Director of Entrepreneurship

Job Title: Director of Entrepreneurship

Classification: Full-Time @ 40 hrs/wk,  Exempt, Work authorization is required

Salary Band: Band 5, Director

Compensation: $97,000 - $103,700

Location: Remote, work must be performed in California

Travel Requirements: 20% of time (includes local travel)

Department: Entrepreneurship

Reports To: Director of Programs

Direct Reports: Entrepreneurship and Advocacy Manager and future entrepreneurship staff or consultants

ABOUT IMMIGRANTS RISING

Founded in 2006, Immigrants Rising transforms individuals and fuels broader changes. With resources and support, undocumented people are able to get an education, pursue careers, and build a brighter future for themselves and their community. For more information, visit www.immigrantrising.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Director of Entrepreneurship will lead and provide strategic and operational leadership for Immigrants Rising’s entrepreneurship portfolio as a core driver of economic mobility for undocumented communities. This role is responsible for setting and advancing a cohesive entrepreneurship vision that bridges direct services, institutional capacity building, and systems-level change. The Director leads program strategy and execution, manages a growing team and portfolio of partners, and plays a central role in positioning Immigrants Rising as a statewide and national leader in entrepreneurship as an economic mobility pathway.

As a senior leader, the Director of Entrepreneurship works closely with the Executive Director and cross-functional leadership to align entrepreneurship programming with Immigrants Rising’s broader mission, policy agenda, and Economic Mobility for All Campaign. The role requires a balance of strategic leadership, people management, external representation, and a deep understanding of the structural barriers facing undocumented entrepreneurs. This position carries responsibility for departmental outcomes, grant performance, partnerships, and contributing to organizational strategy and growth.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy, Vision, and Program Leadership (Approximately 30% of the role)

• Set and lead a clear, cohesive entrepreneurship strategy that advances economic mobility for undocumented people and aligns with Immigrants Rising’s strategic plan.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of entrepreneurship programs, ensuring alignment across direct services, capacity building, and systems-level change.
• Establish department-level goals, priorities, and success metrics, and hold the team accountable for outcomes and impact.
• Identify opportunities to scale or adapt entrepreneurship models across California and potentially beyond, responding to community needs and field level trends.
• Translate economic, policy, and ecosystem insights into strategic programmatic direction.
• Serve as a senior external representative for Immigrants Rising’s entrepreneurship portfolio, proactively identifying field-level opportunities, potential funding pathways, and strategic partnerships that advance program growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability.

Systems Change Leadership (Approximately 20% of the role)

• Serve as a senior organizational leader advancing Immigrants Rising’s entrepreneurship agenda across advocacy campaigns, coalitions, and strategy spaces, ensuring entrepreneurship remains a central pathway within the organization’s broader economic mobility vision.
• Partner closely with policy, research, and communications leadership to align entrepreneurship strategy with policy priorities, narrative change efforts, and systems-level interventions that expand economic opportunity for undocumented entrepreneurs.
• Elevate insights from entrepreneurship programs to inform solutions related to access to capital, public contracting, licensing, workforce pathways, and small-business ecosystem development.
• Represent Immigrants Rising in high-level coalitions, policy tables, and convenings focused on entrepreneurship, economic mobility, and inclusive economic development, strengthening the organization’s influence and partnerships.
• Contribute thought leadership—through public speaking, writing, and field-building efforts—that positions Immigrants Rising as a leading voice on entrepreneurship as a driver of economic mobility and systems change.

Program Integration, Research & Narrative Alignment (Approximately 20% of the role)

• Partner closely with Program Directors and senior leadership to ensure entrepreneurship initiatives are integrated with direct services, institutional capacity building, and broader economic mobility strategies.
• Collaborate with Research and Communications teams to align entrepreneurship priorities with data, evaluation, and narrative change efforts that elevate the experiences and impact of undocumented entrepreneurs.
• Translate insights from entrepreneurship programming—including outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned—into strategic guidance that informs program evolution, advocacy, and organizational decision-making.
• Ensure entrepreneurship work strengthens Immigrants Rising’s role as a thought leader in the field, advancing a compelling narrative of entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic mobility.

Team Leadership and Departmental Management (Approximately 15% of the role)

• Build, lead, and manage a high-performing entrepreneurship team, including direct supervision of staff, fellows, and consultants.
• Set departmental goals, priorities, and performance expectations aligned with organizational strategy.
• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and professional development to team members, ensuring clarity of roles, strong delegation, and accountability.
• Foster an inclusive, equity-centered, and results-driven team culture aligned with Immigrants Rising’s values.
• Support cross-functional collaboration and ensure alignment across Immigrants Rising’s programs, as well as research, communications, and development teams.

Financial & Operational Oversight (Approximately 15% of the role)

• Provide strategic leadership for entrepreneurship related fundraising efforts, including shaping program concepts and priorities for grant proposals.
• Oversee grant funded entrepreneurship initiatives, ensuring deliverables, reporting, and compliance requirements are met.
• Manage and oversee the department budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility, transparency, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Partner with development, finance, and executive leadership to identify sustainable funding strategies for the department.
• Lead operational planning and infrastructure for the department, strengthening internal systems, workflows, and cross-functional coordination to ensure effective execution, accountability, and long-term sustainability.

Role Specific Qualifications

• 7–10 years of relevant professional experience in entrepreneurship, economic mobility, immigrant justice, policy, or related fields, with progressively responsible leadership roles.
• At least 3–5 years of people management experience, including direct supervision of staff and responsibility for team performance, coaching, and professional development.
• Demonstrated expertise in entrepreneurship and economic mobility systems, including business formation, access to capital, contracting, licensing, and workforce pathways, with a strong understanding of how immigration status shapes opportunity.
• Proven ability to lead complex program portfolios, bridging direct services, institutional capacity building, and systems-level change, and translating strategy into measurable outcomes.
• Experience leading or co-leading systems-change efforts, such as statewide initiatives, coalitions, or campaigns, with shared accountability for outcomes and impact.
• Experience overseeing grant-funded programs and departmental budgets, including accountability for deliverables, compliance, and alignment of resources to strategy.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience operating at a statewide or multi-regional level across entrepreneurship, small business, or economic mobility systems serving undocumented or historically excluded communities.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to systems-level or ecosystem change, such as policy implementation, coalition-based initiatives, or large-scale capacity-building efforts related to entrepreneurship or economic mobility.
• Experience working in cross-sector partnerships, including collaboration with community-based organizations, philanthropy, public agencies, and private-sector stakeholders.
• Strong background in grant-funded entrepreneurship or economic mobility programming, including contributing to proposal development, shaping program strategy, and supporting funder relationships.
• Familiarity with research, data, and evaluation approaches used to inform program design, policy advocacy, and systems change.
• Training or experience in equity-centered leadership and community-based economic development, with a demonstrated commitment to immigrant and racial justice.
• Nonprofit or movement experience preferred.

Organization-Wide Requirements

• Thoroughly committed to Immigrants Rising’s mission and vision.
• Deep passion and commitment to immigrant rights with a personal connection to the undocumented experience.
• Expected to attend organizational fundraising events and relay key information from interactions with potential donors and funders to fundraising staff, represent the organization professionally and in accordance to organizational values.
• Eager to learn and develop new skills. 
• Adaptive to changing circumstances.
• Demonstrates strong active listening skills, with the goal of understanding the perspectives, needs, and concerns of others before responding.
• Open to giving and receiving constructive feedback on communication efforts and able to implement suggestions to improve future interactions.
• Demonstrates awareness and respect for cultural differences in communication, ensuring inclusivity and avoiding miscommunication.
• Participates in organization-wide efforts to bolster organizational health, address implicit bias, inequitable practices, structural inequities in the workplace, and infuses equity & inclusion skills and principles to programs and external work. Pursues personal and professional learning and development opportunities.

DO YOU THINK THIS MIGHT BE YOU?

If you see yourself in this job description but don’t feel like you meet every single criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway! Research shows that individuals from historically marginalized groups, particularly women, trans, non-binary folks, and BIPOC, tend to self-select out of opportunities at higher rates. We take a holistic approach to all of our hiring practices and want to hire those who best align with our mission and goals.

TO APPLY

Please submit your application via the Workable platform. No phone calls please. Applications will be accepted until April 27th, interviews will be held in May and June. Our preferred start date is July.

For questions, email Alejandra Guillen, Deputy Director, alejandra@immigrantsrising.org.

TIME COMMITMENT, COMPENSATION & LOCATION

This is a full-time, exempt position paid at an annual salary of $97,000 - $103,700. Immigrants Rising has a generous benefits package that includes ample vacation, sick leave, and holidays, 100% employer-coverage of health, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), and a 3% employer contribution to employee retirement. This is a remote position based in California.