OEN Member NewsMid-Valley Venture Catalyst

Purpose of Position:

The Mid-Valley Venture Catalyst is a position that facilitates the startup and growth of scalable companies in Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties by fostering a regional network of resources, raising the visibility of entrepreneurial initiatives, and working with entrepreneurs to help them connect to necessary expertise and resources.

The position is a multi-year contract that reports to the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) and will serve a three-county region of Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties; utilizing workspaces in partner organizations in Salem and McMinnville.

Description of Duties and Responsibilities:

The position will work primarily with entrepreneurs and startups in traded sector industries with products or services that are scalable (having high growth potential). Initially, these sectors include high tech and advanced manufacturing, ag tech, software services, and scalable consumer products.

Position Duties: The Venture Catalyst will act as an entrepreneurial broker and facilitator of the Mid-Valley region by:

• Coaching: Meeting directly with entrepreneurs to assess their needs and connect them to appropriate resources, and follow-up on those connections.
• Network Development: Helping to create a thriving network and interactions through events, meetups, and other efforts that bring entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and advisors together.
• Entrepreneurship Showcase and Recognition: Developing or supporting high profile events or promotional activities that showcase entrepreneurs across the region.
• Educational Programming: Promoting educational programming and workshops that increase entrepreneurial know-how.
• Access to Capital: Understanding the capital resources within and outside of the region and working with local and state partners to help startups become investor ready.
• Ecosystem Building: Being an active participant with regional entrepreneurial partnerships, and helping to develop a shared regional entrepreneurial strategy and funding plan.
• Tracking and Measurement: Maintaining an active database of startups and entrepreneurial resources, as well as tracking metrics that measure performance in terms of the number of entrepreneurs served, capacity of entrepreneurial assets, and the resulting revenue, job and investment impact.
• Fundraising: Assisting OEN and the Steering Committee in identifying and pursuing funders and program sponsors.

The Venture Catalyst is expected to help maintain the relationship with partners that fund their position. As such, outreach efforts with key partners will be necessary as well as management of relevant budgeting.

Preferred Experience/Skill Base:

• Experience with the entrepreneurial community either as an entrepreneur of a scalable company, investor and preferably both.
• Extensive regional and statewide connections with entrepreneurial resources, investors, and business organizations.
• Effective communicator with strong verbal, written, and presentation skills and good follow-up.
• Interpersonal skills; especially the ability to work well in teams and engage partners.
• Leadership and visioning skills that can develop results-oriented strategies and measurable work plans.
• Program management skills for self-directed efforts and efforts involving other organizations.
• The ability to be agile; quickly identify opportunities and deal with multiple and shifting priorities.
• Budgeting/reporting skills.
• The ability and comfort level to raise funds.

Annual contract salary range for this position is $80,000-$85,000 and assumes full-time commitment.

Application deadline:

January 31, 2019.

To apply:

Please email your resume and a cover letter to midvalleyVC@oen.org.

About OEN:

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) drives economic growth statewide by leveraging the power of community to educate, support, and inspire one another to success. We envision a future where Oregon is recognized as the best place in the country for anyone to start and scale a business. Our primary focus is educating entrepreneurs and connecting them to the people, programs and capital they need to succeed. Why? Because a thriving network of entrepreneurs makes Oregon stronger.