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 and 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.

In Northwest Ohio (NWO), JumpStart provides support (such as technical assistance, mentoring, access to capital, and talent attraction) directly to diverse and ambitious tech and non-tech entrepreneurs in order to accelerate their growth. Aspirational, JumpStart strives to comprehensively meet the needs of the bourgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem at scale with strong partners; providing services, capital, and connections to create conditions in Northwest Ohio to effectively start and grow companies. All of JumpStart’s efforts are focused on maximizing outcomes that contribute meaningfully to economic vitality in the region.

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 leaders and teammates take great pride in JumpStart being a highly demanding yet incredibly fun place to work.

Position Summary

Working in collaboration with JumpStart’s Senior Leadership Team, the role both shapes and delivers strategies that achieve inclusive economic outcome targets as defined by funders and regional stakeholders.

Acts as the designated representative of JumpStart in Toledo/NWO and manages day-to-day relationships with key stakeholders (e.g., funders and community partners, ODSA staff, ESP & BGC collaborators in NWO). Build collaborative relationships with stakeholders and collaborators, create trust and credibility.

Oversees the execution of JumpStart’s work supporting startups and small businesses in the 18 counties in NWO. Manages the day-to-day operations of the Toledo office / staff including deal flow management, programming, service delivery, and community engagement (in collaboration with NEO / Cleveland-based resources including marketing, finance/operations, data). Lead and inspire a high-performing team.

Responsible for managing the performance (metrics and financials) of the Ohio Third Frontier Entrepreneurial Services (ESP) program for the NWO region and the Toledo Business Growth Collaborative (BGC).

Essential Job Functions

• 50% Manage daily operations and office performance.
• Lead the team in implementing the mix of tech startup and small business services offered and monitoring their effectiveness. Services include but are not limited to deal flow assessment, mentoring, technical assistance, talent, capital assistance and other impactful critical resources. Focus on improving operating efficiency (outcomes per hour invested) and impact (outcomes minus what would have happened anyway) while delivering high levels of perceived service quality.
• Establish effective operational processes that take advantage of existing best-practices while embracing innovation and continuous improvement.
• Manage Toledo office staff, prioritization of individual and overall workload, and goal setting.
• NWO budget review, planning and oversight with JumpStart accounting team.
• Establish and monitor metrics and data gathering methods in collaboration with the Data Team and Line of Business leaders.
• 30% Oversee JumpStart’s NWO development and advancement efforts.
• Build meaningful relationships with stakeholders including corporations, universities, government agencies, startup hubs, and investors. Be seen by the community as effective, collaborative, inclusive, and high performing.
• Partner with local leadership to develop and advance an economic agenda for the region, inclusive of entrepreneurship, capital attraction, innovation, and talent.
• Represent JumpStart at outreach events and for speaking engagements when needed. Ensure adequate coverage at key regional events/meetings.
• Provide leadership in establishing processes consistent with JumpStart’s approach to entrepreneurial support to increase communication, metrics reporting, cooperation and consistency across organizations collaborating to support entrepreneurship in NWO, thereby aligning with the goals of the OTF ESP and the non-tech delivery commitments.
• Provide oversight and management of current supporter portfolio. Identify, cultivate and steward current and prospective donors and support continually to establish effective communication and sustainable relationships. .
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications team to co-develop and execute MARCOM strategy for donors and key stakeholders, inclusive of newsletter, social media, web, and collateral.
• 20% Provide oversight of the NWO ESP and Toledo BGC network operations.
• Evaluate collaborator performance to proactively manage expected outcomes (level of activity, customer satisfaction) and level of spending. Manage collaborators for compliance with grant sub-agreements. Monitor deal flow meetings, client success, data integrity and audit collaborator time.
• Work with the networks to identify gaps within the services support ecosystem that need addressed and determine viable solutions.

Decision Making Responsibilities

This position requires a high degree of autonomy, business experience and strategic decision making to include office operations, hiring, expense approvals and budget changes for JumpStart staff in Toledo supporting tech startups and small businesses.

Direct Reports

• Senior Deal Flow Associate
• Director, Entrepreneurial Services
• Entrepreneur-In-Residence

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Travel
• When required attend local and out of state meetings, conferences, workshops and special events. Minimum region-centered travel (NWO/NEO)
• Modest physical activity required for lifting and moving office supplies, equipment, and furniture on occasion.
• Normal professional office environment
• Flexible work hours needed, including evenings and weekends.

Required Qualifications

• Willingness to live and work in Greater Toledo.

Education, Training and/or Experience

• 10+ years of progressive management experience including senior management positions
• Leadership experience, in a start-up environment a plus
• Demonstrated experience in building stakeholder relationships and fundraising
• Bachelor’s Degree in a Business-related discipline required

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

• Combination of strategic thinker and practical operational execution
• Comfortable and/or experienced at building partnerships in the community, managing stakeholder relationships, problem-solving when relationships need additional support, and raising money Strong interpersonal skills that enable one to be comfortable influencing, leading, mentoring, collaborating with and supporting others, depending on the circumstances, in a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment
• Strong management skills with proven ability to work in a risk-oriented environment and manage with uncertainty
• Demonstrated ability to be adaptable. Comfortable with creating structure out of ambiguity; unafraid of taking action despite lack of clarity.
• Operations skills: highly organized, Strong operations skills/approach and strong attention to detail/deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Preferred Additional Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business or related discipline

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. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. JumpStart Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers competitive salary & comprehensive benefits (medical, vision, 401k, paid vacation).