Job Description
Are you looking to LOVE WHERE YOU WORK? Do you want to join an organization where your voice will be heard and your contributions will MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Are you interested in working with innovative startup ventures in a dynamic environment? Do you love working on a high performing team at a rapid pace? Do you enjoy fostering a supportive environment that will facilitate the development of the “next big thing” right here in Tampa Bay? If so, consider applying for our new Venture Center Operations Manager position with Tampa Bay Wave.
What Success Means in this Role
The central mission of the Strategic Branding & Events Manager is to be the organization’s primary brand champion by planning and executing the content marketing efforts of the organization, such as all social media and newsletters, as well as by planning and executing high-quality signature events that support the brand and mission of the organization.
Key Objectives (Outcomes) for this role:
- Develop and execute social media and email marketing plan and measure effectiveness over time
- Plan and produce successful signature events (typically 1 event/month) that meet budget and other goals defined by leadership
- Support Director of Development in reaching annual fundraising goals
- Produce Key Stakeholder Reports.
Position Background
Tampa Bay Wave (Wave) is a purpose-driven nonprofit dedicated to accelerating Florida’s innovation economy. Our mission is to help entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas into real-world solutions & scalable businesses, thus fueling positive social & economic change in Tampa Bay and communities everywhere. In the last 10 years, we have supported 460 of the most innovative startups who collectively have raised over $700 million and created more than 4,200 jobs. Wave takes no equity from the startups it serves and maintains multiple community partnerships
As Florida’s #1 Accelerator, Wave has built a successful track record that combines best practices of nationally recognized accelerators and incubators with strategic connections to existing regional entrepreneurship resources, mentors, capital, and other expertise in order to foster a highly cohesive innovation ecosystem. Wave fills an important gap in Tampa Bay’s and Florida’s ecosystem as Florida’s top tech accelerator in terms of startup volume, investment capital raised, and job creation. Wave’s programs provide tech entrepreneurs with the resources they need to scale their startups, including access to our 200+ mentors, 400+ investors, and exclusive events with key stakeholders in the tech community.
Launched in June 2008, Tampa Bay Wave supports over 100 early stage tech firms annually from the initial development stage to the point where they become second stage companies. Wave’s Downtown Tampa venture center opened in 2013, and our Downtown St. Petersburg office opened in 2023.
Responsibilities and Duties
Tampa Bay Wave is currently looking for an experienced marketing and/or events professional. Reporting directly to the Director of Development, the primary responsibility of this position will be to work collaboratively with the Wave leadership team to ensure all social media and email marketing is run smoothly, meets deadlines, and effectively communicates key brand messaging. This role will also plan and produce the key signature events for each accelerator cohort, along with the annual Hall of Fame Celebration and Holiday Party events, all with the goal of ensuring these events are run within budget while effectively communicating Wave’s brand image. This position will also work closely with the leadership team in producing and developing key stakeholder reports, such as the annual impact report and post-program reports. This position may also be asked to support other fundraising-related special projects, including occasional grant applications.
Given the nature of the responsibilities, this position is primarily on-site at the downtown Tampa location with occasional visits to Wave’s St. Petersburg office or other venues as needed. Some events are hosted on weekday evenings.
Main Responsibilities :
I. Social Media & Email Marketing: Key responsibilities include:
- Manage the company's social media profiles and presence, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Vimeo, and YouTube
- Produce daily/weekly marketing content that promotes our company's initiatives, services, and brand - such as social media posts, blog articles, and testimonials.
- Update website for press, PR, and other coverage.
- Analyze and report to leadership team on the success of social media and newsletter activity and adjust strategies as needed
- Collaborate with the leadership team and 3rd party designers to produce graphics and other creative assets needed for marketing and branding needs.
- Listen to/follow relevant social discussions about our company, competitors, and industry
- Work with PR and Marketing experts engaged by Wave for ensuring all content marketing efforts use an appropriate brand voice.
I. Events Management: Key responsibilities include:
- Plan, execute and evaluate special events such as our annual Hall of Fame Celebration, annual Holiday Party, as well as program-specific signature events such as Accelerator Pitch Nights - with an eye towards revenue-generating opportunities and promoting key branding messages.
- Collaborate with leadership team to identify key goals for each event, and develop strategies to achieve goals and measure success, including attendance, fundraising and budget goals.
- Setup of Eventbrite, or similar event hosting platform, to handle various ticket types required by different stakeholders, including the creation of event “hero images” used for promotional purposes.
- Responsible for developing and maintaining event-related vendor relationships including venues, caterers, photographers, etc.
- Work with leadership team to manage the event VIP lists and ensure any special handling of VIPS, including photography requirements.
- Work with sponsor and venue designees to ensure materials, advertising, sponsor acknowledgments, logistics and expressions of appreciation post event are handled appropriately
- Coordinate with all Wave team members and Venture Center Ops Manager to develop a calendar of events with a 12-month out view
- Develop a marketing, social media, newsletter calendar that supports the calendar of events and programs
- Responsible for ensuring events have a smooth check-in process, including name badges.
- Act as chief volunteer recruiter & manager for all events.
- Ensure each event will capture one or more “sizzle images” for use in social media and other stakeholder reporting post-event.
III. Key Stakeholder Reports & Other Development-Related Projects: Key responsibilities include:
- Work closely with Director of Development on Key Stakeholder reports including annual, program-level and organizational-level reporting to local governments as well as key sponsors..
- Assist Director of Development with Fundraising Board Committee responsibilities including quarterly committee meetings, as needed.
- Assist Director of Development with design, production and distribution of fundraising and marketing collateral pieces, including banners, digital, video and print
- Other Special Projects as identified by the Director of Development.
- Coordinate with Venture Center Operations Manager on materials procurement, storage and management for events hosting.
Qualifications and Skills
Skills:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Acute attention to detail and great follow-thru.
- Proficient in use of technology tools and programs such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and other productivity tools.
- Expected to work independently while also being a team player with customer service attitude in all tasks.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to learn new technologies and adapt to change.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment that requires multi-tasking and working cooperatively with others.
- Ability to deal effectively with a diversity of individuals at all organizational levels.
Requirements/Preferences:
- Minimum 5 years experience planning and managing large-scale events & event budgets for events of 150+ attendees.
- Minimum 5 years experience in developing proposals + presentations for current and prospective sponsors.
- Strong proficiency in social media and email marketing tools.
- Strong proficiency in Canva or Adobe for creating or editing digital images.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Powerpoint), Google Suite [Minimum 3 years].
- Adept at learning CRM and other systems related to job performance
- Experience in vendor management.
- [Preferred] Existing relationships within the Tampa Bay entrepreneurial community.
- [Preferred] Bachelors Degree.
Working Environment
- Office working environment
- Attendance at occasional evening events
Cultural fit is important too. Here are some key characteristics of a successful candidate:
- Passion for the Tampa Bay startup and entrepreneurial community.
- Belief in the power of collaboration, especially with many of Wave’s partners in the local community; together we can do greater things.
- Empathy for the entrepreneurs and the challenges they face daily because of the high-risk nature of building a startup.
- Strong operational, get-it-done capabilities with a startup mentality. Tampa Bay Wave often requires the ability to successfully multi-task and incorporate efficiencies for process improvements with all of the companies, mentors, visitors, events, and media that are constantly in motion. The person in this position needs to thrive off this energy and activity while having the skills to make it all happen efficiently and at a high quality level, with an eye toward how we improve through iteration and experimentation.
Benefits
- Be a part of an exciting team running Florida’s #1 Accelerator.
- Benefits include PTO, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurances; flex spending accounts for childcare and healthcare; plus a 401k with match.
- Join an active culture and become a pillar in the startup community.
- Access to all of our accelerator programs if you launch a startup during your career here (valued at $1M+).
- Opportunity to make a meaningful impact working on building Florida’s tech startup ecosystem while also developing a global network of founders, mentors, and investors
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Compensation package:
Experience level:
Schedule:
COVID-19 considerations:
Facemarks are optional. Office workers benefit from enhanced cleaning, socially-distant desk placement, hand sanitizer, etc. Employees are encouraged to stay home if they are not feeling well or have been exposed to COVID in the last 7 days.
Application Question(s):
- Why would you be interested in working for Tampa Bay Wave?
Experience:
- Events management: 5 years (Required)
Work Location: In person