POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director University Commercialization Programs reports to the Vice President of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (VP). The incumbent will lead a small team of mission-driven professionals who strive to provide outstanding support to Virginias university innovators, nonprofit research labs, commercialization-minded academic researchers, and business and industry partners. This individual partners with the VP to lead the promotion and management of technology transfer grant programs, university economic development engagements, and related special projects. This includes developing and maintaining direct relationships with senior university research officers, technology transfer office personnel, entrepreneurs-in-residence, innovative researchers, university economic development officers, university entrepreneurship centers, and other related stakeholders at Virginias higher education institutions. They will actively cultivate, monitor, and advance an active pipeline of eligible grant applicants and lead efforts to assist applicants as needed with preparation of grant requests.

This individual will also develop and maintain relationships with federal, state and independent research institutes located in Virginia and initiate value-added partnerships with startups and corporations to extend the reach of the CCF program into the private sector. The Director will spearhead cross-cutting collaborations with other teams at VIPC to maximize the impact of CCF and other VIPC programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

: The following is a list of essential functions that are not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary.

Partner with the VP to lead the Commercialization Divisions university tech transfer-focused grant programs and related initiatives. Develop and maintain direct relationships with senior research officers, technology transfer office personnel, entrepreneurs-in-residence, innovative researchers at Virginias colleges and universities, and other key stakeholders. Develop and maintain relationships with federal, state and independent research institutes located in Virginia, as well as corporations and startups that may benefit from, or contribute to, CCF and VIPCs other funding and entrepreneurial support programs.

• Participate in the development, execution, and continuous improvement of the CCF grant programs and provide support for and promotion of other VIPC programs as appropriate.
• Develop and track an active pipeline of eligible potential grant applicants.
• Assist applicants as needed as they prepare their grant requests. Provide insight and guidance for grant applicants affiliated with universities and research institutes as they pursue CCF grant opportunities. Coordinate screening meetings with grant applicants and ensure that applicants remain informed on a timely basis of the status of their applications.
• Lead the grant application review process, including screening meetings where applicants present their proposals and plans to the Commercialization Division team. This process includes offering assessments of the strength of grant applications, and contributing to the teams decision to recommend, decline or defer grant applicants.
• Actively develop and maintain a group of science and technology subject matter experts (SMEs) who can be called upon to assist in the assessment of grant applications.
• Coordinate as needed with other Commercialization Division team members to ensure that online and offline promotional materials, grant terms and conditions, grant application workflows, reporting workflows, and internal grant tracking tools are up-to-date, user-friendly, and generally meet stakeholders needs.
• Provide ongoing support to award recipients affiliated with universities and research institutes during their periods of performance and beyond. Provide counseling and referrals as needed in support of technology development, customer and revenue developm nt, and capital formation. Review awardees periodic status/outcome reports to identify specific needs and coordinate as appropriate with awardees to provide support for those needs.

Collaborate with VIPCs Investment team to advise on pertinent issues for their startup funding programs, including contributing to solicitation and application review as requested.

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