Vice President, Programs & Partnerships

Founded in 2012, The Acceleration Project (TAP)’s mission is to empower under-resourced small business owners and accelerate their success by providing high-impact and customized strategic, financial, operational, and marketing support. Small businesses are a vital engine of our economy, and TAP supports entrepreneurs who lack access to critical networks and resources. TAP has worked directly with more than 11,000 small business owners and touched the lives of more than 100,000.

About the Role:

Join our dynamic team as the Vice President of Programs and Partnerships at TAP! In this executive leadership position, you'll spearhead the design and evolution of TAP's high-impact service offerings while cultivating transformative partnerships to expand our reach. As the leader behind our program strategy and delivery, you will help shape how TAP empowers underserved small business owners across the country, by creating innovative approaches that deliver measurable impact and ensuring successful implementation of current and future programs. This is an opportunity to leverage your passion for small businesses as a path to economic equity while leading a talented, mission-driven team. The position will be primarily remote, but will require weekly in-person meetings/events in the Westchester/NYC area. TAP promotes a culture that affords calendar flexibility and control. Therefore, the ideal candidate will reside in the NYC Metro area.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Program Strategy and Design Leadership:

• Lead TAP’s strategic program development, balancing innovative approaches with the maintenance of steady-state programs to address both emerging market needs and ongoing client demands.
• Design and develop distinctive, high-impact program formats and delivery models, integrating client onboarding, measurable impact alignment, and TAP’s technological and operational capabilities.
• Implement clear frameworks for both steady-state program management and the rapid prototyping, testing, refinement, and scaling of new initiatives.
• Guide the team in effectively packaging both innovative and established programs for compelling partner pitches and grant proposals, showcasing TAP’s thought leadership and program effectiveness.

Partnership Management:

• Strategically identify, cultivate, and secure impactful relationships to expand TAP’s revenue streams and enhance visibility within small business communities, in collaboration with the VP of Growth and Chief Growth Officer.
• Manage and deepen relationships with existing partners, identifying opportunities to expand collaborations, increase partner satisfaction, and grow revenue streams.
• Lead high-level negotiations and relationship management with existing partners, working closely with the Growth team and COO on pricing strategies, renewals, and strategic cost proposals.

Service Delivery Excellence:

• Provide high-level oversight of project implementation, ensuring clear work plans, deliverables, timelines, and accountability measures.
• Lead continuous improvement of TAP’s operational excellence systems (Salesforce and other platforms), leveraging data for consistent delivery, performance tracking, and program innovation.
• Strategically allocate resources across current and emerging industries and segments, balancing growth opportunities, impact, and efficiency.
• Champion the integration of emerging technologies and automation to enhance client experience and service delivery effectiveness.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, mentoring and guiding Directors of Service Delivery.
• Oversee forecasting, resource allocation, and capacity planning to optimize service delivery effectiveness, growth opportunities, and efficient use of resources.
• Collaborate across Growth, Talent, Technology, Finance, and other departments for cohesive and smooth program delivery.

Impact Strategy and Thought Leadership:

• Define and continuously refine TAP's impact narrative, ensuring clear communication of measurable results and compelling storytelling in collaboration with Strategy and Marketing.
• Proactively identify opportunities for TAP to establish thought leadership within the small business support ecosystem.
• Develop comprehensive evaluation systems measuring immediate outcomes and long-term impacts, aligning closely with client needs and revenue objectives.
• Ensure robust data integrity, internal compliance, and effectiveness of impact measurement and reporting processes.
• Track KPIs and prepare concise, insightful program reports and analyses for TAP’s Leadership Team and Board to support strategic decision-making and planning

Note: Given TAP’s dynamic and evolving environment, responsibilities may shift over time. The ideal candidate will demonstrate flexibility, adaptability, and willingness to embrace evolving organizational priorities.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree a plus.
• 7+ years of experience in program design, strategic development, or consulting roles
• Significant experience building and leading high-performing teams
• Proven track record of designing and implementing innovative, scalable programs or services
• Strong strategic thinking abilities with exceptional problem-solving skills
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management capabilities
• Demonstrate success in building strategic partnerships
• Passion for TAP’s mission
• Demonstrate flexibility in adapting to changing job responsibilities and a willingness to upskill as needed to meet evolving organizational demands and challenges
• Willingness to travel for meetings and events as needed

Benefits Package:

• $90,000 per year based on a full-time status (40 hours per week). Compensation is non-negotiable, aligning with our internal equity principles and compensation philosophy.
• Generous PTO
• 10 paid holidays per year
• 2 floating holidays per year for full-time employees
• Time off between Christmas and New Year’s
• Health and dental insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to:

careers@theaccelerationproject.org with ‘Vice President, Programs and Partnerships’ in the subject line. Deadline to apply is Tuesday, May 27th, 2025.

In your cover letter, please include a response to the following questions:

1. Why are you interested in the position, and why are you a good fit for this role?
2. What do you think are the biggest opportunities and challenges when creating and implementing programs for clients and partners, both external and internal?

TAP is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications from members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged.