Program Manager for University Innovation Programs

About the role

The University of Maryland’s xFoundry initiative seeks a Program Manager to support student venture competitions and related university events. Reporting to the Director of Programs, you will ensure smooth operations for student teams, partner universities, and community gatherings.

Key responsibilities

• Track student team milestones, connect them with resources, and flag issues to the Venture Development Manager.
• Serve as the primary contact for partner‑university staff and campus champions.
• Onboard new partner universities, prepare materials, schedule sessions, and maintain checklists.
• Coordinate logistics for multi‑day summits, competitions, pitch days, and smaller gatherings, including venues, vendors, registration, and on‑site execution.
• Maintain speaker, guest, partner, and attendee trackers; manage travel and bios.
• Draft on‑brand communications such as invitations, agendas, and program updates.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree with five years of program/event coordination experience, or Master’s degree with three years.
• Demonstrated ability to support logistics‑heavy events and communicate warmly with students, faculty, and senior administrators.
• Physical ability to handle event materials up to 30 lb and occasional travel to partner campuses.

Required skills

• Experience with event‑management, CRM, or program‑management tools.
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading abilities.
• Proficiency using AI tools for project management, writing, and content creation.