Entrepreneurship Community Manager, Assistant Director - Dallas, TX

Join our Brand, Marketing and Communications (BMC) team and you’ll directly support and promote our brand and reputation. Through internal communications, public relations and corporate communications, you’ll provide a wide range of marketing and communications services to internal and external audiences. These include current and future clients and employees, alumni, regulators, the media and the communities within which we operate.

The opportunity

Join our dynamic Entrepreneurship Marketing Team, where innovation meets opportunity! We are committed to supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of growth and increasing brand permission through strategic marketing initiatives. Our team thrives in a fast-paced environment, and we are looking for a passionate and proactive Entrepreneurship Community Manager to represent the EY brand in support of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Your key responsibilities

As the Entrepreneurship Community Manager for the Southwest geo region, you will be responsible for marketing activities across the entrepreneurial ecosystem in your market. In this market-facing role, your primary responsibility will be owning, managing and executing EY’s flagship Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) program across the 12-month program cycle, including serving as the relationship steward with EOY sponsors locally. In addition to leading EOY, you will develop and execute a local strategy for Entrepreneurial programs and events, including EOY alumni programs, entrepreneurial community engagement opportunities and local participation in the Strategic Growth Forum (SGF) held in Palm Springs every year. This role will work closely with Entrepreneurial Winning Women (WW) and Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN) teams to execute their program strategies in the local markets. Success in this role will be a combination of driving impactful entrepreneurial programming while building strong relationships with local entrepreneurs, founders and CEOs and connecting local participants in our entrepreneurship programs with one another on an ongoing basis.

• Lead all Marketing and project management activities for the prestigious EOY awards program in your market across the 12-month program cycle
• Develop and execute a local strategy and marketing plan for Entrepreneurial programming and events, inclusive of EOY, EOY alumni, and SGF
• Collaborate with WW and EAN teams to include in local Entrepreneurial programming and events. 
• Manage program annual budget working with Entrepreneurship leadership team to obtain funding approvals
• Plan and execute 3-5 events per calendar year, with a specific emphasis on the EOY awards celebration
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with local entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs and entrepreneurship alumni
• Help identify and pursue entrepreneurs to apply for the program and work directly with the applicants and EY relationship owners to build and maintain relationships with each company both during and after the program year concludes
• Identify and maintain strong relationships with EOY program sponsors and judges (where applicable), ensuring sponsors feel they are getting value from their involvement and support of the EOY program
• Manage and mentor US-based Entrepreneurship Marketing coordinator and an off-shore Entrepreneurship Marketing Coordinator to assist in the overall development and execution of the program
• Lead the onboarding process for new on-shore and off-shore coordinators
• Collaborate with key EY stakeholders including EOY Program Directors, Office Managing Partners and relationship owners to ensure a successful program that supports relationship development activities and brand lift for EY
• Work closely with the Entrepreneurship BMC leadership team to ensure consistency in quality of programming and National Marketing and business development objectives are achieved. 
• Engage in peer networks with other Entrepreneurship Managers to share knowledge, leading practices, and facilitate problem-solving
• Work independently to resolve challenges while maintaining an active dialogue with leaders and stakeholders
• Participate in special project teams at National level, as requested, to continue enhancement of overall program
• In conjunction with national teams, develop local plans to activate WW and EAN programs locally, including supporting annual recruitment of program participants, program promotion and amplification and engaging local EY professionals as liaisons and community boosters
• Develop and execute impactful ongoing local alumni programming and events that are business-relevant, connecting all entrepreneurial ecosystem members with one another and with EY
• Represent EY locally as an entrepreneurship community brand ambassador

Skills and attributes for success

• Ability to understand the specific challenges facing entrepreneurs, their business growth needs and how to build strategies to address their needs and connect and build relationships with CEOs and other prominent executives
• Proficiency in working in a global, highly matrixed enterprise, with the ability to navigate across geographies, service lines and functional areas to bring the best of EY to local entrepreneurs
• Ability to display judgement, knowing when and how to escalate issues and how to provide feedback to internal teams and resources
• Strong project management and organization skills
• A passion for entrepreneurship and helping local businesses on their growth journeys
• Experience creating one-of-a-kind client experiences
• Creativity and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work collaboratively both in-person and in a virtual environment
• Strategic thinking, professionalism, and confidence interacting with high-level leaders
• Experience working in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment
• Ability to work independently, as well as in virtual teams
• Ability to build and maintain relationships at all levels both internally and externally
• Experience working in a highly matrixed organization, with a clear understanding of business priorities and how our entrepreneurial marketing efforts align with and support those priorities
• Efficient time management and prioritization skills are essential, and extended hours are sometimes required
• Experience managing sponsors and working with external agencies
• Understanding of advanced marketing and communication principles
• Proven talent at building relationships and influencing without authority to produce results and outcomes
• Responsibility to adhere to internal reporting requirements and risk management protocols

To qualify for the role, you must have

• A minimum of 7-8 years of marketing and communications experience, with industry and/or professional services experience preferred.
• Bachelor's degree, preferably with a marketing or communications major. An MBA is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and engagingly.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work independently across teams and functions

What we look for

We are looking for individuals that have a strong business acumen and personal leadership.  Innovative, creative thinkers who are strategic, collaborative and consultative and who can bring a fresh perspective will thrive in this environment.