Vacancies
Dotforge is recruiting for our Impact programme located in Manchester. Dotforge Impact invests in teams of entrepreneurs who are motivated by solving a big challenge or social issue through their amazing tech driven businesses. We are looking for highly driven new team members who come to us from startup tech networks in the UK and Europe and who are passionate about working with entrepreneurs from around the world.
The following roles are available:
1. Community Manager (fulltime) 2. Programme Manager (fulltime)
Reach us at [email protected] to apply or for any enquiries!
Community Manager (full time)
Full Time contract of 10 Months @ £18,000 - £20,000 pro rata plus travel
Start date 1st August or Immediately 2015
This is a full time role supporting the development and delivery of the accelerator and incubator programmes. Your role is to provide support for the Venture Growth Manager and Social Enterprise Specialist roles in the implementation and coordination of the programme. You must be super organised and great at making sure everyone has the information they need at the right time.
You will love imposing some order and will support the setting up and execution of workshops, events and travel arrangements for the teams, mentors and workshop providers. You will also maintain the social media and website on a regular basis ensuring that teams and events are profiled.
You will be bringing with you an active network of entrepreneurs and businesses and you will love building new connections and bringing like minded people together. As the community heart of the programme you will be the hub of the social calendar during the programme, running regular social events to support the teams, mentors and partners to engage with the programme, teams and realise opportunities beyond the programme. You will also be attending a wide range of networks and events to help promote the programme and the teams, as well as identifying potential future applicants.
NOTE - The partners are currently developing further funding for future programmes and it is envisaged that this pilot will lead to a two to three year fund and delivery cycle for Dotforge Impact.
Skills / Knowledge
Required:
- Very well organised
- Undaunted by a busy work environment
- Great communicator - written and verbal
- Experience of event or workshop management
- Real interest and knowledge of digital tools and products
- Passion or curiosity for entrepreneurship
- Social and engaged - able to work with a wide range of people
Desirable:
- Financial reporting or management skills
- Active knowledge of social media and web editing tools
- Active knowledge or cloud based project management, events management and email management tools
Responsibilities
General
- Maintain social media content on twitter, Facebook and website
- Maintain the programme schedule and calendar
- Build twitter following and engagement
- Write press releases and blog notes for press and reporters
Programme Development
- Maintain the mentor and partnership databases
- Develop mentor profiles for website
- Develop team profiles for the website
- Support team recruitment through events and profiling of programme
Accelerator and Incubator
- Manage the day to day delivery of elements of the programme (mentor days, workshops, travel and accommodation etc)
- Develop travel itineraries and mentor day itineraries for teams and mentors
- Develop social events for the mentors, teams, investors and partners
- Signpost Programme Manager and Social enterprise Specialist to any issues or needs of the teams as identified by you
- Work with the Programme Manager to develop the website content
- Work with the Programme Manager to develop PR and Press coverage for the teams
- Work with the Programme Manager and core Dotforge team to develop the pitch events and other profile events for the teams
- Signpost the teams to events and networks in the UK which might be of interest or use to them
Evaluation and Future Development
- Support the development of questionnaires for teams, mentors, partners and other to gather feedback on the programmes
- Help to capture and assess feedback to refine the second accelerator programme
- Support the development of final reporting on the accelerator and incubator programmes
Programme Manager (full time)
Full Time contract of 10 Months @ £30,000 pro rata plus travel
Start date 1st August or Immediately 2015
As the Programme Manager for Dotforge Impact you implement the second pilot programme supported by Programmes Director/EIR Colin Tan. You will be responsible for the overall running of the accelerator working with our partners, the mentors and the teams to create the very best environment for these startups to thrive. The role requires someone who has excellent people and business management skills and a working knowledge of angel and VC investment processes.
On a personal level you thrive in a high pressure environments, working with smart, passionate people and love helping others create amazing, people focused products which solve everyday problems - big and small.
Your role will be to facilitate and support the teams as they develop their business model and product, and be responsive to their needs while also keep the ventures focused on getting to market and getting customer engagement with the aim of being attractive to investors by the end of the 3 month programme. You will love building and maintaining networks, as a key part of the role is to facilitate the teams to engage and build relationships with customers and relevant investors.
You will also have good budget management skills and be responsible for managing the delivery budget for the programmes. As you will be close to the teams you will be expected to provide regular reports back to Key Fund and the Programme Director as well as Big Lottery about their progress and how the programme is developing as it responds to the needs of the ventures.
You will led a team of two; our partner Key Fund will be seconding a social enterprise specialist onto the programme and you will be supported by a full time Community Manager.
NOTE - The partners are currently developing further funding for future programmes and it is envisaged that this pilot will lead to a two to three year fund and delivery cycle for Dotforge Impact.
Skills/Knowledge
Essential:
- Entrepreneurial in outlook and approach
- Experience of small team management
- Working knowledge of private investors processes
- Solid business management experience
- Financial / Budget management skills
- Social and engaged - able to work with a wide range of people
- Emotional Intelligence - able to support and engage with people and identify and challenge and address issues in teams
Optional
- Organising and running workshops or events
- Hands on experience of tech accelerator programmes, either as part of a delivery team or participant
- Active knowledge of cloud based project management, event management, financial reporting and email management tools
Responsibilities
General:
- Manage the delivery team for Dotforge Impact Accelerator Programmes
- Work with the project partners to refine and develop the programmes
- Provide regular reports and evidence of impact for reporting to Big Lottery
- Budget Management for the programme delivery
- Work with Core Team to develop PR and marketing materials and blog content for the programme
- Develop website strategy and content to inform sponsors, partners and future applicants
- Liaising with hub managers in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield to locate the accelerator and run mentor days (supported by core Dotforge team)
Programme Development
- Lead on the implementation of the programme
- Identify and contract workshop and other providers for the programme
- Promote the programme and actively recruit teams to the programme
- Assessment and recruitment of applicants (supported by Dotforge core team)
- Develop mentor pool for the programme - specifically drawn from the tech industry and investors
- Lead on the strategic plan for website and social media content to inform sponsors, partners, investors and future applicants - directing Community Manager to support as appropriate for implementation
Programme Delivery - Accelerator
- Working with the teams on a daily basis during the 3 month accelerator
- Run weekly CEO meetings to support the new founders nominated to this role
- Lead the joint weekly review of the teams with the Programme Director and Social Enterprise Specialist and produce a weekly update and action list for partners and investors
- Continue to recruit relevant contacts and mentors for the teams as they develop their product
- Develop relevant pitch or demo days for the teams to promote their products and seek customers, advisors and investment (supported by the core Dotforge team)
- Work with private and social investors to support their engagement with the teams
Programme Delivery - Incubator
- Work with private equity investors and VCs to promote the teams to support future fundraising
- Providing regular support during the 6 month incubator, including office hours and regular review and board meetings
- Work with the Social Enterprise Specialist to identify customers, supply chains and talent for the teams as they grow and mature their product
- Providing connections into experts and potential customers for the enterprises
- Develop other pitch and fundraising opportunities for the teams over the incubation period (supported by the core Dotforge team)
- Develop PR and media profile for the teams as they exit the accelerator and incubator
Evaluation and Future Development
- Design questionnaires for teams, mentors, partners and other to gather feedback on the programmes
- Use this feedback to refine the future iterations of the Impact accelerator
- Support the development of final reporting on the accelerator and incubator programmes