Program Manager – Family Business Initiative – Tepper School of Business

The Family Business Initiative at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business and Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship provides support, education, and networking opportunities to family-owned businesses and private enterprises. Through programs, peer advisory groups, and educational resources, the initiative helps family businesses navigate challenges and opportunities, ensuring long-term success and sustainability.

Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business and Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship is searching for a Program Manager to join their team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives in an interesting and challenging work environment. You will contribute to the department by providing support by facilitating peer advisory group discussions make up of family business leaders as well as supporting the Family Business Leadership Speakers Series. The Program Manager will ensure that group sessions and leadership talks are productive, engaging, and focused on key topics relevant to family businesses, such as succession planning, governance, leadership development, and innovation.

Core responsibilities include:

• Facilitate Peer Advisory Group Sessions: Facilitate Peer advisory meetings with family business owners, ensuring active participation, confidentiality, and meaningful exchange of ideas.

• Prepare Agendas and Materials: Work closely with the Family Business Initiative team to design and deliver relevant content, case studies, and discussion materials that address current challenges and trends in family businesses.

• Group Dynamics Management: Cultivate an inclusive and collaborative environment where participants feel comfortable discussing their challenges and successes.

• Subject Matter Expertise: Leverage knowledge of family business operations and entrepreneurship to guide discussions and provide thought leadership where necessary.

• Maintain Confidentiality: Ensure that all information shared within the group remains confidential, fostering trust and openness among participants.

• Follow-up and Support: After each session, summarize key insights, follow up on action items, and provide additional resources or connections as needed.

• Networking and Engagement: Encourage peer networking and engagement beyond group meetings to foster continuous learning and relationship building.

• Work with Family Business Director to develop Leadership Speakers Series events throughout the year.  

• Continuous Improvement: Gather feedback from participants and identify ways to improve the facilitation process and group effectiveness.

• Other duties as assigned

Adaptability, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within Carnegie Mellon University. We are in search of a team member who can effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.

You should demonstrate:

• Empathetic and approachable, with the ability to build rapport with a diverse group of participants.

• Skilled at driving discussions and keeping sessions focused and goal-oriented.

• A proactive attitude dedicated to supporting the growth of family-owned businesses with passion.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Organizational Development, Psychology or related field required; Advanced degree preferred

• Experience in facilitating peer groups, workshops or executive roundtables, and experience with family-owned businesses or entrepreneurial ventures required

• A combination of education and relevant experience from which comparable knowledge is proven may be considered.

Requirements:

• Successful completion of a pre-employment background check

Additional Information:

• Sponsorship: Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.  Carnegie Mellon is not a qualifying employer for the STEM OPT benefit: only the 12-month OPT may be used to work at Carnegie Mellon.

• Fixed Term: This is a fixed-term position with an estimated duration of 24 months.

Joining the CMU team opens the door to an array of exceptional benefits.

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