Executive Director – GrowCo

GrowCo is an Entrepreneur Support Organization in Columbia, South Carolina created in 2019 by a group of motivated local entrepreneurs. Over the past 3 years, the GrowCo founding team has built a founders community through programming and events, including the annual Growth Summit, monthly happy hours, the weekly Tech Beans coffee meetup and various other entrepreneurial activities.

Over the past year, GrowCo has expanded its profile, reach and reputation within the community and is poised to accelerate the startup community with the infusion of major private and public funds to focus the activities and programs as well as to staff the organization to meet those goals.  

The core mission remains: to support entrepreneurs who are looking for opportunities to develop, nurture, and grow their ideas into significant sustainable high-tech/high growth companies. The results of GrowCo’s efforts will have a lasting impact on the city and region resulting in entrepreneur-led economic growth.

We are looking for an Executive Director to imagine, lead, implement and support entrepreneurial support programs that improve the founder journey from idea to exit.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead this grass-roots initiative.

The goal is to ensure every program is created and delivered successfully to add the highest possible value to the member organization. You will be responsible for overseeing the delivery and overall success of each program.

Responsibilities

• Initiate and set operational goals for GrowCo programs according to the strategic objectives of the organization
• Build and develop a high-performing team that focuses on effective day-to-day support of startup companies
• Plan the programs from start to completion involving deadlines, milestones, and processes
• Collaborate with members of the entrepreneurial community to best understand their needs and incorporate feedback into GrowCo’s long term strategic planning
• Manage budgets for all GrowCo operations
• Develop budgets for new projects
• Work in tandem with the GrowCo board to develop new sources of funding for programs including donors and sponsors
• Devise evaluation strategies to monitor performance and determine the need for improvements
• Continuously discover ways to enhance the outcomes of GrowCo activities and programs
• Ensure program operations and activities adhere to legal guidelines and internal policies
• Keep the Board of Directors informed with detailed and accurate reports or presentations
• Play an active support role within the entrepreneurial community
• Remain founder-focused at all times and represent that internally and externally

Skills

• Excellent organizational and leadership skills
• Business acumen with a tactical mindset (Get Shit Done)
• Excellent communication skills (Both 1 on 1, in small groups, public events)
• Has lived part of the Entrepreneurial Journey as either a founder or early employee)
• Knowledge and comfort with data analysis, reporting, and budgeting
• Understanding of project/program management techniques and methods
• An ability to embrace chaos and at the same time create order and direction
• Great problem-solving abilities
• Can follow direction and work the plan

What does the right candidate look like?

• Deeply passionate about serving others and building community
• View challenges as opportunities to grow and learn
• Believes in the power and impact entrepreneurship can have
• Has an entrepreneurial spirit
• Is collaborative at their core
• Loves balancing multiple plates…might have been a professional juggler
• Nerds out (just a little) on data, metrics, and spreadsheets

What does the right candidate receive?

• Salary in the range of +/- $75k annually
• Standard health benefits
• The ability to hire their own staff
• The opportunity to work with an active and supportive board of directors
• The opportunity to focus on execution and not fund-raising