Job Abstract

$29.38 - $33.77 per hour; commensurate with experience

Join Santa Clara University and help the next generation of entrepreneurs acquire the life skills of an entrepreneur and start their own ventures!  Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a resource hub and academic development program that promotes and encourages the Entrepreneurial Mindset across campus through academics, competitions, and on-campus programs and events.  One of Ciocca Center’s signature programs is Bronco Ventures, which supports the entrepreneurial journey from ideation through launch.  This signature suite of programs is presented by the Ciocca Center and is open to the Santa Clara University community; including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Our flagship program, the Bronco Ventures Accelerator (BVA) helps early-stage entrepreneurs build their ventures.  The cohort system used by the BVA provides a terrific platform for a small set of teams to attend high-energy, interactive classes and workshops, led by industry leaders. Participants truly have the opportunity to hone their entrepreneurial skills.

Under the supervision of the Executive Director of the Ciocca Center and the Director of Bronco Ventures, the Assistant Director supports the Bronco Ventures programs and the Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University. The Assistant Director is a well-rounded individual who is team-oriented and entrepreneurial, likes working with startups, and enjoys and respects the role of higher education in creating new businesses.

This role includes supporting all facets of the Bronco Ventures programs, including the application process, onboarding new cohorts, developing and producing events, implementing workshops, creating appropriate curriculum for experiential learning, working closely with startup founders, and working with SCU staff, faculty, students and alums from all disciplines.  This role requires the ability to interact fluidly with SCU and Silicon Valley stakeholders.

The Assistant Director will be responsible for program logistics, managing a budget, supervising student interns, and achieving the goals of the Bronco Ventures programs. The team environment in Ciocca Center is entrepreneurial, and success requires excellent teamwork, the willingness to collaborate with other team members, and flexibility to move from project to project and manage multiple projects. 

This in-person role requires frequent evening work during the week when programs are underway and occasional Saturdays throughout the year.

1. Support new and existing Bronco Ventures programs

• Program Recruiting (Idea Lab, Prep School, Business Pitch Competition,  Bronco Venture Accelerator, etc.)

• Produce and Support program events throughout the calendar year

• Collaborate with the Director of Bronco Ventures to develop and review contracts, working with SCU in-house legal

• Supervise interns across a variety of projects

• Work with stakeholders both inside and outside SCU

2.  Assist with developing the curriculum for Bronco Ventures programs

• Collaborate on developing learning outcomes

• Integrating programs within the University

• Build relationships that encourage faculty engagement

• In collaboration with the Director of Bronco Ventures, create LMS platform modules 

• Support experiential learning modules for courses

3. Work closely with the Director of Bronco Ventures to Define, Create and Manage Processes

• Efficient workflows

• Applicant pipeline

• Data capture and tracking

• Use of digital tools and software

• Analysis and reporting

4. Working across the university and the startup ecosystem

• Work with academic units and faculty to provide students access to specific knowledge domains, such as legal, product development, branding, PR, etc.

• Active in learning about and engaging with other accelerators, university startup programs, and the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem.

• Engage in building relationships to support interdisciplinary learning

• Help to build a robust ecosystem of support for SCU founders

5. Other Duties as Assigned  

Student Interns

• Recommends initiatives and implements changes to improve quality and services.

• Identifies and determines causes of problems; develops and presents recommendations for improvement of established processes and practices.

• Maintains contact with customers and solicits feedback for improved services.

• Maximizes productivity through the use of appropriate tools; planned training and performance initiatives.

• Researches and develops resources that create timely and efficient workflow. 

• Prepares progress reports, informs supervisor of project status and deviation from goals, and ensures the completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of all operational functions.

• Prepares and submits reports as requested and required.

• Develops and implements guidelines to support the functions of the unit.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The items below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience required or preferred.

This position requires effectively establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment and promoting and contributing to an inclusive and respectful workplace.

• Familiarity with early-stage startups and the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem

• Professional and service-oriented in approach to all constituencies

• Interpersonal skills needed to work with individuals with a variety of skills and backgrounds, across a wide range of disciplines.

• Appropriate level of understanding of the importance of building strong internal and external relationships and networking

• Strong domain knowledge in one or more relevant areas, such as startups, venture capital, leadership, teaching, curriculum development, or law.

• All facets of project management, including milestone identification, budgeting, scheduling, procuring, tracking and reporting

• Strong customer service orientation

• Strong communication skills (spelling, grammar, oral and written communication)

• Curriculum Development and Training

• Event planning and coordination

• Reporting – written, verbal, and using software tools

• Developing and working with budgets

• Databases and CRMs (AirTable, Hubspot, etc.)

• Learning and Content Management Systems

• Interest and ability to learn digital/software tools of all kinds

• Marketing/PR

• Personnel management

• Strategic Planning

• Enjoys working with others, is collaborative, and can build broad networks and interact with others professionally and productively.  

• Able to create a positive, inclusive, teaching/learning experience in all areas of Ciocca Center’s activities.

• Able to interact effectively with students of all levels, disciplines and backgrounds.

• People-person with a “roll up your sleeves” attitude that conveys positivity and excitement.

• Energetic, responsive, and able to juggle many activities simultaneously with extensive program management experience.

• Proactively engages students, other team members, SCU faculty and staff, corporate partners, and the Silicon Valley startup community.

• Very organized and able to set and track schedules and execute against milestones and deadlines.

• Strong teamwork skills, with the ability to lead projects independently and play supporting roles across the center, working closely with others within and outside the Center, and managing operational tasks on an ongoing basis.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate appropriately to different constituencies, including students, parents, alumni, employers, faculty, leadership, donors, etc.

• Ability to work closely with faculty to build the academic foundations supporting the Ciocca Center and Bronco Ventures experiential learning programs.

• Bachelor’s degree required.  Professional graduate degree preferred (Masters, MBA, JD).

• 3 years of related experience

• Experience working with startups is preferred

• Experience in a university environment is a plus

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities.  A qualified individual is a person who meets skill, experience, education, or other requirements of the position, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer terminal. 

• May be required to travel to other buildings on the campus.

• May need to move light equipment and supplies between buildings on campus

• May be required to attend conference and training sessions within the Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.

• May be required to travel to outside customers, vendors or suppliers occasionally.
   

The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Primarily an in-person role

• Typical office environment.

• Mostly indoor office environment with windows.

• Offices with equipment noise.

• Offices with frequent interruptions.

• Outdoor events 

?Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and California State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/

The health and safety of the University community is a top priority. The University strongly recommends that all employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 as the vaccination and boosters are safe, effective tools that significantly minimize the chances of serious illness and hospitalization. Please contact Human Resources if you have any questions.

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender, and prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Information about Title IX can be found at www.scu.edu/title-ix. Information about Section 504 and the ADA Coordinator can be found at https://www.scu.edu/oae/, (408) 554-4109, oae@scu.edu. Inquiries can also be made to the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).   

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please go to the Campus Safety Services  website . To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Santa Clara University affirms its commitment to employ qualified individuals with disabilities within the workplace and to comply with the Americans with Disability Act. All applicants desiring an accommodation should contact the Department of Human Resources, and 408-554-5750 and request to speak to Indu Ahluwalia by phone at 408-554-5750 or by email at iahluwalia@scu.edu.