Lead Accelerators Pipeline Manager (Full-Time Remote or Hybrid)

Lead Accelerators Pipeline Manager (101080)

Classification: Exempt

Date: April 2021

About Us:

Target is an iconic brand, a Fortune 50 company and one of America’s leading retailers.

On pace with one of the world’s best-loved and most recognized retail brands, Target Strategy & Innovation is focused on the future. We are at the center of developing and enabling how Target evolves to meet the changing needs of our guests while winning a competitive global retail marketplace. Here, you’ll partner with internal contacts and external firms in a wide variety of roles—whether you’re a technical engineer in San Francisco or a corporate strategist at Target headquarters in Minneapolis. Do you love the idea of helping to shape Target’s long-term strategy development? Are you a champion for rigor and process to ensure successful strategic planning? Can you bring your energy and big ideas to the table in order to build momentum in new business innovation? Then bring your talent to the game and join us in bringing to life a portfolio of initiatives designed to move Target forward.  

As the Lead Accelerator Pipeline Manager, you will be responsible for the growth and overall health of the Target Accelerators pipeline of startups. You will work across the enterprise to leverage Target’s resources and network to support the long-term growth of Target’s startup pipeline.  

Responsibilities  

External Representation  

• Act as main point of contact for all Target Accelerators prospects, responsible for recruiting and scouting for all active programs  

• Communicates program benefits to prospects through events, webinars, conferences, tradeshows and office hours  

• Partner closely with Marketing Lead on overall marketing plan and objectives for recruitment and pipeline growth, including but not limited to:  

• External Engagements 

• Paid marketing 

• Establish and manage routine of communication for all pipeline, considering nuance between industries, stage and size of companies  

• Ensure a fair, equitable and sustainable routine to provide support across the portfolio 

• Continuously collect feedback from pipeline via quantitative and qualitative surveys and identifies opportunities for optimization and process improvement and leads implementation 

Pipeline Strategy  

• Lead the creation and roll-out of the team’s pipeline strategy, including but not limited to:  

• Pipeline metrics and goals  

• Always-on initiatives  

• General brand-building opportunities  

• Active recruitment across programs  

• Define the inbound strategy across Target Accelerators’ online platforms, identifying the prospect lifecycle and nurture campaigns for pipeline  

• Own and measure pipeline health through CRM metrics, including but not limited to:  

• Inbound contacts  

• Qualified prospects  

• Total pipeline year-over-year, month-to-month, % to goal  

• Pipeline referral sources  

• Partner with Director Accelerators and Sr. Program Managers on cross-program improvements and opportunities based on pipeline trends and feedback  

• Own budget for Pipeline growth across the team in partnership with Director Accelerators  

Enterprise representation  

• Partner with Marketing and other cross functional teams at Target to find opportunities to drive pipeline growth   

• Align with existing pipeline growth initiatives across all relevant areas at Target; represent Target Accelerators in cross-functional team meetings to grow pipeline 

Other 

• Represent Target in the local community, both actively and passively 

• Contribute to the execution of Target’s innovation programs, including during travel, extended night and weekend hours (for future hybrid/in-person programming)  

Core responsibilities of this job are described within this job description. Job duties may change at any time due to business needs

About You:

• A minimum of 5 years of retail and/or startup-related experience; direct experience in sourcing a plus 

• Self-motivated and proactive in the working environment; proven ability to work with speed and accuracy to deadlines is essential

• Ability to focus on long terms strategy as well as execute the details 

• Effective written, verbal and presentation and communication skills at executive to project team levels

• Well networked internally across the corporation and externally in the startup ecosystem 

• Experience managing, leading or facilitating an accelerator or incubator program

• Master of facilitating diverse and inclusive experiences and environments, ability to work with a range of people, and comfortable leaning into difficult conversations 

• Keen interest in innovation, DTC companies and the startup ecosystem 

• Bachelor's degree 

Ideal Behaviors and Skills:

• Undeniable entrepreneurial behavior and attitude

• Ability to completely own and drive your responsibilities forward

• Ability to maintain a calm presence under extremely fast and high-pressure social scenarios

• A magnificent passion for innovation

• The ability to efficiently lead without authority, confidently presenting in rooms full of stakeholders, across all level

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Target will provide reasonable accommodations (such as a qualified sign language interpreter or other personal assistance) with the application process upon your request as required to comply with applicable laws. If you have a disability and require assistance in this application process, please visit your nearest Target store or Distribution Center or reach out to Guest Services at 1-800-440-0680 for additional information.