Program & Events Manager

This role is based out of Chicago - our offices are located in River North. You must be in the Chicago/Chicagoland area, or planning to relocate to the Chicago/Chicagoland area, to be considered for this position. 

Program & Events Manager 

Relish Works is seeking a full time Program & Events Manager to support our Food Foundry accelerator program and startup ecosystem engagement activities. 

Relish Works is a foodservice innovation hub focused on challenging the status quo and exploring the future of the food industry. Food Foundry is an accelerator program built by Relish Works and Gordon Food Service for startups in the food, restaurant technology and foodservice space now heading into its 6th year. 

Position Summary: 

Relish Works and Food Foundry are highly collaborative team environments, and we’re excited to welcome a Program & Events Manager onto the Partnerships & Investments team. 

The Program & Events manager will be responsible for helping to manage all aspects of our annual Food Foundry accelerator program + various other startup engagement initiatives and community events throughout the year, while working closely with and reporting into the Director of Programming & Partnerships. 

The ideal person for this role is a great communicator, knows how to put the brand experience at the forefront, and is self-motivated with program, content development, and events management experience. Someone who has a keen interest in the startup and entrepreneurial space would be an excellent fit. 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Please note, this is a program management role first and foremost, and an events role second. 

• Work with the Director of Programming & Partnerships to help develop valuable Food Foundry programming and curriculum
• Help manage relationships with multiple diverse stakeholders, both internal and external 
• Manage and coordinate program schedules, special programming events and offsite trips with the cohort  
• Work with the Food Foundry team to manage recruiting startups to the program including email outreach, follow ups, fielding introductory/Q&A calls & emails, and coordinating interviews 
• Help manage our social media presence  
• Actively communicate with founders, and help manage EIR’s (Entrepreneurs-in-Residence) and our mentor community
• Manage our final event of programming - Demo Day 

Requirements: 

• 2-4 years of experience in program management
• Some experience working in the VC, entrepreneurial, accelerator and/or startup ecosystem is ideal
• Experience interfacing with a diverse range of stakeholders/clients 
• Ability to think creatively to problem solve 
• Experience developing engaging programs and content
• Experience managing events 
• Curiosity in entrepreneurship, and a thoughtfulness and understanding of the needs of an early-stage startup 
• A true team player who enjoys working in a collaborative environment 

Skills:

• Strong communication skills and the ability to understand the dynamic needs of all stakeholders 
• Event coordination and management skills 
• Attention to detail and a great problem solver 
• Stakeholder management skills 
• Basic design skills (Canva) are extremely helpful, but not required 
• Eagerness to learn new skills, and flexibility and willingness to take on new roles and responsibilities outside of specified role

Location:

• This role is based out of Chicago - our offices are located in River North. Given the nature of our work in stakeholder engagement, you must be in the Chicago/Chicagoland area, or planning to relocate to the Chicago/Chicagoland area, to be considered for this position. 

To apply for this position, please ensure you have submitted both a resume and a thoughtful cover letter.