on participant and alumni business, funding, adoption, and environmental impact outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience required.
• 5+ years project management experience, including complex projects with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• 5+ years of experience in entrepreneurship support, non-profit accelerators, innovation ecosystems, venture development, or related fields.
• Experience coordinating and facilitating multi day on-site retreats, cohort-based programs, or educational experiences.
• Knowledge of impact assessment protocols relevant to climate change, water, biodiversity, and waste.
• Knowledge of biomimicry as demonstrated by degree, certificate, or course completion.
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with detailed execution.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Comfortable working independently while collaborating across a remote team and accelerator network.
• Interest in biomimicry, climate solutions, regenerative systems, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools including Asana, Google Workspace, Zoom, Airtable, and related platforms.

Tech Stack

• Ray

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Enjoy 100% coverage for employees for medical/dental/vision provided by Biomimicry Institute. (Please note, employees are responsible for coverage for spouses and/or dependents.)
• Retirement Plan: Begin your retirement savings after just 6 months of employment.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Benefit from our generous PTO policy, allowing you to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Paid Holidays: Take advantage of paid holidays as outlined in our Employee Handbook.
• Home Office Stipend: Receive a monthly stipend to help support your home office setup.