Program Manager, Autonomous Vehicles
- Job Type
- Full Time
- Job Level
- Manager
- Location
- Toronto, ON
- Impact Area
- Economic Development
- Impact Category
- Nonprofit
- Company Type
- Nonprofit
About this position
About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is the one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS supports promising young ventures tackling key societal and industry challenges in the Health, Cleantech, Fintech and Enterprise sectors. In addition to helping startups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries and driving ideas to impact.
About the Provincial Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN) Program: AVIN builds upon Ontario’s position as a world-leading automotive manufacturing and supply jurisdiction in addition to the large cluster of information and communication technology companies operating in the province. Through resources such as research and development (R&D) funding, talent development, technology acceleration, business and technical supports, and demonstration grounds, AVIN provides a competitive advantage to Ontario-based C/AV companies – allowing Ontario to reinforce its position as a North American leader in transformative automotive technologies, as well as transportation and infrastructure systems. https://www.avinhub.ca/about/
Overview of Venture Services
As part of Canada’s largest innovation centre, the Venture Services group at MaRS works with over 1200 innovation-driven science and technology startups in the Health, Cleantech, Fintech and Enterprise sectors. The goal of the Venture Services program is to assist entrepreneurs with the commercialization of high-calibre innovations that have business growth potential in Canada and globally. Focusing on investment-ready startups, the Venture Services team helps entrepreneurs access the funding, customer, talent, media and stakeholder connections required to successfully scale their business.
Overview of the Position
This newly created role will focus on management and oversight of program deliverables for the AVIN Program’s Toronto ‘Regional Technology Development Site’ (RTDS) - led by MaRS. Launching in the Fall of 2018, the Toronto RTDS will support 4 streams of activity:
1. Entrepreneurship Support:
- Technical and Business Advisory Services for venture companies at the intersection of AI and machine learning and Connected/Autonomous Vehicle Sectors
- (Stream Lead: Chief Technology Advisor/ Senior Advisor Connected & Autonomous Vehicles)
- Connection to relevant data sets that both technology developers and users could test against
- (Stream Lead: Lead Executive Data Catalyst)
- Focused on industry-raised challenges that will address key skills shortages in the talent community
- (Stream Lead: Senior Director, Venture & Corporate Programs)
- The Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Challenge Lab
- (Stream Lead: Director, Real Estate Operations)
With the support of the Chief Technology Advisor and the Senior Advisor Connected and Autonomous Vehicles as well as the MaRS Program Management Team, the Program Manager will work closely with the extended Venture Services team, and the Leads for each of the 4 AVIN streams to ensure deliverables are on track and that each stream is aware of broader developments within the Toronto RTDS Program and across the Provincial Network. This role presents a unique opportunity to help build a dynamic community in Toronto for the Autonomous Vehicle Market.
Specifically the Program Manager will be responsible for:
- Onboarding technology ventures into the program and working with the Senior Advisor, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles to create engagement plans to guide advisory support services
- Working with other stream leads to connect program participants to relevant opportunities
- Connecting to and collaborating with the other 5 Regional RTDS’s across the Province
- Managing Program reporting
- Acting as the primary point of contact for program inquiries with all relevant stakeholders, including internal MaRS teams, ventures, private and public industry partners, counterparts at other AVIN RTDSs in the Province
- Stakeholder Management: co-ordinating and facilitating participation from key groups/individuals to achieve program deliverables and balance stakeholder interests.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in related science or technology field
- Minimum 5+ years experience, preferably in a program management role
- Analytical and data management capabilities
- Diligent, very detailed-oriented and well organized
- Knowledge of the start-up community preferred
- Previous experience working with government stakeholders, an asset
- Familiarity with CRM systems, preferably Salesforce
- Strong relationship and stakeholder management skills
- Excellent interpersonal and communications skills (oral and written)
- Strong, demonstrated project management skills
- Collaborative team player who thrives on coordinating and interacting with multiple people and on multiple projects and who is able to manage shifting priorities
- Excellent judgment in setting priorities, identifying issues, problem solving and structured approaches to determining and executing solutions
- High proficiency with Microsoft Office (especially Excel, PowerPoint)
- Able to work both independently and in a team
- A self-starter and a commitment to achieving and exceeding goals and objectives
- Interest and knowledge of the Canadian innovation ecosystem, an asset
Internal Contacts
- MaRS Venture Services: Sector Leads, Sector Managers, Program Management Team, Venture Programs Team
- MaRS Operations Teams: Finance, IT
- MaRS Data Catalyst, MaRS Partnerships Team
- MaRS Events team
- MaRS Real Estate team
- MaRS Communications: Marketing Communications, Social Media
External Contacts
- Key contacts at Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Growth and Trade Ontario Centres of Excellence
- Industry Partners
- Innovation ecosystem: entrepreneurs & startup teams, community organizers
Working Conditions
Open-concept office environment with operating business hours of 8:30am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Some evening events support may be occasionally required.
Applications are due by 6:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date indicated at the top of this job posting.
Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada.
MaRS Discovery District is committed to diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including aboriginal persons, francophones, members of sexual minority groups, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and women. We will provide any requested accommodation to candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.
About us
Based in Toronto’s Discovery District, MaRS is the world’s largest urban innovation hub.
Focusing on four key sectors – health, energy & environment, finance & commerce and work & learning – MaRS supports more than 1,000 ventures that are striving to make the world a better place. MaRS provides these ventures with expert advice, and connects them to capital, talent and new markets to accelerate their growth and scale up their impact.
MaRS is also home to cutting-edge research institutes advancing knowledge in areas like healthcare and artificial intelligence, as well as the Canadian offices for several globally leading tech companies like Facebook, PayPal, Autodesk and Airbnb.
Our Impact
MaRS supports scaling ventures that create jobs, increase prosperity and help tackle important societal issues like climate change or rising healthcare costs.
MaRS has also been instrumental in growing Canada’s market for socially conscious investments through its Centre for Impact Investing and SVX online investing platform.
On the capital side, MaRS manages a fund (MaRS Catalyst Fund) that invests in companies creating positive social or environmental change, and also manages the StandUp Ventures fund, which invests in women-led tech startups.
What it's like to work here
The MaRS Centre is a vibrant, architecturally inspiring innovation hub. It draws 6,000 researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to work each day at a diverse, curated tenant mix of startups, scaleups and multinational high-tech companies in the building.
MaRS itself is a lean organization with a flat management structure. Dedicated to supporting startups, the culture is entrepreneurial and employees are encouraged to find unique solutions to problems. Teams tend to be small and responsible for the full lifecycle of a project, from ideation and design to development and rollout.
MaRS employees enjoy extras, such as:
i. Access to a wide range of tech industry events that take place in the MaRS Centre, such as the MaRS Mornings entrepreneur talks.
ii. An active social committee that organizes regular events, “serendipity coffees” to meet members of other teams, a summer games tournament, team-building outings and summer golf day.
iii. MaRS softball team, free weekly yoga in the atrium, and discounted gym memberships
iv. Indoor bike parking and showers
Career Growth Opportunities
Career growth at MaRS is fostered by the breadth of experiences and educational opportunities available to employees, as well as exposure to startups, entrepreneurs and diverse networks. Personal development opportunities set the foundation for a successful career within and beyond the organization.
For employees at an earlier stage in their career, the innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurial environment offer opportunities to develop expertise in some of the most important sectors of the economy.
What We Look For When Hiring
MaRS seeks candidates who have an entrepreneurial spirit, who are collaborative and team-oriented and share a passion for innovation and MaRS’ mission.
Candidates should be motivated by the prospect of continuous learning, improving their skills and being given the responsibility to manage projects and find novel solutions to problems.
MaRS looks for people whose unique personal experiences and background can add to its culture of innovation.
Application instructions
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