Associate Director, Mentor Network & Community
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Overview
The Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale (Tsai CITY) mission is to inspire students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to seek innovative ways to solve real-world problems. Our unique innovation center welcomes students from all backgrounds to explore entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship across a wide spectrum of innovation—from venture‑backable startups in areas like AI and deep tech, to policy and civic initiatives that drive meaningful systems change, to transformative creative innovations such as documentary films and immersive media that shape culture. We serve students from across Yale’s campus through non-academic programs, funding, and mentoring.
The Associate Director will activate our 700+ member mentor network and focus on ecosystem building and relationship management to ensure student innovators have access to the right guidance, expertise, and connections. The Associate Director will shape the strategy, systems, and experiences that power a high-impact mentor network aligned with Tsai CITY’s mission.
Essential Duties:
Reporting to the Managing Director, Entrepreneurship, and working collaboratively across the team and ecosystem, the Associate Director will:
Steward and engage a vibrant, high-quality network of volunteer mentors comprised of Yale alumni, serial entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts.
Identify expertise gaps and lead targeted recruitment to meet evolving founder needs. Develop a strategic approach to sourcing and engaging experts across sectors, functions, and geographies.
Lead the recruitment and mentor matching process for the venture development program and prize competitions application review process
Lead effective matching processes for the individual student innovative projects and accelerator cohorts that drive meaningful, high-impact interactions.
Drive mentor participation in key capstone events, including Startup Yale, Demo Day, and Showcases.
Monitor and improve mentor–founder engagement and outcomes. Design and deliver mentor-driven programming (e.g., office hours, curated introductions, events, and venture support experiences).
Create clear, high-quality onboarding and engagement pathways for network participants.
Coordinate and lead collaborative efforts with Development for alumni engagement.
Oversee systems that support the mentor network (e.g., CRM, matching tools, engagement tracking).
Track key metrics such as participation, satisfaction, and match success. Use data and insights to drive continuous improvement and scalability.
Partner across Yale to strengthen the broader innovation ecosystem and promote a consistent mentor engagement strategy.
Represent Tsai CITY internally and externally and build relationships that advance Tsai CITY’s mission.
Other duties as assigned.
Preferred Skills/Education/Experience:
Experience in program management, development, community building, or innovation ecosystems.
Strong relationship building and communication skills.
Experience managing networks (mentors, advisors, or investors).
Ability to translate founder needs into structured, scalable solutions.
Experience working with early-stage startups, accelerators, or university-based innovation programs.
Familiarity with CRM and engagement tools.
Comfort with a variety of software platforms for managing projects, such as Slack, Airtable, Luma, Google Drive, Salesforce, and MS Office. Adept at learning new software tools.
Student advising, mentoring, coaching, or teaching experience. Ability to connect with students through conversation and listening.
Required Skills and Abilities
1. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to create engaging content and manage digital and print communications.
2. Demonstrated ability in program and project management, including managing budgets, schedules, and resources effectively.
3. Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
4. Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability.
5. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and data management tools, with the ability to analyze and present data accurately.
Principal Responsibilities
1. Grow the mentor network by soliciting involvement of senior industry alumni and friends of the University. Develop robust pipeline of mentors who can assist the full spectrum of Yale entrepreneurs from early-stage to seed-funded. Assess skills sets, domain expertise, corporate or regulatory connections and geographic coverage against current and future venture needs.
2. Leverage talent in the mentor network to support Yale entrepreneurs. With a full understanding of the needs of Yale ventures, match specific mentors with appropriate Yale ventures. Continuously assess the interactions between mentors and Yale innovators: quality of advice, engagement of the two parties, and likelihood of desired venture outcomes.
3. Manage every aspect of the mentors’ experience. Assess each mentor’s participation in the network. Promote best practices and address under-performance. Create and implement education efforts for the mentors. Develop community with events, recognition, feedback and follow up. Coordinate with other parts of the University (CBIT, CBEY, SOM, YIH, etc.) as the “umbrella organization” for Mentors.
4. Support Yale entrepreneurs and innovators and the ventures they launch. Build relationships with the ventures, understand their businesses, and assess their mentorship needs. Offer formal and informal advice through office hours, pitch sessions and practice sessions. Inquire about interactions with mentors and respond to issues, needs or requests for change.
5. Build YEI and develop Yale’s entrepreneurial community. As part of a rapidly evolving office and broader entrepreneurial initiative, help plan YEI’s future state. Liaise with similar organizations at other institutions. Coordinate YEI’s participation in entrepreneurial endeavors within the University alongside like-minded groups and foster partnerships with companies outside of Yale.
6. Other duties as assigned.
Required Education and Experience
Bachelors’ Degree and 5 years’ experience in sales, entrepreneurship and/or investments or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Job Posting Date
08/06/2026Job Category
ProfessionalBargaining Unit
NONCompensation Grade
Administration & OperationsCompensation Grade Profile
Manager; Program Leader (P5)Salary Range
$68,000.00 - $120,500.00Time Type
Full timeDuration Type
StaffWork Model
HybridBackground Check Requirements
All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.
Health Requirements
Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.
Posting Disclaimer
Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.
The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.
Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).
Note
Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.
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