Part-Time Program Manager & Lead Facilitator

About Urban Arts & Founders Lab

Urban Arts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creative and technology education for students from low-income communities. We care deeply about creating life-changing opportunities and economic mobility through engaging experiences for student creators.

The Founders Lab is Urban Arts' new intensive accelerator for creative technologists: a 10-day, AI-first startup program that transforms technically skilled high school seniors into entrepreneurs. Students form startup teams, validate real business ideas, build working products, and pitch live on Demo Day in front of investors and industry leaders. Students form teams, validate business ideas, build working products, and pitch live to investors on Demo Day.

The Role

We are looking for a dynamic, entrepreneurially-minded educator and program leader to serve as the Part-Time Program Manager & Lead Facilitator for the Founders Lab. Year-round, you will recruit guest speakers and mentors, refine curriculum, and manage student recruitment. During the 10-day summer intensive, you are the connective thread—facilitating daily sessions, managing the run-of-show, supporting student teams, and delivering a world-class experience from Day 1 through Demo Day. This is a rare opportunity to help launch and shape a first-of-its-kind program at the intersection of AI and startup culture.

Key Responsibilities

Program Building & Operations

• Work with Urban Arts leadership to refine curriculum, update lesson plans, and integrate new tools and topics as the AI landscape evolves
• Recruit, vet, and onboard a roster of guest instructors, mentors, and Demo Day judges with relevant expertise across design, engineering, growth, and venture capital
• Build and maintain relationships with NYC-area tech, creative, and VC communities to expand the program's mentor and partner network
• Manage student recruitment and application processes in partnership with the Urban Arts team
• Develop program systems and documentation: run-of-show templates, rubrics, and reporting
• Coordinate with Urban Arts staff on logistics, budget tracking, vendor relationships, and event planning for Demo Day
• Iterate and improve on the program model through data analysis and feedback

Student Support & Mentorship

• Build authentic relationships with students quickly
• Coach individual students and teams through high-pressure moments, especially during build sprints and pitch rehearsals
• Facilitate team formation using the Entrepreneur Archetype Framework
• Guide teams through ideation, pivots, and moments of ambiguity with confidence
• Serve as the primary contact for students and families
• Observe student dynamics and proactively address interpersonal friction, disengagement, or team imbalance
• Recognize and celebrate student wins publicly; redirect struggles privately and constructively
• Adapt facilitation style to meet students where they are — from first-time coders to experienced designers to natural salespeople

Demo Days & Events

• Support the planning and execution of Demo Day — the live pitch event for investors, corporate sponsors, mentors, and the Urban Arts community
• Manage presentation logistics, timekeeping, and AV coordination on Demo Day
• Brief the judging panel and emcee; coordinate the awards ceremony and post-event networking

During the Summer Intensive: Program Management & Facilitation

Summer Lab Runs 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, consecutive weekdays, two weeks

• Own the daily run-of-show — scheduling, logistics, AV, transitions
• Brief instructors, mentors, and judges on curriculum context and student profiles
• Track student progress and blockers; escalate to Urban Arts leadership as needed
• Manage program materials, resources, and shared drives
• Lead key sessions: kickoff, daily standups, check-ins, retrospectives
• Bridge content across days helping students connect each session

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in program management, education, youth development, or a related field
• Track record facilitating engaging learning experiences for teens or young adults
• Comfort with startup culture and entrepreneurship concepts
• Strong organizational skills; can juggle logistics, people, and content simultaneously
• Belief in young people from underserved communities leading in tech

Preferred Qualifications

• Background as a founder, product manager, designer, or engineer — you have built something and can speak credibly about the process
• Experience running accelerators, hackathons, bootcamps, or intensive academic programs
• Familiarity with AI tools used in the Founders Lab curriculum: Claude, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, v0.dev, Figma, Vercel
• Track record working with high school students in STEM, creative, or entrepreneurship contexts
• Existing relationships with NYC-area tech, VC, or creative industry professionals (for mentor and judge recruitment)
• Comfort with public speaking and commanding a room — from an icebreaker on Day 1 to the Demo Day stage

Who You Are

You thrive in high-energy rooms and know how to build trust with young people fast. You have been in startup environments and speak the language, but you lead with curiosity, not ego. You can shift from logistics to facilitation within the same hour. And when a team is about to fall apart on Day 7, you know how to steady them without taking the wheel.

How to Apply

Please send the following to programjobs@urbanarts.org with the subject line "Founders Lab Program Manager – [Your Name]":

• A brief cover letter (1 page max) describing your relevant experience and why this role resonates with you
• Your resume and LinkedIn profile
• Optional: A 2–3 minute video introducing yourself and describing a program or learning experience you are proud to have led

Urban Arts is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, people with disabilities, and others who are underrepresented in the technology and education sectors.

Must be eligible to work in the U.S.