Director Entrepreneurship

About the Organization

The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is a social enterprise driving economic prosperity in rural America through entrepreneurship and tech job creation. Focused on the 500 U.S. micropolitan communities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000, our Rural Innovation Network spans 40 regions across 25 states. At CORI, we believe rural America can lead in the innovation economy. Our 35-person team works alongside local leaders to build thriving, tech-enabled ecosystems, combining community strategy, research, and talent development with the CORI Innovation Fund, our venture arm investing in scalable rural startups. Together, our programs and capital create a powerful model for unlocking innovation and inclusive growth across rural America. The Opportunity

The Program Division is dedicated to serving and expanding the Rural Innovation Network, ensuring rural America thrives in the tech and AI era. Our work enables learners, leaders, and founders to access equitable pathways to skills and quality jobs, and build venture-ready startups. Our north star is a more inclusive and resilient tech economy—one where rural people benefit from the economy of the future. The Program Division will play a vital role in advancing CORI’s strategic goals: Growing the Rural Innovation Network while deepening engagement and peer connections; Accelerating the startup pipeline by expanding innovation spaces, founder support, and access to capital; and Leading AI skilling in rural America. We will achieve these goals by accelerating our delivery model through better use of technology, AI, and data to deliver greater value and impact for the communities we serve. Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Director of Entrepreneurship leads CORI’s entrepreneurship portfolio, accelerating startup creation, founder development, and ecosystem capacity across the Rural Innovation Network. The Director oversees a team of senior program managers focused on startup support and ecosystem development, strengthening local entrepreneurship infrastructure through innovation hubs, partnerships, and community capacity-building, while directly supporting founders to launch, grow, and scale startups. By equipping founders with the skills, networks, and capital they need to thrive, and by working closely with the CORI Innovation Fund (CIF) to connect promising startups to investment opportunities, the Director ensures rural entrepreneurs have the resources and pathways to succeed. Success is reflected in stronger founder capabilities, durable local capacity, and scalable models that can be replicated nationwide. Essential Job Responsibilities Startup Engagement and Program Delivery (70%) Lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of CORI’s entrepreneurship and startup-support programs. Team Leadership and Portfolio Development (30%) Provide strategic direction and leadership for the Entrepreneurship team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills and characteristics:

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in entrepreneurship program design and ecosystem development.
• Strong background in founder support, startup acceleration, and investment readiness.
• Expertise in partnership management and program facilitation across diverse stakeholders.
• AI fluency and ability to apply digital tools in program and founder-development contexts.
• Strategic project management skills and an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and collaboration abilities.
• Comfort using data to inform decisions and measure impact.

Personal Qualities

• Mission-driven and passionate about rural entrepreneurship and inclusive innovation.

Collaborative and empathetic leader who builds trust and momentum across communities. Strategic yet hands-on, balancing vision with operational excellence. Creative problem solver with a learning orientation and continuous-improvement mindset. Confident communicator and visible ambassador for CORI and the Rural Innovation Network.

Location This role is fully remote, but will require travel 20-30% of the time to rural communities across the United States and/or 3-4 times a year for in-person staff / team meetings. Competitive salary - $120,000 - $130,000 - DOE Annual professional development allowance Employer paid dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance 5% employer matched 401k after 90 days Home office set-up allowance Employee Assistance Program Fifteen days accrued PTO, plus eight floating holidays