Job Details

About the Organization

The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is a social enterprise driving economic prosperity in rural America through entrepreneurship and tech job creation. Focused on the 500 U.S. micropolitan communities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000, our Rural Innovation Network spans 40 regions across 25 states. At CORI, we believe rural America can lead in the innovation economy. Our 35-person team works alongside local leaders to build thriving, tech-enabled ecosystems, combining community strategy, research, and talent development with the CORI Innovation Fund, our venture arm, investing in scalable rural startups. Together, our programs and capital create a powerful model for unlocking innovation and inclusive growth across rural America.

Requirements

The Opportunity

The Program Division is dedicated to serving and expanding the Rural Innovation Network, ensuring rural America thrives in the tech and AI era. Our work enables learners, leaders, and founders to access equitable pathways to skills and quality jobs, and build venture-ready startups.

Our north star is a more inclusive and resilient tech economy—one where rural people benefit from the economy of the future. The Program Division will play a vital role in advancing CORI's strategic goals: Growing the Rural Innovation Network while deepening engagement and peer connections; Accelerating the startup pipeline by expanding innovation spaces, founder support, and access to capital; and Leading AI skilling in rural America. We will achieve these goals by accelerating our delivery model through better use of technology, AI, and data to deliver greater value and impact for the communities we serve.

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Director of Community Experience leads the design and delivery of CORI's community experience strategy for the Rural Innovation Network, a national, paid community of practice ($2,500/year). This leader oversees the full member journey, from onboarding and strategic roadmap development to sustained engagement and measurable impact.

The Director manages a team of community, learning, and leadership development professionals and collaborates closely with CORI's Tech Workforce, Entrepreneurship, and Growth teams to align services, share insights, and enhance the member experience. They also serve as a visible national ambassador for CORI, representing the organization at events, convenings, and through thought leadership that elevates rural innovation nationwide.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Community Strategy and Experience (25%)

• Design and continuously improve CORI's community experience model to ensure value, cohesion, and impact across all stages of the member journey.
• Apply human-centered design and feedback loops (surveys, interviews, analytics) to strengthen engagement.
• Lead onboarding, strategic planning, and retention strategies that drive measurable results.
• Facilitate the Network Advisory Council and translate community input into program priorities.
• Integrate AI-enabled tools that enhance connection, efficiency, and insight through in person and digital programming.

Visibility and Thought Leadership (25%)

• Represent CORI and the Rural Innovation Network at national and regional events, conferences, and convenings to expand visibility and influence.
• Highlight community success stories and innovations across targeted audiences, including policymakers, funders, partner organizations, and peer networks, to strengthen the case for rural innovation.
• Collaborate with CORI's Growth team to amplify these stories through owned and earned media, including newsletters, blogs, social channels, case studies, and partner spotlights.
• Contribute thought leadership that positions CORI and the Network as national voices in community-driven learning, entrepreneurship, and AI readiness.

Network Growth and Operations (50%)

• Lead teams focused on Community Growth, Learning, and Engagement to expand CORI's national footprint while maintaining deep, high-quality member relationships.
• Manage membership growth, onboarding, and engagement systems, ensuring smooth operations and consistent value delivery.
• Partner cross-functionally to align programs, data, and CRM systems for stronger collaboration and measurement.
• Oversee fee-for-service offerings where appropriate, in partnership with Growth and Finance.

Qualifications

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience designing and managing peer learning networks or communities of practice.
• Strong relationship builder and strategic thinker experienced in ecosystem development.
• Skilled in using data and member feedback to drive decisions and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools and an eagerness to translate emerging technology into rural-relevant practices.
• Demonstrated people leadership, including coaching, performance management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Exceptional communication and facilitation skills, with comfort representing organizations nationally.

Personal Qualities

• Mission-driven and passionate about rural innovation and inclusive community development
• Collaborative and empathetic leader skilled at building trust across diverse communities
• Strategic yet hands-on, balancing vision with operational excellence
• Creative problem solver with a continuous improvement mindset
• Excellent communicator with executive presence and confidence
• Curious, adaptive, and committed to measurable community and organizational impact
• Energized by connecting people, ideas, and opportunities to drive shared success and by coaching high-performing teams.

Location

This role is fully remote, but will require travel 35% - 40% of the time to rural communities across the United States and/or 3-4 times a year for in-person staff / team meetings.

Benefits

• Competitive salary - $120,000 - $130,000 - DOE
• Annual professional development allowance
• Medical, dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance
• 5% employer matched 401k after 90 days
• Home office set-up allowance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fifteen days accrued PTO, plus eight floating holidays