​ORGANIZATIONAL​BACKGROUND:

Founded in May of 2014, MORTAR exists to help entrepreneurs build businesses and transform their cities. MORTAR accomplishes this goal by offering a 15-week business training course designed to teach community entrepreneurs the nuances of starting or growing a business. Post-graduation, our alumni program offers additional months of ongoing support. MORTAR operates a network of BRICK Pop Up Shops that entrepreneurs can utilize for various periods of time to provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to pressure-test their ideas in real-time. Lastly, through the Iron Chest Fund, we’ve had the ability to deliver over a quarter-million dollars in the form of grants, low-interest loans, and equity investments directly into the hands of MORTAR alumni who are in need of start-up/growth capital.

Learn more about MORTAR here.

MORTAR is an equal opportunity employer and is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where a variety of backgrounds, cultures, orientations, and talents can flourish.


POSITION OVERVIEW:

MORTAR is currently searching for a full-time program manager to focus on the implementation of our MORTAR Entrepreneurship Academy. This role involves working with prospective Academy participants to shepherd them through the process of applying, interviewing and entering the Academy. The Academy Manager will also supervise Academy facilitators while ensuring quality delivery & implementation of evaluation practices that will assist us in tracking the data on our participants during their Academy experience. A growth mindset is essential as we’re beginning to develop alternative variations of our Academy curriculum (including an online, self-guided version that will assist MORTAR in our expansion efforts while securing market share). The Academy Manager will be the catalyst behind making sure that these ongoing developments are moving forward.

 

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

MORTAR is undergoing a significant time of transition, growth, and expansion. For this reason, we’re adding to our high-performing team to meet these growing demands. In this role, the Academy Manager will be responsible for implementing MORTAR’s existing MORTAR Entrepreneurship Academy - and taking it to the next level.

The ideal candidate for this position must have a heart for building equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems and carving out space for entrepreneurs who are often overlooked. Experience in business development and access to the connections to assist our participants with building their businesses and relationships with city partners, mentors, suppliers, and liaisons are essential.

The person who fills this role will be carrying the baton of a high-performing team that has laid the foundation of MORTAR’s work over the course of the last 7 years.  They will inherit a program that has over 300 graduates - and take that program to the next level by developing enhanced systems for case management & data collection, workshop creation, curriculum creation, and more.

MORTAR currently delivers our programming in seven neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati and also in six additional cities outside of Cincinnati - but this is just the beginning. As we continue our expansion, the Academy Manager will also train the Academy staff in other cities, preparing them to have a true impact on their community entrepreneurs.

We’re looking for an ambitious leader who possesses the ability to build valuable relationships and empower our Academy participants to succeed in building their businesses. This will enable us to convert our vision, strategy, and processes that will lead to establishing MORTAR as the go-to organization for helping communities build equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems.  


REPORTS TO: MORTAR STRATEGIC DIRECTOR



STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:

Create an earned revenue system to develop the sustainability of MORTAR programs

Enhance community outreach efforts to find quality partners, participants, and program sponsors that will optimize the community impact that MORTAR has across the city & nation

Strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem by being a voice for micro-business entrepreneurs, always seeking to reach and include a diverse population; intentionally advocating for historically marginalized entrepreneurs

Build strategic relationships for long-term program and operational support

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsible  for the management of the MORTAR Entrepreneurship Academy

Serve as a community liaison between MORTAR participants and the regional business community, and as a liaison between MORTAR participants and the Leadership Team, Staff, and Partners

Develop and execute strategies, objectives, and action plans to assist MORTAR participants in growing themselves and their businesses through an engaging (yet challenging) program

Act as a representative of MORTAR at community events, meetings, and gatherings

Establish and leverage collaborative relationships with community partners to achieve organizational goals

Develop, implement, and facilitate initiatives that support responsive participant and mentor relationships, assist in recruiting and placing quality mentors, advisors, and partners

Support MORTAR’s goal of data collection, evaluation, and improvement

Track engagement with participants, keep their records updated and ensure appropriate transferral of records to Alumni Manager upon graduation

Work alongside Alumni Manager - serve as a partner to assist with MORTAR’s Alumni Program, special events, and participate in full-team objectives

Training Academy departments of expansion cities

Developing Academy programming - researching and developing workshops,  activities, convenings, field trips, group video chats, etc.

Managing short-term pop up shop locations in order to engage potential MORTAR Academy participants

Managing MORTAR merchandise sales, inventory, and online store



REQUIRED ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS:

Integrity

Critical thinking

Innovative

Be adaptive and proactive - a leader that is results-focused

Flexible, optimistic, constructive, with a good sense of humor; must be comfortable in a fast-paced environment with frequent deadlines

Expert level administrative, written, and verbal communication skills

Exceptional planning, time, and project management skills

Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability  

Passionate about the missions of MORTAR and Brick Pop Up Shops

Emotional maturity

Strong public speaking skills

Hard-working, highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently  

Adhere to the utmost ethical standards, intuitive, considerate, and kind

Adaptable, versatile, forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions

Has experience working with others (one-on-one & group coaching) and a background in personal/business development

High level of organizational skills and ability to multitask