Propeller Job Opportunity

Propeller Job Opportunity:

Accelerator Director

About Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation

Propeller is a New Orleans-based incubator for social entrepreneurs and a driving force for social, environmental,
and economic impact. At the heart of Propeller’s work lies the 10-month Social Venture Accelerator, in which we
incubate 12-15 ventures each year to help them reach their financial and social impact targets. In 2012-2013, the
twelve ventures generated $3.2 million in revenue during the program. We have received awards and national
recognition for our work in Forbes, The AmEx Open Forum, The Times-Picayune, and New Orleans City Business.
For more information, please visit: www.GoPropeller.org

Job Description
The Accelerator Director is a senior-level position responsible for managing all aspects of the Social Venture
Accelerator. The primary focus of the position is to drive all policy-related initiatives within the Accelerator and
support the development and scaling of Propeller’s portfolio of current and alumni social ventures. The Accelerator
Director will be directly responsible for Fellows achieving ambitious social impact, operational, revenue, and/or
financing targets. Advocacy work will be significant, as many Propeller Fellows need intensive policy support in
order to reach their social impact targets. Much of the policy/advocacy work will occur in the sector of food
systems and land use.

Specific responsibilities include:

General Accelerator Management:

• Manage recruitment and selection of annual portfolio of social venture “Fellows.” Please visit
www.GoPropeller.org/Accelerator to read about current and alumni Fellows in areas such as food, urban
agriculture, and land use.
• Manage the implementation and execution of the Accelerator’s programming schedule, which will include:
consultant trainings, retreats, pitch sessions, monthly Fellows and Alumni meetings, stand-ups, etc.
• Provide strategy consulting to social ventures in areas such as business model, client acquisition, overall
strategy, financing, fundraising, market research, operations, contract negotiations, etc.
• Provide targeted one-on-one support to Fellows to clear policy obstacles, review monthly financial reports,
and monitor company progress.
• Manage 12-15 Accelerator Consultants who work one-on-one with Fellows.

Policy & Advocacy:

• Assess target sectors, such as food systems, for gaps and entrepreneurial opportunities in partnership with
stakeholders.

Page 1 of 2 | Accelerator Director Job Description | June 27, 2013 GoPropeller.org

 Propeller Job Opportunity

• Manage relationships, contracts, research, grant making, policy change, negotiations, and evaluation
activities related to the Healthy School Food Collaborative, healthy food standards, and local food
procurement.
• Drive initiatives to build local demand and support for a robust local food system.
• Build high-level relationships with key national and local institutions, such as the USDA, local nonprofits,
economic development organizations, City of New Orleans, and the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.
• Develop and manage annual PitchNOLA social innovation competitions in land use and food.
• This position reports directly to the Executive Director and works collaboratively with the Programs/
Business Manager and Communications Manager.
• Other tasks as needed.

Skills and Experiences

• Passion for social innovation, entrepreneurship, food systems, and/or land use
• Ability to quickly ‘get up the curve’ on various business models and industries, and provide ‘value-add’
advice to the full range of Propeller Fellows
• Entrepreneurial drive and experience
• Proven experience and understanding of policy, advocacy, evaluation, business, and finance
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate, build, and maintain strong working relationships with individuals from
diverse backgrounds and perspectives
• Strong leadership and project management skills (goal-setting, organization, and implementation)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent quantitative and analytical skills
• (preferred) recent M.B.A., M.P.H, M.P.A., J.D. or other advanced degree

Salary: $43,000+ (negotiable based on experience and qualifications); additional stipend for health/dental
benefits and phone

Deadline to Apply: July 12, 2013

Start Date: (flexible) August 1, 2013 or ASAP.

Work Environment: This position will work out of our state-of-the-art Propeller Incubator facility, a 10,000 sf
collaborative workspace for social entrepreneurs at 4035 Washington Avenue.

Application Materials: Please send resume, three professional references, and cover letter indicating how your
skills and experiences are an excellent fit for the position to jobs@GoPropeller.org by July 12, 2013. We encourage
early applications and will begin interviewing qualified candidates in advance of the application deadline. If you
have any questions about the position, please direct inquiries to jobs@GoPropeller.org.

Propeller is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All
qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender,
gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Page 2 of 2 | Accelerator Director Job Description | June 27, 2013 GoPropeller.org