Program Manager, Strategic Ecosystem Initiatives

Job Description

Reporting to the Associate Director of Growth, Innovation, Community Building Programs & Sponsored Events, and Future State, the Strategic Ecosystem Initiatives Program Manager exercises significant independent judgment in initiative design, stakeholder engagement strategy, opportunity identification, issue escalation, execution planning, and outcome tracking. The role requires a forward-looking individual with executive-level communication skills, strong cross-functional coordination, and the ability to translate broad innovation priorities into actionable initiative plans with measurable impact.

The Program Manager designs, implements, and continuously improves a portfolio of strategic ecosystem initiatives that strengthen veteran entrepreneurship through structured engagement with corporate, nonprofit, public-sector, academic, and entrepreneurial stakeholders. This role emphasizes initiative creation, partner architecture, opportunity pipeline development, and ecosystem-level problem-solving in service of long-term field-building.

This position may be filled on a fully remote basis if the identified candidate is not currently located in Syracuse, NY (within 50 miles). Not all geographical areas within the United States are eligible. Employment offers at Syracuse University are based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to, the job responsibilities; the candidate’s education, training, work experience and key competencies; the university’s strategic priorities; internal peer equity; applicable federal, state, local laws, grant funding and contractual requisites; and external market analyses.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, entrepreneurship, public policy, nonprofit management, economic development, higher education administration, communications, or a related field.
• Advanced degree in a relevant field preferred.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in program management, ecosystem development, partnership strategy, business development, entrepreneurship support, strategic convening, innovation portfolio management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional initiatives and complex external stakeholder relationships.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare executive-ready briefs, partner communications, and strategic recommendations.
• Ability to translate ambiguous strategic priorities into initiative plans, operating structures, and measurable outcomes.

Skills and Knowledge

• Experience supporting veteran-owned businesses, military-connected entrepreneurs, or veteran-serving initiatives preferred.
• Experience in innovation strategy, ecosystem building, strategic partnerships, supplier diversity, market access initiatives, or pilot program development preferred.
• Experience working across higher education, nonprofit, and cross-sector institutional environments preferred.
• Experience with CRM systems, stakeholder pipeline tracking, partnership management tools, and performance dashboards preferred.
• Ability to design initiative architectures, partner pathways, and scalable engagement models.
• Strong executive-ready communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Ability to convert ecosystem intelligence and partner feedback into actionable strategic recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Lead Strategic Ecosystem Initiative Design and Portfolio Management: Exercise independent judgment to design, launch, and direct a portfolio of strategic ecosystem initiatives aligned with IVMF growth, innovation, and future-state priorities; independently define initiative charters, annual goals, budget, work plans, delivery models, governance routines, and success measures for assigned work.
• Direct External Engagement and Partner Activation: Own and steward relationships with strategic partners across sectors, applying independent judgment in stakeholder engagement strategy; develop activation pathways, partner value propositions, collaboration plans, and follow-up systems that convert engagement into shared initiatives, commitments, and measurable outcomes.
• Develop Business Opportunity and Ecosystem Connection Pathways: Identify and operationalize pathways that connect veteran-owned businesses to market opportunities, resource providers, expert networks, and high-value ecosystem relationships through structured matchmaking and initiative-based engagement.
• Lead Strategic Convenings, Pilots, and Field-Building Engagement: Coordinate and manage convenings, pilot efforts, and ecosystem engagements that surface barriers, test solutions, advance strategic priorities, and strengthen IVMF’s role as a connector and innovation leader; escalate issues and execution risks to leadership with recommended courses of action.
• Own Insight Translation, Measurement, and Reporting: Design and maintain concise performance frameworks and reporting tools that track initiative progress, partner outcomes, and ecosystem value creation, while translating broad innovation priorities into actionable plans and converting findings into practical recommendations for leadership.

Physical Requirements

Not Applicable

Tools/Equipment

Not Applicable

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings, and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and over 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.

The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs offered across the University’s 13 schools and colleges; over 15,000 undergraduates and over 6,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.syracuse.edu.

About the Syracuse area

Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.

EEO Statement

Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.

Commitment to Supporting and Hiring Veterans

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