Overview
Path Ahead Ventures opens doors for founders and small businesses shaping the future of the outdoor industry by expanding opportunity and supporting emerging brands that help REI better serve a broader community of customers.
This role owns the execution and ongoing development of REI's founder programs, translating strategy into meaningful cohort experiences, programming, and community engagement. As a senior individual contributor, the role manages the full program lifecycle-from selection through delivery and alumni engagement-while shaping curriculum, evolving program content, and working cross-functionally to ensure programs deliver impact for founders and the co-op.
Responsibilities and Qualifications
Essential Job Functions (Planning & Navigation Requirements)
- Leads end-to-end execution of Path Ahead Ventures founder programs, translating strategic priorities into integrated program plans, timelines, and delivery outcomes
- Designs and manages the founder application and selection process, ensuring clear criteria, equitable evaluation, and a strong candidate and cohort experience
- Develops and delivers cohort programming, including curriculum, workshops, mentorship, events, and experiences that support founder growth and business development
- Orchestrates program delivery across sessions, participants, and partners, ensuring a consistent, high-quality experience from onboarding through completion
- Develop and support alumni engagement strategies and activities to strengthen the ongoing Path Ahead founder community
- Builds and manages relationships with founders, mentors, advisors, and partners to support program delivery, strengthen community, and advance program goals
- Partners cross-functionally to support founder outreach, program delivery, and alignment with merchandising, marketing, impact, and broader business priorities
- Captures and synthesizes program insights, feedback, and performance data to identify opportunities for improvement and evolve program design and content
- Facilitates connections between founders and internal and external partners to support learning, business development, and ecosystem engagement
- Manages program operations and planning inputs, including budgets, vendor coordination, and key systems, ensuring programs are delivered effectively and in alignment with plan
Required & Preferred Qualifications
Required:
- 5+ years of experience in program management, founder support, partnerships, or related fields, ideally within startup, accelerator, retail, or mission-driven environments
- Experience leading complex, multi-workstream programs or cohort-based initiatives from planning through delivery
- Ability to translate strategy into execution and manage cross-functional program delivery with minimal oversight
- Experience designing or facilitating learning experiences, events, or curriculum-based programming
- Ability to synthesize feedback and data to drive program improvements and enhance overall effectiveness
- Ability and willingness to travel periodically for program delivery, founder engagement, and team collaboration
Preferred:
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in a related field such as business, economics, communications, or equivalent experience
- Experience in startup ecosystems, founder development, or innovation-focused programs
- Familiarity with retail or consumer brands and community-based business models
Closing
At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity - that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.
Pay Transparency
We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors.
REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off. Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.
Pay Range
$85,400.00 - $136,700.00 per year