About JumpStart Inc.

JumpStart is a non-profit venture development organization whose mission is to unlock the full potential of entrepreneurship to transform entire communities. Our vision is to collaborate with partners to generate dramatically improved and inclusive economic outcomes by supporting diverse entrepreneurs, optimizing entrepreneurial ecosystems, and accelerating innovation.

The key to JumpStart’s success is its ability to leverage the skills, experience, and creativity of its inspired team to transform entrepreneurial aspirations into actions with measurable impact. JumpStart associates take great pride in making JumpStart a highly demanding yet incredibly fun place to work.

Candidate Summary

We are looking for an energetic marketing and communications leader to support the business goals of JumpStart’s venture investing activities (i.e., JumpStart Ventures) and to help frame how those activities are linked to the services work we provide more broadly (i.e. ESP programming). The Venture and Investing, Marketing Manager will work closely with JumpStart’s CEO, the JumpStart Ventures team, and JumpStart’s Partner, of Marketing Operations to execute a marketing strategy to capture the minds of current/potential limited partner investors (and their advisors), focusing on advancing our strategic relationships and strengthening our brand with use data to support our tech-startup investing and services strategies.

The successful candidate is someone with demonstrated ability to think strategically, develop brands, and increase engagement across our venture investing and tech startup target audiences. This role will be focused on generating high quality leads (vs. a large quantity of leads) by building and mobilizing a brand identity that attracts the partners and entrepreneurs that best fit with our venture investing work. The ideal candidate is data-driven and thrives in a cross-functional environment, interacting regularly with stakeholders from services, investing, startups, and industry leaders.

Position Summary

Reporting to JumpStart Inc.’s Partner, Marketing Operations with dotted lines of day-to-day accountability and responsibility to senior leadership of JumpStart Ventures, the incumbent is responsible for developing the marketing strategy, related communications, and content development for the JumpStart Ventures brand and how that brand most effectively intersects with or stands apart from other JumpStart Inc. programming.

The Ventures and Investing, Marketing Manager will develop and execute comprehensive go-to-market strategies and communications plans, leveraging multi-communication channels to increase awareness of tech innovation, high potential startups (i.e., pre-seed through Series A stages), and JumpStart Ventures. In addition, the incumbent will manage the creation and implementation of the brand voice, messaging, and identity for JumpStart Ventures. This includes but not limited to digital /online presence (websites, social media, video, podcasts, and blog channels) in partnership and coordination with the digital marketing and branding teams. The TBD, Marketing Manager will serve as the primary marketing leader for JumpStart Ventures messaging as well as any messaging programs tied to venture investing across all JumpStart’s tech programs (e.g., ESP programs) and as such, serves as a resource for colleagues across the JumpStart Ventures management team and across other areas of the organization.

The Venture & Investing, Marketing Manager strives to bring JumpStart’s venture capital investment philosophy to life through marketing content that is leveraged across our region and beyond. At JumpStart, we seek to attract engagement from high potential entrepreneurs, corporate partners, limited partners, and funders. Concurrently, we seek to be approachable and transparent in building a broad understanding of the core investment processes and principles which drive every investment choice we make. We accomplish this through communication that balances openness and accessibility with authenticity and accuracy, while respecting the regulatory requirements and industry practices that define the venture investing market.

Essential Job responsibilities include:

· In close partnership with the JumpStart Ventures team as well as members of the ESP services, team, you will develop and drive integrated marketing plans and campaigns that will support driving awareness and interest in support of JumpStart’s funds and investment strategies

· Create, write, and maintain high-impact, venture investing content that uses segmentation to optimize lead generation, deal flow and brand building a cross a multi-faceted target audience.

· Manage the campaign process including schedules, stakeholder communications, creative, and operational execution.

· Drive the digital experience, user journey and content across our digital platforms (owned, paid, and earned).

· Manage and execute the go-to-market plan and work with key stakeholders across various areas to ensure successful launches and lifecycle growth

· Measure, analyze, and report on the success of marketing plans as required with key stakeholders to identify opportunity to continuously improve our outcomes relative to our goals.

· Provide event marketing support (i.e., planning, collateral, promotion, swag, etc.)

· Cultivate strong working relationships with internal and third-party compliance (legal) to ensure regulatory requirements are met.

Essential Job Functions

70% - Executing Core Marketing (GTM), Communications & Social Media Functions

· Monitor and track trends, opportunities, and industry changes across platforms with specific emphasis on the venture capital industry

· Enhance and maintain our digital presence across tech and investment platforms and networks.

· Manage and brand the newly JumpStart Ventures division and funds across the region and beyond

· Develop and maintain marketing and promotional materials, both print and electronic, in collaboration with the JumpStart Ventures team as well as ESP Services team where appropriate.

· Work closely with the Data team to build knowledge of clients, portfolio companies, and glean insights through analytics about investors, the entrepreneurs we serve, JumpStart’s impact and develop case studies and company success stories.

· Create thoughtful and compelling content to ensure current and prospective investors and entrepreneurs are informed and engaged with our work, with a focus on high-net-worth individuals, family offices, wealth managers, Corporate, Government, and Philanthropic stakeholder audiences.

· Manage the flow and process for requests for ads, sponsorships and speaking engagements.

· Support and manage materials, marketing and communication functions for events, conferences, and industry programs.

· Inform annual marketing budget for all investing related marketing activity

15% - Engagement & Outreach

· Represent JumpStart and JumpStart Ventures brand(s) in partnerships and collaborations as requested. Ensure appropriate levels of separation as well as overlap between brands to mutually optimize the goals of both JumpStart Ventures and JumpStart, inc.

· Maintain a calendar of outreach activities, including community events, industry conferences, programs, appearances, and other communication opportunities.

15% - Continuous improvement

· Support JumpStart Ventures and JumpStart tech team with continuous improvement of business systems, process, and operations of core support functions.

Decision Making Responsibility

This position has medium level autonomy for decision making and consults with the Partner, Marketing Operations, Director of Communications, and JumpStart Ventures Management team on a regular basis. The position will also interact with JumpStart’s CEO and Senior Leadership Team on occasion. The role is balance between internal and external facing and is required to work effectively across internal departments. This role makes individual work decisions regarding day-to-day execution of important projects, programs and/or tasks that may influence the priorities, goals and work of team members across JumpStart. Exercising good judgement to manage daily work and priorities, ability to think strategically and influence others to align and execute across common goals is required for this person to be successful.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

· Travel

o When required attend local and out of state conferences, workshops and seminars

· Modest physical activity required for lifting and moving office supplies, equipment, and furniture on occasion

· Normal professional office environment

· Eligible for remote work agreement

Required Qualifications

· Willingness to live and work in Cleveland.

Education, Training and/or Experience

· 3+ years of demonstrated experience in driving marketing related growth around tech innovation, startups, and investment

· Genuine interest in knowing and understanding our client companies, founders, the region, and the venture capital industry

· Confident self-starter who is willing to take ownership of initiatives from strategy to execution with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

· Strong and articulate written/oral communication capabilities and the ability to work well with other across the organization.

· Ability to excel in a fast-paced environment where deliverables may change as client needs and brand strategy evolves

· Bachelor’s degree required, preferably with an emphasis in marketing or communications

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

· Confident communicator and outstanding interpersonal skills.

· Strong writing, editing, proofreading and layout/design skills are essential.

· Strong project, time and organizational management skills.

· Flexibility with changes in task and priorities along with using sound judgment.

· Creativity and attention to detail.

· Solid knowledge and understanding of current trends in social media and digital media.

· Proficiency with Salesforce or other CRM systems, spreadsheet skills required, as well as a firm understanding of Microsoft Office – Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Must be proficient in a Windows environment and computerized accounting software.

Preferred Qualifications

· Prior experience in a marketing/communications role in an investing firm, ideally venture capital or in working with high growth, venture-backed tech startups

· Solid understanding of venture capital and/or early-stage technology trends. Familiarity with industry terms, concepts, thought leaders, success stories etc.

JumpStart’s Core Values and Key Cultural Behaviors

• Accountability: Act to deliver on commitments and generate results, and if expectations aren’t clear, ask
• Entrepreneurial: Embrace opportunity, continuous improvement, and change, and contribute to the solution as we evolve
• Equity: Committed to corrective action regarding historically underserved and underrepresented populations through entrepreneurship and innovation
• Energy: Address our work with focus, grit and enthusiasm
• Collaboration: Collaborate with others to play our most helpful role(s) and to increase effectiveness
• Humility: Balance self-assurance with listening to understand, having an open mind, and demonstrating patience

JumpStart’s Definitions for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity

• Diversity: A measure of psychological, demographic, physical, and social differences occurring among any and all individuals in a specific group; including but not limited to racial identity, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender identification, sexual orientation, culture, developmental ability, and learning styles.
• Inclusion: The act of promoting and maintaining an environment in which diverse groups of individuals are welcomed, respected, supported, valued, and empowered. An environment prioritizing differences and offers respect and acceptance in the words/actions/thoughts of all people.
• Equity: An acknowledgment and understanding there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations, and corrective action regarding these unbalanced conditions is needed to eliminate barriers and guarantee equality in the provision of fair treatment, access opportunity, and advancement in the provision of effective opportunities to all groups.
• Emphasis Statement: Historically, African Americans, Latinx people, and women have been economically disenfranchised and disconnected from innovation and entrepreneurship. For these reasons, we place an emphasis on these populations as we work to diversify our culture and be inclusive in our daily interactions and decisions.

JumpStart’s Operating Style: JumpStart team members are expected to be:

• Honest: We speak the truth, plainly and simply, kindly and considerately. We will challenge you as we seek to accomplish great things. And we hope you will do the same with us.
• Responsive: We respond rapidly to your inquiries and actively communicate so we are all on the same page.
• Resourceful: We will be creative and efficient in helping you to access relationships, contacts and other resources to help you succeed.
• Insightful: We will provide the knowledge and insight about entrepreneurship and innovation you aren’t able to easily get from others.

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of JumpStart. Since no position description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder’s responsibility.