Network Engagement Specialist, Harvard Innovation Labs

The Network Engagement Specialist is a key operational and strategic contributor in cultivating and activating the Harvard Innovation Labs’ network of mentors, experts, operators, partners, and investors. This role helps build a vibrant, high-impact ecosystem that connects students and alumni with the guidance, expertise, and relationships they need to advance their ventures.

The Specialist helps manage and improve the systems, processes, and stakeholder experience that make this ecosystem work—from recruiting and onboarding experts, to designing engagement pathways, to supporting seamless touchpoints between founders and the broader network. The role combines program management, relationship management, and data-informed operations.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of systems, relationships, and strategy—someone who can build structure, design strong experiences, spot patterns, solve problems, and bring a service-oriented mindset to supporting founders. The Network Engagement Specialist is a visible role that helps shape how founders access mentorship, expertise, and capital across the i-lab’s ecosystem.

The Specialist works closely with colleagues across Programs, Operations, Marketing, Alumni Engagement, and Community teams to ensure the network is aligned with organizational goals and delivers measurable value for founders.

For more information about Harvard Innovation Labs, visit innovationlabs.harvard.edu.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Network Strategy & Relationship Management

• Contribute to building, stewarding, and growing a diverse, high-quality volunteer network of mentors, experts, operators, and investors.
• Support the development and implementation of engagement frameworks that create clear pathways for involvement across different stakeholder groups and levels of experience.
• Represent the Harvard Innovation Labs to external partners in select contexts, helping cultivate relationships that create ongoing value for both the network and founders.
• Help ensure the network is aligned with founder and venture needs, program stages, and evolving strategic priorities.
• Support long-term strategic planning around ecosystem development and future network models.
• Operate with flexibility and adaptability as the i-lab’s programs and offerings evolve.

Program Design & Execution

• Design and manage programs and experiences (both virtual and in-person) that connect founders with experts, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and high satisfaction on both sides; current offerings include a mentor program, expert office hours, and curating judges for various competitions and challenges.
• Create and refine systems for expert onboarding, expectations, communications, and ongoing engagement, including managing the onboarding experience to qualify experts.
• Use feedback and data to continuously improve processes, supporting scalability, quality, and consistency across all network-related touchpoints.
• Support signature engagement moments—events, orientations, match experiences, or curated interactions—that strengthen the ecosystem.
• Identify gaps in network capabilities relative to founder needs and surface recommendations to address them.

Systems, Data, & Measurement

• Help oversee the tools and workflows used to manage the network (e.g., CRM, scheduling platforms, engagement tracking), including some partner programs such as perks and discounts. Partner with the internal technology team to define and execute system needs.
• Contribute to defining and monitoring key metrics such as participation, satisfaction, retention, and match success to evaluate network effectiveness.
• Partner with Technology and Operations to support accurate, reliable tracking of interactions and outcomes.
• Produce periodic reports and insights to inform strategic decision-making.
• Conduct regular reviews of network engagement systems, identifying opportunities to streamline operations and reduce friction.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with Program Leads to integrate expert and mentor engagement into founder programming and stage-based pathways.
• Partner with Marketing to support clear, consistent communication to founders, prospective volunteers, and current experts.
• Contribute to organization-wide initiatives that enhance the overall founder and expert experience.
• Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.

This role is responsible for other duties as assigned.