Startup Collaboration Director

Overview

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin.

Leads the development of a pipeline of new and disruptive innovations by engaging startups to influence and develop transformational products and services while creating revenue-generating opportunities for the organization. Owns, develops, and manages growth of the partnership portfolio. Collaborates with senior management to develop strategic plans to ensure continued successful growth and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Sources and signs up new participants for the Collaborative to drive a critical mass of companies bringing outstanding value on several fronts to our startups.
• Builds the Collaborative community by managing relationships with existing participants with regular communication while gauging their satisfaction and requests. Works with VP and Advisor, along with Portfolio lead, to develop and execute goals, both short and long-term, to drive success for portfolio companies.
• Drives continuous improvement of features and capabilities of the Collaborative utilizing metrics tracking, participant feedback, and other information as available.
• Leads the programming activities for the Collaborative community including identifying and scheduling speakers for events and planning and producing the activities throughout the year.
• Develops and presents the ecosystem road-map strategies with pipeline and resource considerations and provides guidance for partner product development efforts from concept to launch.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant business development, project management, innovation and operations experience required
• Ability to demonstrate organizational skills and possess a clear understanding of the convergent and divergent phases of an innovating process to be able to inspire startups in a meaningful way
• Experience as an operations manager, vendor manager, and/or experience planner, ability to manage AARP Innovation Labs's startups with startup partners (i.e. events and meeting management, facilities, innovation resource management and relationships with external partners)
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• In-office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise

Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA)

AARP observes Mondays and Fridays as telecommuting workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work and telecommuting can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition; tuition reimbursement; among others.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.