TEDCO – Rural Business Innovation Initiative (RBII) Mentor – Western Shore (MD)

• Rural Business Innovation Initiative Mentor – Western Shore (MD)
• Annapolis, MD (Remote)
• Filing Deadline: Open until filled

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) provides services across the State of Maryland, including:

• Technical and business assistance to entrepreneurs
• Funding for early-stage, technology-based businesses
• Technology transfer and commercialization support for State universities and Federal labs

This position is contractual requiring a minimum of 16 hours per week and a maximum of 26 hours per week on average. RBII Mentors are primarily responsible for working with collaborative partners throughout the region to identify founders, potential founders, and companies outside of TEDCO’s portfolio that may benefit from TEDCO or partner support programs or funding programs.

Qualified contractors will have the following education, experience, and competencies:

• A four-year college degree
• A minimum of five years of experience working with technology-based start-ups.
• A minimum of two years of increasingly responsible business experience.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills; acute attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, the ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced and time-sensitive environment; and problem-solving skills, a positive attitude, and a willingness to continually learn new things.
• Demonstrated proficiency as follows:
  • The entire Microsoft 365 suite of applications.
  • Virtual meeting applications such as Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet.
  • Experience with other current software platforms like Adobe, Slack, Asana, Trello, Basecamp, and Smartsheet are a plus.
  • Salesforce CRM experience is highly desired.

General Scope:

The Mentor will:

• Work with local economic development offices and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders to identify Qualified company candidates in need of mentoring. Qualified companies are technology-based with their headquarters and majority of Workforce in Maryland.
• Mentor Qualified companies that are in the following Maryland counties: Calvert, St. Mary’s and Anne Arundel.
• Meet with companies to assess their progress and potential, identify developmental gaps and business needs, and refer them to appropriate sources of assistance (TEDCO support programs such as RBII Projects, Network Advisors, Pitch Academy, Prelude Pitch, SBIR Proposal Lab, TEDCO funding programs, MD Department of Commerce, business service providers, tech transfer offices, federal laboratories, etc.) or provide one-on-one mentoring and assistance, as appropriate.
• Perform other duties related to their county or counties (the “Region”) as directed by TEDCO. While much of the job can be handled virtually, manager must be willing to travel throughout the Region as well as to other areas of Maryland such as Columbia for quarterly meetings, annual meetings, or other events. Travel and related expenses are reimbursed.
• Work with ecosystem leaders to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and to expand TEDCO’s reach and promote its various programs.
• Work with entrepreneurs and vendors to assist companies through grant projects awarded by TEDCO.
• Represent TEDCO, as directed, at select events and meetings, consistent with the overall RBII/TEDCO mission.
• Organize conferences, workshops, orientations, or open forums showcasing the RBII program and TEDCO funding opportunities, and recruit RBII companies, regional economic development officials and other potentially interested parties.
• Assist in the planning of other regional events to promote and support the RBII program and TEDCO.
• Provide timely assessment of all potential RBII companies, including entering the RBII client into Salesforce.
• Maintain timely tracking of all mentoring and outreach activity by company or organization via Salesforce.
• Work with the Director of the Rural and Urban Business Innovation Initiative, Managing Director of Entrepreneur and Ecosystem Empowerment (E3), and other TEDCO staff as needed on special projects.

For immediate consideration, please apply online at tedco.bamboohr.com/careers.