Program Manager I - Schulze School of Entrepreneurship

University of St Thomas•Minneapolis, MN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship is a highly-ranked hub of innovative thinking where students, entrepreneurs, business owners, and community leaders collaborate to solve problems and create value. The Program Manager role is central to the school's mission, managing a comprehensive portfolio of co- and extra-curricular programs that impact student experience, stakeholder engagement, and national reputation. This position is responsible for high-impact programs serving internal audiences (students, faculty) and external stakeholders (high school students, alumni, business leaders, entrepreneurial ecosystem). Key responsibilities include overseeing venture competitions, immersive student experiences, and institutional programs like the Schulze Summer Internship Grant. These programs are crucial for the school's reach and reputation and are assessed by participation, quality, engagement, and contribution to institutional priorities. The Program Manager also serves as the primary steward of program data, leading assessment, tracking, and reporting for the co-curricular portfolio, including administering the Princeton Review survey and Tommie Owned Business Directory, which contribute to national rankings. This role requires a high degree of autonomy in decision-making, program outcomes, and stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
Three years of professional experience in program management, event management, or related fields
Demonstrated experience managing complex programs or initiatives with multiple stakeholders.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience within higher education, entrepreneurship, or nonprofit environments.

Responsibilities

Lead the full lifecycle (design, planning, execution, and evaluation) of entrepreneurship programs and events including the St. Thomas Business Plan Competition, Freshman Innovation Immersion, Entrepreneurship Welcome and Graduation events, and the Schulze Summer Internship Grant program.
Partner with the Associate Director to lead planning, execution, and continuous improvement of the Fowler competitions portfolio, including the Fowler Business Concept Challenge and Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge, with responsibility for participant experience, operational management, and program delivery.
Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, timelines, operational workflows, and performance benchmarks to ensure high-quality program delivery and continuous improvement across the full portfolio.
Drive recruitment and engagement of students, mentors, judges, internship providers, alumni, and external partners in support of program goals.
Oversee competition platforms and systems, including submission setup, application management, reviewer recruitment, troubleshooting, participant support, and evaluation processes.
Manage scoring, advancement decisions, and assessment processes in collaboration with program leadership.
Lead administration of the Schulze Summer Internship Grant program, including employer partnership development, student selection processes, and ongoing program oversight.
Direct all operational and logistical aspects of events including scheduling, space and technology planning, vendor coordination, communications, and day-of execution.
Serve as the primary relationship manager for program stakeholders, maintaining strong communication and engagement across internal and external audiences.
Evaluate program outcomes through surveys, data analysis, benchmarking, and stakeholder feedback; implement improvements based on findings.
Maintain accurate records and reporting related to participation, engagement, and program performance metrics.
Provide leadership and support across the program management team during high-volume periods and major events; serve as interim program lead as needed to ensure operational continuity.
Partner with the Program Coordinator to recruit, train, and oversee student workers, interns, and ambassadors.
Lead and administer the Princeton Review survey process, including survey preparation, cross-campus data collection, stakeholder coordination, alumni outreach, benchmarking analysis, and final submission.
Analyze Princeton Review and peer benchmarking data to identify trends, assess institutional performance, and provide strategic recommendations for improvement.
Lead development and ongoing management of dashboards tracking key program and institutional performance indicators across the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, Family Business Center, Small Business Development Center, and Center for Corporate Innovation.
Maintain and enhance stakeholder databases, including participation, engagement, and demographic data; leverage those networks to support recruitment of mentors, judges, alumni, and program partners.
Manage and continuously improve the Tommie Owned Business Directory, including approval processes, annual audits, and collaboration with ITS and Marketing, Insights & Communications to enhance functionality and user experience.
Oversee event registration, communications, and data tracking through Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Qualtrics, and TommieLink.
Maintain integrity and accuracy of program and participant data across systems.
Lead development and distribution of the quarterly Schulze School newsletter, including content creation, coordination, and delivery.
Serve as primary liaison with Marketing, Insights & Communications on website strategy, updates, and digital initiatives.
Manage and update program webpages in Cascade, ensuring content is current, accurate, and aligned with program goals and institutional priorities.
Serve as staff advisor to the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO), providing guidance and oversight to student leadership.
Attend meetings and events, including large-scale campus programming, and support organizational planning and execution.
Ensure organizational compliance with university policies and procedures, including financial and purchasing guidelines.
Approve financial transactions and serve as budget approver for the organization.
Act as liaison between the organization and university departments to support effective operations and program success.