Full time

Director of Programs & Operations, Michigan 

AquaAction · Detroit, Michigan, United States (Hybrid)

About AquaAction

AquaAction is a binational (US & Canada) non-profit dedicated to building a water-secure future by addressing the many challenges of our freshwater systems. We drive innovation by supporting talented individuals to transform their ideas into market-ready technologies.

 

AquaAction facilitates collaboration and accelerates the growth of water tech enterprises through a range of programs. We offer water tech start-ups with educational resources, seed funding, business coaching and exposure opportunities with backing from governments, corporate sponsors, and individuals.

 

With a proven track record of launching and supporting over 100 water tech companies, creating hundreds of jobs, and generating over $200 million in GDP, AquaAction is having a significant economic and environmental impact.

Job Summary

The Director of Programs & Operations, Michigan will lead the day-to-day planning, coordination, and delivery of AquaAction’s programs and activities in Michigan. This person will serve as the senior program and operations lead for AquaAction’s Michigan presence, ensuring that programs are well-run, partners are engaged, founders are supported, and activities are aligned with AquaAction’s mission, standards, and strategic priorities.

This role is the Michigan equivalent of the Director of Programs role in Canada. The Director of Programs & Operations, Michigan will work closely with the Vice President, Programs, the Canadian program leadership team, and the broader AquaAction team to ensure strong cross-border coordination between Michigan and Canada.

The Director of Programs & Operations, Michigan will also supervise and guide the AquaNation Community Lead, Michigan, ensuring that ecosystem-building, founder support, partner engagement, and community activation are aligned with program objectives and organizational priorities.

Reporting Relationship
The Director of Programs & Operations, Michigan will report to Danny Veilleux, Vice President, Programs & Impact. The role will collaborate closely with the Director of Programs in Canada, Anne-Pascale Richardson, to ensure alignment across program strategy, delivery standards, reporting, learning, and cross-border opportunities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Michigan Program Leadership

• Lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of AquaAction’s Michigan programs and activities.

• Ensure that Michigan programs are delivered on time, on budget, and in alignment with AquaAction’s mission and program standards.

• Coordinate the implementation of AquaHacking, AquaEntrepreneur, AquaNation, founder support, ecosystem convenings, and other Michigan-based initiatives.

• Translate AquaAction’s Canadian program experience into a Michigan context while adapting to local needs, partners, funders, and opportunities.

• Identify program needs, risks, gaps, and opportunities, and work with the Vice President, Programs and Canadian program leads to address them.

Team and Role Coordination

• Supervise and support the AquaNation Community Lead, Michigan.

• Set priorities, expectations, and work plans for the AquaNation Community Lead in alignment with Michigan program needs.

• Ensure clear coordination between founder support, partner engagement, ecosystem-building, and program delivery.

• Create a collaborative working rhythm between the Michigan team and the Canadian program team.

• Ensure that Michigan staff and collaborators understand their roles, reporting lines, and areas of responsibility.

Cross-Border Collaboration

• Work closely with the Canadian Director of Programs and relevant Canadian program leads to align Michigan and Canadian program delivery.

• Share lessons learned, tools, templates, partner insights, founder needs, and program outcomes across teams.

• Support cross-border opportunities between Michigan and Canada, including founder exchanges, partner introductions, pilot opportunities, events, and ecosystem convenings.

• Ensure that Michigan programs benefit from AquaAction’s existing experience while also contributing new learning back to the Canadian team.

Partner and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a senior point of contact for key Michigan partners, funders, ecosystem organizations, universities, municipalities, utilities, industry partners, and community stakeholders.

• Support the development and maintenance of strategic relationships that advance AquaAction’s work in Michigan.

• Work with the AquaNation Community Lead to ensure partners are engaged, informed, and connected to meaningful opportunities.

• Represent AquaAction professionally in Michigan meetings, events, and ecosystem conversations.

Program Operations and Reporting

• Oversee program planning, timelines, budgets, deliverables, reporting, and internal coordination for Michigan activities.

• Ensure that funder and partner commitments are tracked and met.

• Support the collection of program data, founder outcomes, partner feedback, success stories, and impact metrics.

• Prepare updates for the Vice President, Programs and other members of AquaAction’s leadership team.

• Ensure that Michigan program activities are documented clearly and consistently.

 Qualifications 

• Experience leading programs, operations, partnerships, or ecosystem-building initiatives.

• Strong understanding of entrepreneurship support, innovation programming, founder development, or startup ecosystems.

• Experience managing people, projects, timelines, budgets, and external relationships.

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.

• Ability to work across teams, geographies, and program areas.

• Experience working with nonprofits, accelerators, universities, funders, municipalities, utilities, or innovation organizations is an asset.

• Knowledge of Michigan’s startup, water, climate, sustainability, or Great Lakes ecosystem is an asset.

• Comfort working in a growing organization where systems, roles, and programs are still being built.
  

 Success in This Role Looks Like 

• Michigan programs are well-organized, well-delivered, and aligned with AquaAction’s mission.

• The Michigan team has clear priorities, reporting lines, and support.

• The AquaNation Community Lead is well-integrated and focused on the right ecosystem-building activities.

• Michigan and Canadian teams collaborate regularly and effectively.

• Partners and funders see AquaAction as a trusted, credible, and well-coordinated organization in Michigan.

• Founders benefit from stronger program support, ecosystem connections, and cross-border opportunities.

• Michigan becomes a strong and connected extension of AquaAction’s broader North American program model.

Inclusion

AquaAction is passionate about engaging the best talent from a diverse range of backgrounds. We want to work in an environment where everyone can reach their potential within an inclusive culture which respects individual differences and perspectives. We encourage applications from equity-deserving groups. Self-identifying as Indigenous or having first-hand knowledge or experience working with an Indigenous community will be considered an asset.

Salary and Benefits

AquaAction offers a competitive benefits package. The salary will reflect the successful candidate’s experience.

Join Us

If you are passionate about public policy, government relations, and protecting North America's fresh water, we want to hear from you. Apply today to help shape the future of our blue economy.