Arlington, Virginia, United States

January 3, 2022

What a year to make a difference. What a year to make a change. 

Smart City Works is looking for a Program Manager (PM) to join our Urban Tech Accelerator program team in the Greater Washington, DC Metro Region reporting to the Managing Director. The PM’s focus is program operations and execution of the Smart City Works’ Actuator playbook to deliver the best possible program experience for founders, mentors, partners, investors and other stakeholders. The PM will work under the guidance of the Managing Director to deliver a world class accelerator experience to all stakeholders.

PMs are responsible for ensuring the operational success of the full business actuation cycle from company sourcing through Demo Day, and post-cohort commercialization. This includes event management, utilizing tools/developing processes to manage program data, building and scheduling the 3-month programming calendar, execution of Demo Day, coordinating mentors and seasonally hired Associates, and tracking and facilitating commercialization opportunities.

Experience with operations and event planning is required and is a major part of this role. Familiarity with the early-stage venture-backed company ecosystem is preferred but not required. Some previous experience in commercializing technologies a plus. Throughout the year PMs have the opportunity to work across the Smart City Works network, support cross-collaborative projects, focus on professional development and career growth, and work with senior executives, mentors, partners and colleagues, all focused intensively on improving the livability, sustainability and resilience of cities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Partner with the Managing Director to support the program plan and own the overall responsibility for the successful execution of the Actuator, including Demo Day 
  • Ensure the program is following best practices and executing upon outlined content and curriculum of Smart City Works’ playbook
  • Deliver the best possible accelerator experience to founders, mentors, partners, investors, and other program stakeholders
  • Own all year-round logistics, operations, administration, scheduling, calendar management and event planning for the program
  • Support the development and delivery of Smart City Works’ structured training program, activities, and curriculum
  • Plan and execute multiple in-person gatherings for founders and staff during the actuation program. 
  • Support relationship management with Smart City Works Network Partners with the Managing Director
  • Build relationships across Smart City Works Network by working on cross-collaborative projects and supporting the Smart City Works Management Team 
  • Represent Smart City Works in the local community and ecosystem.

 

What you bring to the role:

  • 3+ years of experience in fast-paced environments with a focus on event planning, business operations, and/or project management
  • Effective communicator and ability to collaborate across departments and audiences
  • Experience working remotely and using remote work tools
  • Ensures accountability with self and others
  • Can plan and prioritize to meet program and organizational goals
  • Can quickly adapt to different situations, styles, and stakeholders
  • Focus on continuous process improvement and operational efficiency
  • Can anticipate the needs and requests of multiple stakeholders
  • Strong interest in the discourse around technology, startups, entrepreneurship, and venture capital
  • Must be able to work well with autonomy and ambiguity
  • Comfortable with public speaking, leading groups, and engaging diverse views
  • A kindred spirit to Smart City Works’ “Be-the-Change” culture of purpose-driven innovation, entrepreneurial passion, daring-to-be-different mindset, commitment to excellence ethics, and a lifting-up-others lifestyle
  • Degrees are welcome but not required. Show us what you have done and can do beyond what you learned in school.

Compensation range: $60,000 – $90,000 + 10% Bonus

About Smart City Works

Smart City Works Venture Labs, a.k.a. “THE ACTUATOR”, is the world’s first business actuator — a new class of business accelerator that can more rapidly commercialize new technologies and innovations. Established in 2016, Smart City Works was founded on three simple premises: our world and the way we live is at an inflection point. Rapid urbanization, failing infrastructure, and climate change are putting tremendous stress on cities and communities. At the same time, digitization, advances in material science, AI, and cloud, and an extraordinary entrepreneurial spirt across North America and the globe offer a must-seize opportunity to disrupt the way we design, build and operate cities.

 

Today, we now can—and for all that is going on, we must—improve the livability, sustainability, and resilience of cities. That is our goal, our purpose, our mission: to build smarter and live better. And to help founders and start-ups seeking to do the same by helping them get to market faster, grow and scale better, and achieve their vision sooner.

The Smart City Works ACTUATOR is uniquely focused on urban tech, infrastructure, on improving cities and planet earth. Our business acceleration programs take some of the world’s most promising high-tech ventures and helps them to grow from good to great, from ideation to commercialization, and from early-stage to high-growth ventures.

 

Our goal is to help founders make a difference, and for them to do good and do well, at scale.