Program Manager, Tech-Based

TechTown is Wayne State’s entrepreneurship hub, empowering Detroit-based startups and local businesses with resources, collaborative workspace, and education to accelerate inclusive economic development across Detroit. The Technology-Based Programs team supports entrepreneurs developing innovative tech startups by connecting them with education, mentorship, strategic partnerships, capital pathways, and other resources. The Program Manager will support the planning, implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of initiatives designed to advance founder success and inclusive economic development, with a key focus on the Mobility Accelerator Innovation Network (MAIN), TechTown’s collaborative initiative within the Global Epicenter of Mobility.

Impact

The Program Manager will help ensure that TechTown’s technology-based programs are delivered consistently, efficiently, and in alignment with organizational priorities, partnership commitments, and funder expectations. This individual will translate program strategies, scopes of work, and grant requirements into organized work plans, reliable systems, accurate reports, and clearly defined next steps. Through strong project management, data stewardship, and cross-functional coordination, the Program Manager will help TechTown understand who its programs are serving, how participants are progressing, where gaps or risks exist, and how services can be strengthened. The role also fosters collaboration among staff, partners, vendors, and founders so that resources are coordinated, commitments are fulfilled, and entrepreneurs can more easily navigate available support. Success is reflected in timely completion of activities and reporting, stronger internal systems, more accurate and meaningful program data, improved partner coordination, and better experiences and outcomes for the entrepreneurs TechTown serves.

Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of technology-based entrepreneurship programs and strategic initiatives, including the Mobility Accelerator Innovation Network.
• Lead the collection, maintenance, validation, and reconciliation of participant, partner, program, and outcome data across TechTown’s CRM, grant reporting systems, and internal tracking tools.
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of accurate, timely, and complete grant reports, including gathering required information and supporting documentation from internal teams, Finance, contractors, and external partners.
• Maintain organized, compliance-ready program and grant records and monitor adherence to applicable funder requirements, organizational policies, approved scopes of work, and reporting deadlines.
• Develop dashboards, reports, and other tools to monitor key performance indicators, program milestones, founder engagement, referrals, services delivered, and participant outcomes.
• Analyze program and portfolio data to identify trends, assess progress, flag risks or gaps, recommend course corrections, and communicate the impact of TechTown’s work.
• Translate program strategies, grant commitments, scopes of work, and organizational priorities into detailed work plans, timelines, deliverables, and accountability systems.
• Maintain visibility into founder and startup pipelines, ensuring that participant status, referrals, follow-up activities, next steps, and program transitions are clearly documented and actively managed.
• Coordinate with TechTown teams and external partners to strengthen shared intake, assessment, referral, service-delivery, and participant-tracking processes.
• Plan and support partner meetings, program activities, workshops, events, and other convenings, ensuring clear agendas, decisions, responsibilities, and follow-up.
• Support program vendors, contractors, and consultants by coordinating scopes of work, deliverables, timelines, documentation, and performance in alignment with program and grant requirements.
• Partner with TechTown’s Finance team to monitor program budgets, expenditures, commitments, and supporting documentation and to help ensure that financial activity aligns with approved program plans.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, templates, reporting calendars, and other tools that improve program consistency, efficiency, data quality, and institutional knowledge.
• Build productive relationships within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, represent TechTown at relevant events, and cultivate connections that support participant recruitment, referrals, and founder success.
• Perform other responsibilities that support the effective delivery and administration of TechTown’s technology-based programs.

Requirements

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, systems-minded program manager who is equally comfortable working with people, processes, and data. They bring sound judgment, curiosity, and a strong commitment to accuracy and follow-through. They understand that data management, grant reporting, and compliance are integral to effective program delivery, organizational learning, and maintaining the trust of funders, partners, and the communities TechTown serves. This individual can move fluidly between big-picture planning and detailed execution — facilitating a program meeting, reviewing a data set, monitoring a grant deadline, improving a workflow, or preparing a funder report. They communicate clearly, identify and address potential challenges proactively, adapt to changing priorities, and build productive relationships with colleagues, entrepreneurs, contractors, and community partners. The successful candidate will thrive in a collaborative, mission-driven, and evolving environment, with a commitment to inclusive economic development and an approach marked by professionalism, integrity, responsiveness, and an ongoing desire to improve how programs are managed and how impact is measured.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, nonprofit management, public administration, data analytics, economic development, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and professional experience.
• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in program management, project management, grant administration, nonprofit operations, economic development, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience managing grant-funded programs, coordinating reporting requirements, or maintaining documentation for funder, contractual, or regulatory compliance.
• Strong data-management skills, including the ability to collect, organize, validate, reconcile, analyze, and clearly present information from multiple sources.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets and experience using CRM, project-management, database, or reporting platforms; ability to quickly learn and effectively use new technology systems is required.
• Ability to interpret reporting guidance, performance measures, and other complex requirements and translate them into actionable work plans and internal processes.
• Excellent project-management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple programs, partners, deliverables, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a demonstrated commitment to accuracy, documentation quality, and timely follow-through.
• Strong written communication skills, including experience preparing reports, narrative summaries, procedures, presentations, and professional correspondence for internal and external audiences.
• Sound judgment and proactive problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify potential risks, investigate discrepancies, recommend solutions, and appropriately escalate concerns.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive economic development and the ability to work effectively with entrepreneurs, colleagues, and community partners from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability and willingness to occasionally attend evening or weekend programs, meetings, and events and to travel locally as program needs require.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering or reporting on federal, state, or philanthropic grants.
• Experience working with entrepreneurship-support organizations, startups, accelerators, technology commercialization programs, or regional economic-development initiatives.
• Experience developing performance dashboards, data visualizations, reporting templates, or program measurement systems.
• Experience supporting budget monitoring, vendor management, procurement, contracts, or consultant deliverables.
• Knowledge of Michigan’s entrepreneurship, technology, mobility, or advanced-industry ecosystem.
• Familiarity with federal grant compliance requirements, including Uniform Guidance, documentation standards, and audit readiness.

Pay

The budgeted salary range for this position starts at $70,000 and may be adjusted according to qualifications and experience.

Benefits

• Generous health and dental plans as well as vision, life insurance, short-term disability, a 401(k) plan, and a team member assistance program.
• 100% TechTown paid Life, STD, and LTD benefits.
• Wellness Inspired Workplace with a Wellness Program and onsite Wellness Room.
• 5 weeks of paid time off