OEN NewsOEN is Hiring a Regional Catalyst Manager
The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) seeks a Regional Catalyst Manager to conduct outreach efforts throughout designated coastal areas in Coos Curry and Douglas counties. This .75FTE grant-funded contract position is part of a pilot program made possible by Business Oregon, the State’s economic development agency.
Specifically, the Catalyst Manager will:
- Help entrepreneurs create and grow businesses by assessing local needs.
- Recruit early-stage, high-growth businesses and investors to become members, volunteers, and participants in OEN’s educational and investor services programs
- Provide advisory support to start-up companies that includes evaluating current needs and matching those needs with appropriate human and capital resources
- Develop a database of Subject Matter Experts comprised of volunteers willing to work pro-bono for a specified purpose
- Assist with implementation of regional networking and educational events such as PubTalks, Boot Camps and Angel Conferences
- Evaluate and develop additional, sustainable infrastructure to support the development of start-ups
Qualifications/Skills:
- Knowledge of economic development strategies, programs, and educational activities targeted at emerging businesses
- Experience in effective grass-roots economic development or educational organizing, including development, planning, and implementation of economic development strategies
- Knowledge of entrepreneur and investor education needs, and a commitment to improve the climate for emerging, growth-oriented companies across Oregon
- Experience in strategic planning
- Aptitude for working in a highly diverse environment, with multiple constituencies
- Strong and articulate written and oral communications skills, with experience in public speaking and presentations
- Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks
- Experience recruiting, coordinating, and motivating volunteers and partners
- Strong personal network within the entrepreneurial community preferred
- Must be able to travel and work a flexible schedule
- Should be innovative, self-motivated, able to work independently, and comfortable with deadlines
- Mastery of basic computer skills: Word, Excel, Access Outlook, PowerPoint, etc
Responsibilities:
- Engage with local and regional economic development district staff, boards, volunteers, and partner groups.
- Leverage key constituencies to implement OEN programs and services, to improve the climate for emerging, growth-oriented businesses. Specifically, help improve the flow of ideas, services, and capital to entrepreneurs, and encourage membership in OEN
- Develop detailed knowledge of the local economic development strategies and priorities in each target area
- Work with the regional economic development staff and boards to determine which of OEN’s programs are best-suited to meet their needs, and the best way to deliver the programs.
- Identify, recruit, and train individual volunteers needed to support and implement the programs when practical
- Build a coalition of supportive community leaders and local businesses and organizations in the target service areas; create networking groups in each area that will connect entrepreneurs, service providers, and potential investors
- Work with OEN staff and volunteers to develop annual work plans and organizing activities to meet OEN’s outreach, membership, and investor services goals and objectives
- Seek out public speaking opportunities to describe OEN’s programs and services
- Refer entrepreneurs and accredited investors to OEN programming and OEN-supported programming that matches the needs of both parties
- Work to establish and maintain OEN PubTalk-type programs in the target communities, to provide education and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors
- Seek out and coalesce high net worth individuals who could be angel investors
- Work with local organizers to develop and maintain the angel investment conference programs
- Promote and strengthen OEN’s membership in target regions
- Track budget and progress in assigned region, and complete monthly, quarterly, and annual reports in the format provided
- Other duties as assigned
To apply:
Email a cover letter and resume to info@oen.org using the subject line, “Regional Catalyst Manager.” No phone calls please.
