Program Manager, Student Accelerator

S27a; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

S27a is seeking a Program Manager for the StartX Student Accelerator in Palo Alto, CA. This individual will lead the full lifecycle of a flagship program aimed at support for Stanford’s promising student founders.

The ideal candidate has over 4 years in the startup field, with substantial experience in program management and a deep understanding of the student environment. This role also involves designing high-impact programming and managing critical events for student talent.

Qualifications

• Proven experience engaging with startups and student founders.
• Direct experience in Program Management and Community Building.
• Familiarity with Stanford University environment is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the lifecycle of the StartX Student Accelerator program.
• Develop pipeline for recruiting student-led startups.
• Design and execute impactful student programming.
• Manage milestone events to showcase student talent.
• Curate resources specifically for early-stage student companies.

Skills

Student-Centric Empathy

Operational Architect

Relationship Driven

Adaptability

Scalability Mindset

Education

4+ years in startup, venture, or higher-education entrepreneurship

2+ years in Program Management or Community Building

Job description

The StartX Student Accelerator Program Manager leads the full lifecycle of our flagship program for Stanford’s most promising student founders. This role is a unique opportunity to shape the next generation of industry leaders by providing them with a customized, high-intensity educational framework that respects the unique challenges of being a student entrepreneur.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead the Student Accelerator Lifecycle & Admissions:

• Pipeline Development: Actively engage with Stanford’s schools, labs, and student organizations to identify and recruit the next wave of student-led startups.
• Transition Management: Support student founders in navigating the transition from classroom projects to full-time venture development.

Design High-Impact Student Programming:

• Curriculum Tailoring: Adapt the StartX curriculum to address student-specific hurdles, such as IP transfer, balancing degree requirements, and "0 to 1" product development.
• Expert Sourcing: Grow a specialized network of mentors and alumni who are specifically passionate about coaching student founders through their first professional fundraising and hiring cycles.
• Experiential Learning: Design and execute an immersive weekend of workshops, panels, and "founder-to-founder" circles that foster a tight-knit student community.

Execution & Event Excellence:

• Milestone Programming: Plan and execute 1 large-scale student founder pitch event per session specifically designed to highlight student talent to the broader ecosystem.
• Operational Rigor: Run high-quality events while managing budgets, deadlines, and coordinating a team of volunteers and student associates.
• Impact Analytics: Measure cohort progress and post-program success to iterate on the student accelerator model.

Build the Student Founder Knowledge Base:

• Resource Curation: Maintain a library of templates, legal guides, and pitch decks specifically curated for the needs of early-stage student companies.
• Community Integration: Serve as the primary bridge between student founders and the broader StartX community of seasoned entrepreneurs and industry titans.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE

• 4+ years of experience in the startup, venture, or higher-education entrepreneurship space.
• 2+ years of experience in Program Management, Community Building, or Student Affairs leadership.
• Direct experience working within a university ecosystem (Stanford-specific knowledge is a significant plus).

SKILLS NEEDED

• Student-Centric Empathy: Deep understanding of the pressures, timelines, and ambitions of Stanford student founders.
• Operational Architect: A structured planner who loves building repeatable processes that make a program feel seamless.
• Relationship Driven: Ability to build trust quickly with 20-year-old founders and 50-year-old industry experts alike.
• Adaptability: Comfortable with the rapid-fire "build and iterate" culture of a top-tier accelerator.
• Scalability Mindset: Proactive about turning manual tasks into scalable systems to support growing cohorts.

NICE TO HAVES

• Stanford Alum with deep ties to campus
• Previous experience as a student founder or a leader in a major student organization.
• Familiarity with "Product-Market Fit" frameworks (Lean Startup, Design Thinking).