Manager, Program - Entrepreneurial Climate and Research Capacity

At the Seattle Metro Chamber, we work collaboratively to help our members thrive in an equitable and inclusive regional economy. We are an independent business advocacy organization with 2,500 members throughout the Seattle metro region – from your neighborhood restaurant to our area’s largest employers.

We’re honored that we were recognized as one of Washington’s 100 Best Places to Work in 2019, based on staff feedback. What makes us stand out? High impact on our community, a supportive atmosphere, and a competitive benefits package.

Interested in being part of the Seattle Metro Chamber or one of our affiliate organization teams? View our open positions below and click the position titles to see the full job descriptions.

Position: Manager, Program - Entrepreneurial Climate and Research Capacity

Location: Seattle, WA

Job :223

# of Openings:1

Job Title:

Manager, Program - Entrepreneurial Climate and Research Capacity

Classification:
Part-Time, Non-Exempt

Reports To:

CEO, Technology Alliance

The Technology Alliance is a statewide, non-profit organization of leaders from Washington’s technology-based businesses and research institutions. United by our vision of a vibrant innovation economy that benefits all of our state's citizens. Through programs, events, data analysis, and policy activities, we advance excellence in education, research, and entrepreneurship to support the growth of our high-impact industries; the creation of high-wage jobs;

and economic prosperity for our entire state.

We represent companies and organizations spanning Washington’s diverse sectors – aerospace, energy, IT, and life sciences - and position innovation as core to their growth and impact. Through research, events, and program incubation, the Tech Alliance keeps the state focused on key pillars of innovation – a strong education system, a robust climate for entrepreneurship, a significant investment in R&D, and a shared understanding of the impact & opportunity created by an innovation-driven economy.

• Serve as program manager for the Entrepreneurial Climate and Research Capacity committees, advancing two board-approved workplans beginning in October 2026.
• Directly manage two University Fellows supporting the committee workplans, including onboarding, work planning, task delegation, regular check-ins, quality control, coaching, and accountability.
• Ensure the Fellows’ work is well-directed, productive, and aligned with committee goals, minimizing the need for day-to-day CEO oversight.
• Develop and maintain a strong working understanding of Washington’s innovation ecosystem, including entrepreneurship, research capacity, commercialization, technology-based industries, public policy, universities, funders, founders, and regional economic-development partners.
• Translate committee priorities into concrete programs, projects, timelines, deliverables, and decision points.
• Lead implementation of the Entrepreneurial Climate workplan, including founder and funder listening, landscape mapping, gap/opportunity analysis, startup roadmap development, angel network support, startup talent matching, legislative engagement, sponsorship planning, and evaluation.
• Lead implementation of the Research Capacity workplan, including committee input, problem-statement decomposition, university liaison engagement, platform-moment development, pilot scoping, progress tracking, evaluation, and recommendations to the TA Board.
• Plan, organize, and support committee meetings, including agenda development, pre-work, meeting materials, notes, follow-up items, and progress dashboards.
• Conduct and synthesize research, interviews, stakeholder input, ecosystem mapping, policy information, and best practices to inform committee decisions and program design.
• Monitor progress, identify barriers, recommend adjustments, and help ensure successful delivery of priority initiatives and workplan objectives.
• Review, edit, and synthesize Fellow work products, including research memos, interview summaries, landscape scans, pilot proposals, presentations, dashboards, and recommendations.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with business, academic, nonprofit,…