Manager, Programs

CAMELBACK VENTURES 

Camelback Ventures (Camelback) transforms the landscape of entrepreneurship by investing in ventures and leaders who have been systematically excluded from capital and opportunity. We focus on entrepreneurs of color and women, providing not just funding, but mentorship, advocacy, and access to networks that drive meaningful change. Since 2015, our impact speaks volumes: we've raised over $75M and supported 220+ social entrepreneurs through our flagship Camelback Fellowship. Our Fellows have collectively raised over $400M+, earned recognition as Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees, and created a transformative impact in communities nationwide, from Eastern North Carolina to Seattle.

THE ROLE 

Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Manager of Programs is a key implementer and collaborator for Camelback’s programmatic work, driving the ongoing execution of the Camelback Fellowship and implementation of the broader founder support programming, including new and expanded programming to meet the needs of our founders. The Manager takes primary ownership of program operations, logistics, and founder-facing engagement, working in close partnership with the Director of Programs to bring strategic vision to life.

This role is responsible for operationalizing founder support and engagement—from selection through alumni engagement—while managing key stakeholder relationships and contributing meaningfully to program design and continuous improvement.

Program Development, Facilitation & Implementation

The Manager of Programs will own, co-lead, and execute the following bodies of work:

• Collaborate with the Chief Program Officer and Director of Programs to launch new, comprehensive support and resources for early and growth-stage founders to equip more high-impact ventures to move from the acceleration to growth stage

• Support the design, planning, and execution of Fellowship programming and founder-support initiatives in partnership with the Director of Programs, taking primary ownership of implementation timelines, milestones, and delivery

• Serve as the operational lead for virtual and in-person programming, including Welcome Week, the Guardian Summit, Alumni engagement events, and new pre- and post-Fellowship offerings—managing end-to-end logistics, facilitation preparation, and post-event reflection

• Lead the coordination of virtual programming sessions, including serving as the primary point of contact for guest facilitators and managing preparation, run-of-show, and follow-up

• Facilitate the development of the program calendar and internal coordination systems that support team-wide efficiency across complex, multi-cycle programming timelines

• Contribute to the design and iteration of programming based on data, founder feedback, and field trends—bringing forward recommendations to the Director and implementing agreed-upon refinements

• Collaborate with teams across Camelback to advance cross-functional projects and ongoing bodies of work, including coordination with Finance to process payments for regional events, expert bench hours, and alumni panels

• Support the development and facilitation of synchronous and asynchronous community-building for Fellows and Alumni, taking primary ownership of engagement programming and ongoing relationship cultivation

• Support the planning and facilitation of cohort-building experiences, peer learning, and mentorship programming for Fellows and alumni, in partnership with Program team members

Program Selection

• Support Fellowship selection in partnership with the Director, owning the logistics, operations, and applicant communications for the full application and review cycle

• Manage the end-to-end candidate experience—from initial inquiry through final selection—ensuring consistent, equitable, and high-quality engagement with applicants and evaluators

• Engage in the analysis of applicant and evaluator data to surface insights that drive continuous improvement of the selection process; present findings and recommendations to the Director and broader Programs team

• Manage the development and dissemination of resources and communications for declined applicants, ensuring Camelback’s brand and commitment to supporting founders is reflected throughout

• Lead internal knowledge management of Fellowship selection data and contribute to external knowledge sharing through conference presentations, blog posts, and Camelback ecosystem communications

• Collaborate on the development and facilitation of pre-Fellowship offerings and new program entry points for early-stage founders, including managing the logistics of new programming pilots

• Partner with Program Partners to facilitate focused founder sourcing strategy to identify founders building innovative and durable ventures that aligned to Camelback’s mission, programs, and resources

Founder Engagement

• Support the development and facilitation of synchronous and asynchronous community-building for Fellows and Alumni, taking primary ownership of engagement programming and ongoing relationship cultivation

Program Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain working relationships with external stakeholders, peer organizations, and ecosystem partners to support the Fellowship and broader programming—including helping to coordinate site visits, regional convenings, and collaborative learning opportunities

• Support the Director in cultivating relationships with investors, funders, and ecosystem partners by managing follow-up, communications, and coordination for key convenings and partnership activities

• Liaise with cross-functional Camelback teams—including Development and Data & Strategy—to ensure alignment on founder engagement and funder-facing narratives

Impact & Success Metrics

Based on the 2026-2029 Strategic Plan, the Manager of Programs will help drive toward the following outcomes:

• Improve efficiency and effectiveness of the Fellowship selection process to, resulting in a refined applicant evaluation process by Fall 2026

• Identify and meet with at least 20-25 high-quality Fellowship applicants that will be recommended to apply in 2027

• Achieve at least 500 high-quality Fellowship applications submitted per cycle, with at least 35% meeting quality thresholds

• Support at least 40 pre-Fellowship entrepreneurs receiving programming support per year through expanded program offerings

• Expand opportunities for BIPOC, women, and non-binary entrepreneurs outside of the Fellowship program

• Maintain strong founder satisfaction and engagement rates across Fellowship, Alumni, and pre-Fellowship programming

Expectations:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in program design, management, or a related field, with at least 3 years of demonstrated success building and managing programs for entrepreneurs

• Experience in the racial equity, education, entrepreneurship, or philanthropy sectors, preferred

• A strong commitment to Camelback’s mission and values, and a deep understanding of the social impact landscape.

• Demonstrated success with stakeholder and investor engagement, partnership cultivation, and ecosystem relationship management

• Experience facilitating and public speaking (workshops, panels, convenings, thought leadership)

• Experience leading, coaching, and culture-building (risk-taking, learning from failure, transparency, collaboration)

• Growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning and improvement

• Strong experience project management experience to manage and track multiple projects and tasks

• Up to 30% travel annually for programs, outreach, and team events

Core Competencies

• Empathy and cultural competence

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving

• Excellent written and verbal communication

• Adaptability and resilience

• High ethical standards and integrity