Position Summary:
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is seeking a dynamic Director to lead and grow Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC), ICIC’s nationally recognized executive leadership program for small business owners in America’s under-resourced communities. Since its founding, ICCC has equipped more than 7,000 entrepreneurs across the country with the strategic skills, technical assistance, peer networks, and capital access needed to scale their businesses and strengthen their communities.
The Director will be responsible for driving the strategic growth, execution, and long-term sustainability of ICCC. This role requires an experienced leader who excels at building partnerships, recruiting entrepreneurs, managing complex multi-market programs, and serving as the public face of ICCC with funders, ecosystem partners, and stakeholders.
The ideal candidate has a track record of growing mission-driven programs, building high-value partnerships, and leading teams that deliver measurable impact. They bring entrepreneurial energy to program operations, a strategic approach to stakeholder engagement, and a genuine commitment to economic opportunity in underserved communities. Success in this role will be measured by ICCC’s reach, cohort quality, funder relationships, and the lasting impact on participant businesses.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Recruitment, Outreach & Program Growth
- Develop and execute a national recruitment and outreach strategy to consistently meet enrollment goals across all ICCC cohorts.
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with chambers of commerce, CDFIs, financial institutions, economic development organizations, universities, business associations, and entrepreneurial support organizations.
- Work in partnership with the Director of Alumni Affairs to oversee recruitment campaigns, marketing initiatives, referral partnerships, alumni engagement, and lead generation efforts.
- Analyze recruitment performance data and continuously improve outreach strategies to maximize enrollment and participant quality.
- Identify opportunities to expand ICCC into new markets, industries, and strategic partnerships.
External Relations & Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary external representative for ICCC.
- Cultivate and steward relationships with corporate funders, foundations, ecosystem partners, community organizations, faculty, and program supporters.
- Partner closely with ICIC's Development team to support fundraising, grant proposals, reporting, and funder stewardship.
- Represent ICCC at conferences, speaking engagements, partner meetings, and industry events.
- Develop strategies to strengthen stakeholder engagement and increase ICCC's visibility and impact nationally.
Program Strategy & Delivery
- Lead the faculty team in the successful delivery of all ICCC programming across multiple in-person and virtual markets.
- Oversee program planning, logistics, participant communications, faculty engagement, curriculum implementation, and event execution.
- Ensure a high-quality participant experience from recruitment through graduation and alumni engagement.
- Monitor enrollment, attendance, retention, graduation, satisfaction, and program impact metrics.
- Lead continuous improvement efforts of faculty that enhance participant engagement, operational efficiency, and overall program effectiveness.
Curriculum & Faculty Leadership
- Oversee the faculty in the ongoing management and evolution of the ICCC curriculum to ensure it remains relevant, practical, and responsive to entrepreneur needs.
- Recruit, onboard, manage, and evaluate faculty, coaches, and subject matter experts.
- Ensure consistency and quality across all program delivery markets.
- Work with the faculty to identify opportunities to introduce new content, learning experiences, and alumni programming.
Team Leadership & Performance Management
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of professionals responsible for recruitment, outreach, program operations, participant engagement, and program delivery.
- Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and accountability measures for the team.
- Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture focused on continuous improvement and exceptional service.
- Oversee hiring, onboarding, professional development, and performance management.
Strategic Planning & Financial Management
- Manage the ICCC budget in partnership with ICIC Finance.
- Utilize program data and participant feedback to inform strategic planning and organizational decision-making.
- Collaborate across ICIC departments including Development, Marketing, Research, Alumni Affairs, and Finance.
- Participate as a member of ICIC's leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy and cross-functional initiatives.
Qualifications:
- 7+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in program management, business development, economic development, nonprofit management, entrepreneurship support, or workforce development.
- Demonstrated success recruiting participants, customers, or members into programs or initiatives.
- Proven ability to build strategic partnerships and manage high-level external relationships.
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
- Experience managing complex, multi-site programs with multiple stakeholders.
- Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
- Data-driven mindset with experience using metrics to improve performance.
- Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and project management platforms (Monday.com preferred).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with or within inner-city, underserved, or economically distressed communities.
- Familiarity with small business financing, CDFIs, or community development finance.
- Experience in fundraising, funder stewardship, or grant management.
- Background as an entrepreneur or in direct small business advisory roles.
This is a full-time remote position. We are currently recruiting candidates from the following states: AL, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OR, PA, TX, and VA.
Benefits include:
- Three weeks of vacation per year to start, with an additional day added for each year of service up to 5 years
- Thirteen days of paid holidays, half days on Fridays before long weekends, plus one floating holiday
- Ten days of paid sick leave and two days paid personal leave each calendar year
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance (70% paid by ICIC)
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer matching up to 4% after the first year of employment
- Up to 16 weeks of paid Parental leave
- Individual Professional Development benefit of $1000 each year
ICIC is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive organization. We provide equal opportunity for all persons seeking employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, gender identity, family status, sexual orientation, military status, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic as established by law.
ICIC participates in E-Verify to confirm that all new hires are authorized to work in the U.S. Please see the Participation Poster and Right to Work Poster for more information.
