Program Manager, Fintech Accelerator (SMU)

Job Description

Job Description

The Organization: MassChallenge

The Role: Manager, Fintech Accelerator and Programming – Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Location: Dallas, TX

Reports to: Senior Director, Programs

Compensation: $80,000 – $85,000

About MassChallenge

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators working to solve massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. Our mission is to equip bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change. Our mission is BIG, and thus we are a team that gives 100% every day. Our values ensure that we stay true to our mission and our core beliefs.

Our university partner, SMU enrolls more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students from all 50 states and over 80 countries, offering small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study, and innovative programming. Situated in Dallas, the dynamic center of one of the nation's fastest-growing regions, SMU provides a launch pad for global impact through distinctive learning, research, social, and career opportunities.

MassChallenge is currently seeking a Manager, Fintech Accelerator and Programming to join our Dallas team.

Position Summary

The Manager, Fintech Accelerator and Programming is a core member of the Fintech Coalition team focusing on our fintech acceleration program in partnership with the Southern Methodist University (SMU). This person will be responsible for the best-in-class day-to-day operations and programming execution and delivery that make the SMU Cox Fintech Accelerator run at the highest performing level. This role supports the full accelerator lifecycle, from logistics and scheduling through founder support, mentor selection and coordination, session and event delivery, and milestone tracking, ensuring a consistent, high-quality experience for every participant in the cohort.

This individual will work closely with the Vice President, FinTech Coalition and serve as the operational backbone of the program. They will be deeply involved in shaping and delivering programming, managing the details that create a great founder experience, and helping MassChallenge and SMU build a fintech accelerator that founders choose and recommend to peers.

Location

This role is Dallas-based and dedicated full-time to the SMU Cox Fintech Coalition. The Manager will be expected to work from the Dallas area and be present on the SMU campus and partner venues for all major program activities. Periodic evening and weekend availability will be necessary to support program execution and events. Occasional travel to Boston and other markets may be required.

What You'll Do

Program Operations

• Manage day-to-day logistics for the full accelerator lifecycle, including scheduling, calendar management, venue coordination, vendor communication, and internal planning across all program phases
• Support the configuration and management of the MassChallenge Accelerate platform, including application tracking, review tools, founder dashboards, and milestone records
• Coordinate cohort onboarding logistics, including orientation sessions, readiness assessments, startup goal setting, mentor introductions, and kick-off convening preparation
• Track startup milestone completion throughout the program and maintain organized, up-to-date records of founder progress, session attendance, and engagement metrics
• Support the multi-stage startup selection process, including reviewer logistics, scoring tool management, and deliberation coordination

Programming and Curriculum Delivery

• Support the design and delivery of structured curriculum sessions, workshops, and expert programming across the five Accelerator modules
• Coordinate expert and mentor session logistics, including scheduling, preparation materials, participant briefings, and follow-up
• Develop and maintain program-facing materials such as agendas, session guides, founder-facing resources, and communications templates
• Assist in facilitating workshops and programming moments as needed, contributing to a high-energy and well-organized founder experience
• Gather participant feedback after sessions and programming touchpoints, helping the team identify what is working and where to improve

Mentor and Founder Engagement

• Coordinate mentor and expert matching, scheduling, and engagement tracking across the cohort, ensuring each startup has timely access to the right support
• Serve as a day-to-day point of contact for founders on operational and logistical questions, responding promptly and maintaining a warm, professional relationship with the cohort
• Support onboarding and orientation for mentors, reviewers, and judges, including preparation of materials and coordination of orientation sessions
• Monitor mentor engagement quality and flag concerns to the Vice President, FinTech Coalition as needed

Events and Convenings

• Support planning and on-the-ground execution of program events, including the Accelerator Kickoff Convening, Midpoint Founder and Partner Convening, and the SMU Cox Fintech Accelerator Finale and Showcase
• Coordinate logistics for Executive Circle events, founder salons, and other platform activities in partnership with the Marketing and Events Associate
• Manage run-of-show preparation, day-of coordination, and post-event debrief and documentation

Team Collaboration

• Work closely with the Vice President, FinTech Coalition to ensure smooth program execution and proactive identification of operational risks or gaps
• Collaborate with the Dallas-based team and Boston-based MassChallenge program staff on cross-team initiatives and shared operational standards
• Contribute to organizational knowledge and best practices in accelerator operations, bringing a continuous improvement mindset to the role

Who You Are & What You Bring

About You: The ideal candidate is a highly organized, founder-centric program operations professional with experience in accelerators, startup ecosystems, innovation programs, or related fields. This role is a great fit for someone who thrives in the details, cares deeply about execution quality, and wants to grow within a mission-driven, high-impact organization.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required
• Three or more years of experience in program management, operations, accelerator or incubator coordination, innovation ecosystems, or a related field
• Experience supporting complex, multi-stakeholder programs with high attention to detail and multiple simultaneous workstreams
• Familiarity with fintech, financial services, or startup ecosystems is strongly preferred
• Experience using program management platforms, CRM tools, Airtable, or similar is a plus
• University, nonprofit, or mission-driven organization experience is a plus

Who You Are

• You are exceptionally organized and can manage a high volume of details without dropping the ball
• You are a strong communicator, written and verbal, and know how to keep founders, mentors, and partners informed and engaged
• You have a genuine care for founders and their experience, and you show up for the cohort with warmth, responsiveness, and reliability
• You thrive in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments and are comfortable adjusting when priorities shift
• You are a collaborative team player who brings a positive, solutions-oriented attitude to every challenge
• You take pride in execution quality and understand that the details of a program experience matter to the people going through it
• You are eager to grow within a mission-driven organization and contribute to building something new and meaningful in Dallas
• You are excited to be part of MassChallenge's growing Texas presence and to support a program that positions SMU as a national leader in fintech innovation

Who We Are

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators who are working to solve massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. At MassChallenge we:

• Help entrepreneurs build the next generation of transformational businesses by connecting them with the resources, partnerships, and communities that help them launch, grow, and scale their startups.
• Help our partners build, grow, and evolve their corporate innovation practices.
• Leverage the power of entrepreneurship to strengthen global innovation ecosystems.

Why You Should Join Us

We believe working at MassChallenge is fulfilling because of the mission, challenging because of the pace and work, and rewarding because you get to build to the next step in your career here. When you join MassChallenge you join an incredible team and network of innovators and entrepreneurs, you take ownership over significant and strategically important projects, you focus on impact and output, and you help strengthen the global innovation ecosystem.

Our Core Values

• Founder Mindset: Optimism, Tenacity, Love the Problem
• Connect and Collaborate: Empathy, Inclusion, Fun, Build Community, Connect the Dots
• Progress over Perfection: Build on Experience, Fail Fast, Demonstrate Traction

Compensation

• MassChallenge offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment.
• Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with skills and experience.
• Internal equity considerations and the average salary of the peer range will be reviewed before making a final offer.

MassChallenge is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We seek individuals from a broad variety of backgrounds with varying levels of experience who have a desire to do meaningful work. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.