Program & Experience Design Lead - Venture Café

Are you ready to be at the heart of Cambridge's innovation scene? Venture Café Cambridge is on the lookout for a passionate Program and Experience Design Lead to carry out our flagship Thursday Gathering and other groundbreaking initiatives.

Join us in creating a dynamic and inclusive community where innovators connect, collaborate, and drive change. If you're excited about making a real impact and fostering a vibrant ecosystem, you belong at Venture Café Cambridge!

ABOUT VENTURE CAFÉ GLOBAL INSTITUTE (VCGI) & VENTURE CAFÉ Cambridge

Venture Café Global Institute (VCGI) began in 2009 within the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) in Massachusetts, aiming to connect people, ideas, and resources globally. Today, it has grown into a worldwide movement, convening over 900,000  innovators, creatives, and leaders across cities like London, Berlin, Monterrey, and Tokyo. VCGI's mission is to drive global change by building a community of communities focused on solving humankind’s biggest challenges.

Our flagship Thursday Gathering convenes hundreds of creative, resourceful people who are just as invested in improving life on this planet as you are.

YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK

The primary vehicle to engage the region’s innovation community is the weekly program, the Thursday Gathering, which attracts 300-500 people per week. You will be responsible for curating and leading this event that regularly convenes members of the innovation community in an inclusive and open way. This event strives to complement and amplify, not substitute or compete, with other existing innovation community gatherings in Massachusetts.  

Venture Café includes an informal social gathering to create opportunities for serendipitous encounters as well as structured conversations and educational sessions (live presentations, panels, info sessions, demotables, etc.). You will grow a pipeline of community organizations and partners to offer high-quality content based on monthly themes. Your primary role is to be the “chief curator” in order to design thoughtful, high-quality experiences for attendees. Your work may also include working with members of the broader community to organize regular and special events.

A cornerstone of Venture Café Cambridge is the Thursday Gathering. Beyond executing on the Thursday Gathering, you will contribute to other programs that will help build a more inclusive innovation economy - inclusive of all types of industries and people. You will be responsible for the creation and implementation of programming that reaches into the area’s underserved communities. 

As you work to operate these programs in Cambridge you will be expected to:

• Build the Venture Café Cambridge brand in partnership with the Director, positioning it as a trusted, neutral connector within the local innovation ecosystem.

• Advance an inclusive innovation community by making gatherings more diverse, accessible, and connected.

• Build and strengthen partnerships with key individuals and organizations, connecting stakeholders and leveraging existing initiatives to develop a strong weekly program.

• Design engaging programming by developing creative event formats that encourage participation, collaboration, and meaningful connections.

• Lead communications and marketing across the website, social media (particularly LinkedIn and Instagram), and mailing lists, collaborating with the Program Experience Coordinator on content and newsletters.

• Oversee event delivery and logistics, including staff & volunteer coordination and the day-to-day operations of the Thursday Gathering.

• Track and report program performance, monitoring marketing, attendance, quality, and impact metrics.

• Represent Venture Café Cambridge in the community by attending events, building relationships, and staying connected to the local innovation ecosystem.

• Support additional programs and projects as needed and share insights with the broader Venture Café global network.

Venture Café Cambridge operates like a startup. This role entails uncertainty and ambiguity. Additionally, on the same day you may print name tags, move furniture, and have dinner with the CEO of a global company. No work will be beneath team members. This environment also creates great opportunities to be creative and to envision new projects that will take Venture Café Cambridge’s mission, and particularly its impact in Cambridge, to the next level. We believe in experiments as a way of learning.

ABOUT YOU

• You bring experience in innovation, the arts, and/or entrepreneurship, ideally in programming, leadership, or advocacy, and understand the innovation process.

• You believe innovation and entrepreneurship can improve lives and recognize that innovation takes many forms beyond technology startups and venture capital.

• You understand Cambridge’s innovation ecosystem, its key stakeholders, and its potential for growth. You bring strong networking skills and the ability to build meaningful local partnerships.

• You understand Cambridge’s key challenges and see them as opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and positive change.

YOU HAVE

• Experience in event conceptualization, curation, planning, and execution.

• Availability to work onsite in Kendall Square, Monday through Friday, and at the weekly Venture Café Thursday Gathering from 4:30–8:00 PM.

• Knowledge of Cambridge’s innovation ecosystem, including key stakeholders, networks, and organizations.

• Strong organizational, project management, and task management skills.

• Excellent hospitality and problem-solving skills, with the ability to create a welcoming community experience while upholding Venture Café’s guidelines with confidence and tact.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, active listening abilities, and confidence in public speaking.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate across sectors, build consensus, and navigate differing perspectives diplomatically.

• An appreciation for design, aesthetics, and attention to detail in creating effective spaces, products, services, and communications.

• Familiarity with social media and its role in community engagement and communications.

• A global outlook combined with a strong commitment to the local community.

• Independent thinking, sound judgment, and the confidence to express your views constructively.

• Comfort with technology; familiarity with Google Workspace, WordPress, and Mailchimp is a plus.

• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Physical activities on the job: 

• Frequent use of hands for fine motor work and mid to full vision. This position regularly includes hosting events in our spaces, necessitating moving around our spaces and lifting/moving AV equipment, tables, and chairs. This position also requires significant time working on a computer and navigating between different documents and platforms.

WHO WE ARE 

At CIC, our values aren't a poster on the wall - they shape how we work, how we hire, and how we show up for each other every day. You'll hear about them throughout our recruitment process:

• We are good humans — respect, kindness, and accountability in every interaction

• We are happy to help — we step forward with care, energy, and pride in our work

• We are problem solvers — curious, growth-minded, and always looking for a better way

• We are resilient — steady under pressure and adaptable in the face of change

• We deliver — dependable and results-driven, balancing speed with quality.

OUR OFFER

• Starting compensation is $70-000-80,000 per year. 

•  Allocated budget for training (customized to specific requirements of the role and organization's objectives).

Venture Café is committed to building teams that reflect the fabric of the cities we support. We welcome all candidates regardless of race, color, ancestry, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, Veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Any other human expressions and experiences not mentioned here are equally welcome. If you require an accommodation please let us know. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.