Nato Diana Program Manager

Job

**NATO DIANA Program Manager**

**COVE**

**Halifax, NS**

**Who is COVE?**
Since its inception in 2018, COVE has dedicated itself to fostering collaboration among individuals, concepts, resources, and assets to drive solutions and sustainable advancement within Canada's marine sector. At the forefront of building a thriving network, COVE has played a pivotal role in cultivating a robust cluster of companies and cultivating a premier startup environment. Through strategic initiatives, COVE facilitates invaluable networking opportunities, fosters connections, and leads discussions within the global ocean technology community. Moreover, COVE spearheads programs aimed at nurturing talent, expediting the release of ocean technology products, and bolstering the success of emerging ventures by startups, scaleups, and SMEs. These initiatives, coupled with COVE's ability to harness diverse skills and expertise nationally within the marine ecosystem, serve as an enabler for overcoming industry challenges, driving economic growth, and delivering value to investors.

As COVE experiences rapid expansion, we are actively seeking to expand our team to further bolster our transformative influence on the marine sector. With a thriving community of over 60 companies onsite and a global network encompassing over 400 organizations engaged in marine technology, we stand poised to emerge as a premier global hub for industry-driven innovation. We recognize that our journey toward this goal hinges on the strength of our team—a group of individuals who collaborate, innovate, and continually strive for excellence. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey of discovery and advancement.

**The Opportunity**:
The NATO DIANA Program Manager is responsible for the successful execution of the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) at COVE. The Program Manager works with the NATO DIANA and broader COVE teams to ensure the designed curriculum is successfully executed and the selected cohort of startups are well-supported. The Program Manager is responsible for managing deliverables to a variety of stakeholders and reporting milestones. The Program Manager also supports the greater COVE efforts in dual-use innovation. The Program Manager possesses strong project management skills and the ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively.

**What you will be doing**:

- Representing COVE to NATO DIANA, the US Department of Defense, and the other selected accelerator sites establishing avenues of communication and ensuring successful program delivery.
- Executing the curriculum established by NATO DIANA including its scheduling of modules, identification of resources, and recruitment of the greater COVE team to provide support.
- Collecting and analyzing key performance metrics from the program, deliverable to NATO DIANA, to measure success and implement adaptations for future iterations.
- Managing the recruitment of experts, evaluators, mentors, and lecturers through strategic networking alongside the COVE team.
- Activating the greater Canadian dual-use community by organizing engagement opportunities to meet and support the selected cohort of startups.
- Attending, supporting, and representing COVE at local ecosystem events in Halifax and elsewhere as required by the Program.
- Identifying networks, resources, and opportunities to promote the growth and scale of the selected cohort of startups.
- Understanding the entrepreneur, knowing the founder journey, recognizing their needs, and championing their successes.
- Adhering to COVE’s human resource policies and procedures.
- Other duties as assigned
- Travel will be required both nationally and internationally.

**What you will bring**:

- Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, science, business or equivalent experience.
- 5-7 years relevant experience with at least three or more years experience in program management or operations.
- Knowledge of the Canadian defence ecosystem & acquisition practices.
- Record of strong business skills, leadership, people management, strategic thinking, and sound judgment.
- Experience in accelerator operations, recruitment, and supporting small businesses.
- Ability to speak confidently in settings ranging from large group events to meetings with senior government, industry, and start-up leaders.
- Be a community builder to establish relationships with multi-faceted stakeholder groups and key partners.
- Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to work autonomously or in collaborative team environment.
- Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced skills in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Familiarity with project planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to p