Design Manager, Impact Fellowships at The Watson Institute

, Colorado, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

10 Mar, 26

Salary

75000.0

Posted On

10 Dec, 25

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Data Analysis, Recruitment, Community Building, Project Management, Systems Management, Communication, Excel Mastery, Database Management, Survey Analysis, Resource Organization, Interpersonal Skills, Time Management, Analytical Skills, Google Workspace, Detail Oriented, Results Driven

Industry

Individual and Family Services

Description

Overview of Watson Institute Watson Institute powers transformative Fellowships in partnership with leading corporations and foundations to support highly promising entrepreneurs and leaders from underserved backgrounds. The Fellowships provide proven entrepreneurship and leadership skills training, committed mentorship, community development stipends, long-term Alumni support, and access to a global community of peers, mentors, and opportunities. In partnership with Google, JPMorganChase Foundation, Walmart.org, Wells Fargo, Ford Philanthropy, SAP, Truist Foundation, BMO, Comcast, Western Union, and several private foundations, Watson Institute’s programs will reach over 2,400 rising leaders this year. Alumni of Watson Institute’s Fellowships have raised over $190 million, created over 2,300 paid jobs, and impacted over 11 million people around the world through initiatives they have helped lead. 93% of Watson Institute alums are employed, continuing their education, or building a venture. 85% of Watson Institute Alumni use a skill they learned while in a Watson Institute-powered program up to 12 years later. Watson Institute’s Alumni have been selected to Y Combinator, the Echoing Green Fellowship, and 11 have been named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 lists. Alums continue their education at Harvard University, New York University, and Princeton University, among others. Design Manager, Impact Fellowships – Mission Statement The mission of the Design Manager is to lead 1. The recruitment of a vibrant and engaged community of Preceptors, Mentors, and Entrepreneurs in Residence to coach and support our Fellows, 2. Build and maintain systems to guide Program Manager/Leads to recruit a limited number of Preceptors, Entrepreneurs in Residence, and Mentors for each Fellowship 3. Analyze program data to drive continuous improvement and support the growth of our ecosystem members, and 4. Create and manage scalable systems for organizing design resources and talent databases. The Design Manager must have strong interpersonal skills, analytical capabilities, systems-thinking mindset, a passion for supporting our Fellows' impact and growth, and strive for 'moonshot' level individuals to join our network while ensuring operational excellence through data-driven insights and efficient resource management. Detailed Position Breakdown: Global Community Building (25% of time): The Design Manager is responsible for cultivating new relationships and attracting transformational leaders, including ‘Moonshot’ Preceptors, EIR’s, and Mentors to the Watson Institute community in order to provide our Program Implementation Teams with the networks they need to provide a top notch experience for our Fellows. Create a robust recruitment strategy that includes attending events, workshops, meet-ups, cold outreach, and other networking opportunities to facilitate meaningful connections. This strategy should include a mix of both in-person and virtual engagements to recruit ‘Moonshot’ Preceptors, EIRs, and Mentors to the Watson Institute community. Preceptor & EIR Hiring (25% of time): Work closely with Executive Director, Impact Ecosystem to: Lead hiring process for all Impact Fellowship Preceptors and EIRs, and strive to welcome aboard ‘moonshot’ level Preceptors and EIRs. Ensure that hiring timelines are developed/met on schedule and that open positions are filled with top talent. Shortlist and conduct exploratory calls to screen highest quality ‘Moonshot’ Preceptors, EIRs to the Watson Institute community. Lead the interview process to test for the highest quality candidates. Uphold excellent written communication skills when communicating to all incoming candidates. Coordinate with the Operations Team, who will support with job descriptions for Preceptors and EIR’s. Coordinate with the Operations Team, to create, send, and track contracts. Coordinate with the Operations Team, who will manage compensation tracker for EIRs and Preceptors. Measurement & Evaluation (25% of time): Conduct comprehensive data analysis on all fellowship survey responses (mid-program and end-of-program) to identify trends, insights, and opportunities for program improvement. Analyze survey data on a rolling basis and synthesize findings into actionable recommendations for the Design Team, Program Implementation Teams, and VP of Programs. Create data visualization dashboards and reports that clearly communicate key metrics, fellow satisfaction scores, and program performance indicators to stakeholders. Develop and implement a feedback loop system that shares analyzed survey data and constructive recommendations with Preceptors and EIRs to support their professional growth and improve facilitation quality. Conduct comparative analysis across different fellowship cohorts and programs to identify best practices and areas for standardization or customization. Maintain a measurement & evaluation calendar to ensure timely analysis and report delivery to key stakeholders, including quarterly trend reports and annual comprehensive program reviews. Systems Management (25% of time): Design, build, and maintain a comprehensive talent database system that tracks all Preceptors, EIRs, and Mentors, including their LinkedIn profiles, locations, areas of expertise, past engagement history, and availability for future programs. Create and manage an organized, scalable system for all design resources, including Preceptor Guides, Preceptor Kits, Syllabi, reading materials, Deliverables, Workshop Decks, and curriculum handbooks, to ensure easy access and version control. Serve as the primary owner of Watson Institute's Google Drive organization for the Programs and Design teams, implementing folder structures, naming conventions, and permissions systems that enable efficient collaboration and resource retrieval. Develop and maintain a resource management system that tracks which materials are being used in which programs, identifies outdated content, and flags opportunities for content refresh or consolidation. Create tracking systems to monitor the usage and effectiveness of design resources, gathering informal feedback from Program Managers and Preceptors about which materials are most valuable. Design and implement an intake and archive system for design resources, ensuring that new materials are properly cataloged and outdated materials are systematically retired or updated. *New responsibilities may develop as the Design Manager position evolves. Culture Add In order to thrive as the Design Manager at Watson Institute, a candidate must: Eager to join a team with high standards for quality and excellence. An exceptional eye for detail. You enjoy spending time with words, style, and formatting in order to make the most compelling product possible. Detail Oriented: You are meticulous and have excellent organizational skills. You are especially attuned to spotting mistakes or inconsistencies in writing and external communications. You take pride in completing your work accurately and on schedule. You have a knack for project management and a love for work plans and checklists. You cringe at missed steps, and you are the first to identify a typo or formatting error. Intentional: Your working style is about creating order and planning ahead. You think systematically and excel at establishing elegant processes. Results-Driven: You bring an eagerness to grow and to roll up your sleeves and contribute. You have a go-getter attitude and a drive to solve all sorts of problems, no matter the size or shape. When something is your responsibility, you find a way to see it through to the end. High Integrity: You will be asked to make sensitive and critical judgment calls, and as such, you are known for your integrity, and you take that reputation seriously. You always choose to make the right decision versus the easy decision. You know what information is sensitive, and you will protect it accordingly. You are comfortable escalating issues and holding your ground when you think it’s the right thing to do for the organization and mission. Systems-minded: Demonstrated experience in building and implementing systems. You are comfortable designing, testing, improving, and smoothly running systems and processes. This could be any system that involved inputs from or served multiple people and required consistent and accurate functioning. Communication Style: Based on a story from Watson Institute’s early days, ‘Come to the Window’ represents the principles of our communication, including: Obligation to Dissent: If you disagree with a decision or direction as an organization, you are expected to bring attention to this challenge because true leaders believe dissent is an obligation. Disagree and Commit: To complement Obligation to Dissent, there are times when we need to Disagree and Commit. Once all concerns and criticisms are shared, the course of action must be committed to by all involved. No Drama: We prioritize purpose and don’t involve ourselves in the drama created by backroom chatter, hearsay, and unnecessary focus on issues that do not place impact first. Go to the Source: Our culture is defined by direct, honest, and frequent communication. We expect team members to ‘go to the source’ of concerns by speaking up, communicating frequently, and taking issues directly to the individuals involved. Candidate Profile Top candidates should demonstrate: A deep-seated passion for building community and Watson Institute's mission to develop innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs to solve the toughest challenges facing the world. A natural inclination to build relationships and partnerships in the local community in order to strengthen Watson Institute's presence. Strong analytical skills with experience in data visualization, survey analysis, and translating data into actionable insights and recommendations. Systems thinking with proven experience building and implementing scalable organizational systems, including database management and resource organization. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present data-driven insights to diverse stakeholders. Mandatory skills: Excel mastery, email wizardry, rapid follow-up, data analysis, and experience with database or CRM systems. Experience with Google Workspace administration, including Drive organization, folder structures, naming conventions, and permissions management. Ability to excel under pressure without sacrificing quality while switching between people-focused tasks (recruitment, community building) and systems-focused tasks (data analysis, resource management). Comfort working across both relationship-building functions and analytical functions, balancing interpersonal skills with technical capabilities. Experience in project management, from conception to delivery, with particular attention to detail and process documentation. Excellent time management and interpersonal skills with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders and priorities simultaneously. Previous experience working in a team environment with cross-functional collaboration. Previous experience combining at least two of the following: community building, recruitment, data analysis, program evaluation, or systems management. Competitive base salary according to experience: $65,000.00-$75,000.00. Annual Happiness Fund that increases with time and seniority. Unlimited vacations (3 weeks required vacation time per year). Healthcare benefit via Thatch (ICHRA provider), where employees have the option to apply this amount towards their choice of medical plans, with the option to add vision and dental plans. Automatic 3% contribution to your retirement account. The Vitals This position operates within a dual-reporting structure, working with the Executive Director for day-to-day operational oversight and reporting to the direct manager, VP of Programs, for strategic direction, priorities, and departmental objectives. The Design Manager position can work remotely and should be based in CO, PA, GA, FL, ME, AZ, DC, OK, SC, or MD, with Florida as the preferred location. The start date for this position is March 16, 2026. We use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.

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Responsibilities

The Design Manager is responsible for recruiting a community of Preceptors, Mentors, and Entrepreneurs in Residence to support Fellows, while also analyzing program data for continuous improvement. They will create and manage systems for organizing design resources and talent databases.