Associate Director of Innovation and Ventures

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the incubator’s strategic vision, goals, and growth initiatives.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for incubator success.
• Identify, pursue, and help secure grants, sponsorships, gifts and strategic partnerships that support incubator operations and program growth.
• Prepare reports and presentations for executive leadership, boards, funding partners, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurial ecosystem developments to identify new opportunities.
• Develop long-term sustainability and growth strategies for the incubator.
• Identify opportunities to enhance innovation, commercialization, and regional startup ecosystem development.

Partnership Building

• Build and maintain key stakeholder relationships with investors, venture capital firms, angel networks, corporations, peer universities, and other community stakeholders that bring value or potential partnership to the program.
• Build and maintain relationships with core facilities, testbeds, and other key internal stakeholders to ensure startups can access necessary services for their growth.
• Develop partnerships that expand services available to incubated companies.
• Promote and represent the incubator through marketing, public speaking, and stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Identify and facilitate connections with industry partners, investors, mentors, and subject matter experts to accelerate commercialization outcomes.

Incubator Operations & Entrepreneur Support

• Lead and supervise incubator staff, consultants, mentors and volunteer advisors.
• Recruit, evaluate, and select startup companies for participation in incubation programs.
• Develop and manage incubator operations, resources and services that are accessible and responsive to the needs of MSU researchers and innovators.
• Design, manage, and continuously improve incubation programs, workshops, and events.
• Provide mentorship, coaching, and strategic guidance to startup founders and monitor their advancement.
• Facilitate access to expertise and funding opportunities, including grants and investor access, subject matter experts in legal, accounting, marketing, technology, and product development.
• Track start-up and program progress across a variety of economic and impact metrics as well as internal success metrics such as member satisfaction and program performance.
• Identify opportunities to enhance innovation, commercialization, and regional startup ecosystem development.

Compliance and Budgeting

• Develop, manage and monitor annual operating budgets for incubation activities, ensuring effective stewardship of resources.
• Ensure compliance with organization policies, funding requirements, and reporting obligations., Special Instructions This position is not eligible for sponsorship. EEO Statement Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents

1. Master’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science or a related field plus five years relevant experience supporting startup growth, innovation and technology commercialization; or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
2. Demonstrated experience supporting startups, entrepreneurs, or innovation programs.
3. Professional experience doing business development, relationship management and fundraising.
4. Knowledge of start up financing, Lean startup methodologies, and business modeling.
5. Proven leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
6. Practical experience managing programs, budgets and cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

1. Experience managing a startup incubator.
2. Experience as a founder, startup executive, or member of an early-stage growth company.
3. Experience working in a university-based innovation ecosystem.
4. Experience supporting technology transfer and commercialization.
5. Knowledge of Montana State University processes, policies, systems and culture.
6. Experience taking a technology from Montana State University from concept to market.
7. Experience securing grants or sponsorship funding.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Build trust and credibility with entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and community stakeholders.
• Be self-directed and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Inspire collaboration and foster a culture of innovation and inclusion.
• Exercise sound judgment, initiative, and professionalism in decision-making.
• Demonstrate strong analytical skills and attention to detail while maintaining a strategic perspective.
• Collaborate effectively in a team environment and build strong working relationships.
• Adapt to changing priorities and maintain effectiveness in a dynamic environment., To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Establishing collaborations and working relationships between industry and the research and creative areas of MSU. This includes pursuing industry sponsored research and collaborating on commercial opportunities.
• Licensing the inventions of MSU faculty and researchers to industry and managing the relationship between the University and its licensee partners.
• Serving the economic development arm of the University and working with Montana companies and entrepreneurs to leverage the resources of MSU to the benefit of Montana’s economy.