Senior Program Associate at SCRA – Columbia, South Carolina

The Senior Program Associate is responsible for assisting with the management of our partnerships with South Carolina-based colleges and universities with a primary focus on the three research universities (R1s), as well as national labs (e.g., SRNL), supporting academic and non-academic startups, and increasing innovation-based economic development within the State. The Senior Program Associate is an essential member of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, knowledgeable of non-dilutive and dilutive funding sources, and has experience working with research translation, market analysis, customer discovery, and enterprise development. The Senior Program Associate develops and manages the deployment of various grant programs and is responsible for meeting, and reporting on, program objectives.

Essential Functions

• Assists with grant programs that address technology development, commercial viability, and business growth needs of academic startups. Manage a regional caseload of academic and non-academic startups.
• Works with technology transfer offices to identify and support technology development with commercial potential. Assist startups with identifying a pathway that leads from lab to market.
• Screens prospective high-tech/high-growth academic and non-academic startups for membership; present candidates at appropriate SCRA meetings.
• Reviews pitch decks and conducts initial screening calls with entrepreneurs.
• Ensures relevant company data on member companies is accurately captured and presented.
• Manages tracking of prospective and existing member and portfolio companies, including investment metrics.
• Assists with company management to develop relevant company milestones and utilize relevant resources and grant programs to assist company to achieve these results.
• Reviews client company milestones for investment readiness and recommends actions leading to preparation for internal and external grant awards.
• Assists in preparation for companies entering investment due diligence, term sheet negotiations and funding, review of company financials, forecasts, valuations, and capitalization tables.
• Supports entrepreneurs in the pre-funding and post-funding stages for grant investments.
• Supports due diligence process for assigned accounts for potential SC Launch Inc. equity investments.
• Participates in strategic planning on future fundraising strategies with the investment managers.
• Identify business development stage, monitor progress, and assess needs/obstacles to company maturation. Align resources, funding, and other support towards completing milestones that gain traction towards commercialization.
• Assist the Senior Investment Manager on internal and external sources of dilutive (e.g., angel investment, venture capital) and nondilutive funding, including federal agencies (e.g., SBIR and STTR funding), and SC Launch Inc.
• Cultivate regional relationships with key external stakeholders: entrepreneurial support organizations, industry partners, subject matter experts, and the investment community for the benefit of resource enablement for academic and non-academic startups.
• Collaborate across the organization to complete multifunctional tasks, including investment due diligence, engaging our resource network, continuous improvement for the organization, and fundraising via the Industry Partnership Fund.
• Represent SCRA and SC Launch in public forums and outreach engagements, and at relevant events in support of regional and local startup ecosystems as well as participation in organizations, conferences, presentations, committees, and boards as directed.
• Continues professional development in technology transfer, business coaching, and venture investing.
• Other duties as assigned by the Senior Investment Manager.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred; 3-5 years’ experience in various capacities, below:
• Experience with technology transfer at academic research institutions, entrepreneurial support organizations, and venture capital.
• Experience working with technology startups.
• Understanding of early-stage business development milestones and key activities
• Technical experience in one of our technology sectors, preferred:

- Life Sciences, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Agricultural Technology, Advanced Energy, etc.

• Competence in managing complex technical programs and/or projects.
• Ability to clearly communicate orally and in writing; prepared to make presentations.
• Collaborative mindset internally and externally with a variety of stakeholders. Dedicated to strong customer engagement; understands needs/solves problems.
• Accepts accountability for individual goals, as well as shared outcomes. Adheres to schedules and deadlines. Demonstrates the highest level of integrity and initiative.
• Strong competency in computer applications, including MS Office Suite and MS Dynamics.
• Ability to travel in-state principally and, if necessary, work some extended hours in support of program objectives.