Director of the Fisher Innovation College@Elm
Miami University is dedicated to being a strong economic development partner, collaborating with industry, government, academia, and strategic partners to provide the talent necessary to generate a positive economic impact and sustainable prosperity for local and state communities. The Director of the Fisher Innovation College@Elm (FIC@E), within the ASPIRE Office (Advancing Strategies, Partnerships, Institutional Relations, & Economies Office), plays a crucial role in advancing Miami University's entrepreneurial, economic, and societal contributions in the communities where we live, work, educate, and partner.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and nurture relationships with current FIC@E clients;
- Assist with attraction efforts to expand FIC@E clients and partners;
- Manage the Entrepreneur in Residence contract and coordinate activities and reporting requirements;
- Manage building, programmatic, and student engagement processes affiliated with FIC@E, including room scheduling, building access, student tabling scheduling, invoicing, lease / space agreements, student and tenant engagements and experiences;
- Assist with programming, event planning, and execution of FIC@E events (i.e., labs, speakers' series, speed mentoring, workshops, hackathons);
- Coordinate and implement FIC@E's annual marketing and communications plan;
- Represent ASPIRE in collaboration with Miami University departments, centers, and institutes, to cultivate creative solutions for partners while fostering a culture of innovation and knowledge exchange between academia and practical application;
- Represent and communicate University and FIC@E priorities to senior-level corporate executives, industry, and government constituents;
- Facilitate ASPIRE efforts and pathways to support faculty and staff throughout the intellectual property / commercialization process;
- Support ASPIRE initiatives to routinely recruit faculty and staff to serve on projects, industry sector, community, and state / federal, boards and committees;
- Collaborate cross-functionally to gather, analyze, and present data, stories, and metrics that showcase ASPIRE's accomplishments and potential for growth;
- Cultivate connections and create mentorship opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members, and others around FIC@E and university priorities;
- Develop, implement, and promote student experiential learning opportunities for FIC@E and ASPIRE;
- Supervise assigned coordinators, project administrators, student workers, and interns;
- Identify and leverage Miami resources to expand usage of Work+ and Service+ partnerships;
- Develop, advance, and expand the multiple FIC@E student initiatives, including but not limited to, the Government Relations Network (GRN) Sustainability Group and an Entrepreneurship equivalent of the GRN;
- Coordinate activities for the Miami University student groups engaged in entrepreneurship and business development at FIC@E, including but not limited to Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), Redhawk Ventures, and Side Hustle;
- Develop and manage a Living Learning Community for the FIC@E;
- Travel to Oxford, Cleveland, Columbus, Washington, DC, and elsewhere where ASPIRE is engaged;
- Evening and weekend work required; and
- Other duties as required or assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree with two (2) years professional experience in higher education, entrepreneurship, innovation, or economic development;Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree or certification;Experience in having started a company or advising others in starting a company.Experience with ASPIRE, Fisher Innovation College@Elm, or the Government Relations Network;At least two years of experience at the director level or higher at a college or university.Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of higher education systems, operations, processes, and policies;Ability to represent ASPIRE, College@Elm, and the University in multiple settings and contexts.