Executive Director of Innovation & Industry Partnerships

Job TitleExecutive Director of Innovation & Industry Partnerships Agency East Texas A&M University Department Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Proposed Minimum SalaryCommensurate Job LocationCommerce, Texas Job TypeStaff

SUMMARY

The Executive Director of Innovation & Industry Partnerships provides strategic and operational leadership for innovation, entrepreneurship, venture development, commercialization support, and industry engagement at East Texas A&M University. Reporting to the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, the Executive Director leads the Venture College and connects university talent and capabilities with entrepreneurs, companies, investors, economic development organizations, and communities. The Executive Director develops a university-wide innovation ecosystem that advances promising ideas through validation, partnership, commercialization, or venture formation. The position serves as a key connector among the university, industry, entrepreneurs, investors, and Texas A&M Innovation, consistent with applicable university and Texas A&M University System policies. This is a hands‑on, outward‑facing position based in Commerce, Texas, with periodic travel to the Dallas campus and other locations as required.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for university innovation, entrepreneurship, and venture‑development activities under the direction of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.
• Lead and manage the Venture College, including program design, entrepreneur and innovator recruitment, mentoring, workshops, customer‑discovery activities, pitch events, competitions, and other venture‑development initiatives.
• Develop a visible and accessible pipeline that helps faculty, staff, and students assess ideas, validate opportunities, connect with mentors and partners, and pursue appropriate pathways to impact.
• Build a culture of innovation across the university through collaboration with academic colleges, administrative units, student‑support programs, alumni, and external stakeholders.
• Develop annual priorities, operating plans, participation goals, and outcome measures for Venture College and related innovation programs.
• Serve as an institutional resource and connector for faculty, staff, and students seeking to advance inventions, discoveries, creative works, business concepts, and other innovations.
• Work collaboratively with Texas A&M Innovation and appropriate university offices to connect innovators with resources related to intellectual property, market assessment, technology commercialization, licensing, and new‑venture formation.
• Provide or coordinate practical assistance in customer discovery, business‑model development, market validation, go‑to‑market planning, investor readiness, pitching, and venture growth.
• Identify opportunities for proof‑of‑concept support, translational funding, accelerators, incubators, mentors, investors, and strategic partners.
• Ensure that innovation and venture activities are conducted in accordance with applicable university and Texas A&M University System policies and procedures.
• Serve as a primary point of engagement within the Division of Research and Economic Development for companies and organizations seeking innovation, research, commercialization, or venture‑related partnerships with East Texas A&M University.
• Proactively cultivate relationships with companies, entrepreneurs, investors, family offices, accelerators, incubators, economic development organizations, foundations, and public‑sector partners in Northeast Texas, the Dallas‑Fort Worth region, and beyond.
• Assess partner needs and connect those needs with appropriate university expertise, facilities, programs, talent, and research capabilities.
• Develop opportunities for industry‑sponsored research, collaborative innovation projects, mentorship, corporate engagement, sponsorship, and other mutually beneficial partnerships.
• Represent the university at innovation, entrepreneurship, investment, industry, and economic‑development meetings, conferences, and public events.
• Design and deliver innovation and entrepreneurship programs, events, workshops, and networking activities that produce measurable value for participants and partners.
• Identify and pursue grants, sponsorships, philanthropic support, program revenue, and other external resources supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, commercialization, and industry collaboration.
• Develop and maintain systems for tracking participation, venture progress, partnerships, external funding, sponsorships, investment activity, and other program outcomes.
• Prepare reports, proposals, presentations, budgets, briefing materials, and recommendations for university leadership and external stakeholders.
• Manage assigned budgets, contracts, vendors, and program resources responsibly and in coordination with applicable university offices.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Five years of progressively responsible professional experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, business development, venture development, startup support, industry engagement, consulting, economic development, investment, commercialization, or a closely related area. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered in accordance with university requirements.
• Knowledge / Skills / Abilities: Demonstrated experience developing and managing relationships with entrepreneurs, businesses, industry partners, investors, executives, economic development organizations, or other external stakeholders. Demonstrated experience supporting entrepreneurs, startups, new ventures, business growth, innovation initiatives, or strategic partnerships. Ability to develop and implement programs that support innovation, entrepreneurship, venture development, and external engagement. Strong strategic‑planning, business‑development, relationship‑management, project‑management, and organizational skills. Ability to translate ideas and opportunities into actionable programs, partnerships, and initiatives. Excellent written, verbal, presentation, facilitation, and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and community partners. Ability to work independently, exercise sound professional judgment, handle sensitive information appropriately, and manage multiple priorities. Ability to represent the university professionally in public, industry, and entrepreneurial settings. Ability to travel as required, including periodic travel between Commerce and the Dallas campus.
• Licensing/Professional Certifications: Valid driver’s license
• Physical Requirements: NA
• Other Requirements: Primary duty location is Commerce, Texas. Periodic travel to the Dallas campus, Texas A&M University System locations, and external partner sites is required. Some evening or weekend work may be required for university, innovation, entrepreneurship, industry, or community events. The position requires reliable transportation and the ability to meet university requirements for business travel. This position may be designated security‑sensitive and may require additional pre‑employment screening in accordance with university policy.

PREFERRED EDUCATION / SKILLS/ EXPERIENCE

• Experience leading or supporting an incubator, accelerator, venture program, entrepreneurship program, angel‑investment network, startup‑support organization, or similar innovation initiative.
• Experience advising startups or entrepreneurs on customer discovery, market validation, business models, go‑to‑market strategy, fundraising, pitching, or investor readiness.
• Experience working with angel investors, venture investors, family offices, corporate partners, or other sources of early‑stage capital.
• Experience as a founder, entrepreneur, business owner, investor, consultant, or member of a startup leadership team.
• Experience establishing industry, corporate, community, or economic‑development partnerships.
• Experience developing innovation or entrepreneurship programming, including workshops, mentoring, pitch events, competitions, or founder‑development activities.
• Experience with fundraising, sponsorship development, grant development, business development, or external resource generation.
• Experience evaluating business opportunities, startup concepts, investment potential, or strategic partnerships.
• Experience with technology‑based ventures, research‑driven innovation, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, or commercialization.
• Experience establishing performance measures and tracking outcomes for innovation, entrepreneurship, or business‑development programs.
• Familiarity with intellectual property, technology transfer, commercialization processes, and university‑industry collaboration.
• Experience within the Texas or Dallas‑Fort Worth business, innovation, investment, or entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Graduate degree in business, entrepreneurship, management, organizational leadership, innovation, economic development, or a related field.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

• Cover letter describing the applicant’s interest and relevant experience.
• Résume or curriculum vitae.
• Contact information for three professional references.
• Additional materials requested through the university’s employment system.

WHY WORK AT EAST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY?

Competitive Benefits & Work-Life Balance

• Employee tuition assistance for master’s and doctoral programs.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life, and long‑term disability insurance.
• ETAMU contributes to employee health and basic life insurance premiums.
• 12–15 days of annual paid holidays, plus up to eight hours of paid sick leave and vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), with optional additional retirement plans (ORP).
• Physical wellness program and wellness release time for eligible employees.

Career Growth & Development

• Access to cutting‑edge research opportunities at a designated R2 Research Institution.

Academic Excellence

• ETAMU is ranked among the top 30% in five online degree programs and offers national recognized academic programs.
• Over 140 degree programs, including nationally ranked online and graduate options.
• First accredited institution to offer a competency‑based bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
• Distance education offerings in Corsicana, Dallas, Frisco, McKinney, Mesquite, Bryan, and online.

State‑of‑the‑Art Facilities

• Work in advanced facilities such as the 113,470-square‑foot Nursing and Health Sciences Building, featuring a state‑of‑the‑art simulation hospital and a 1,300‑acre agricultural research farm.

Vibrant Campus Life

• Engage with over 95 student organizations and 14 NCAA Division I athletic teams, contributing to a thriving campus community.

Prime Location & Growth

• Enjoy the benefits of working in rapidly growing regions, with abundant career opportunities at six locations across Dallas and Northeast Texas.

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All positions are security‑sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer. The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a statewide network of twelve universities, eight state agencies, a comprehensive health science center, Texas A&M‑Fort Worth and Texas A&M-RELLIS. The A&M System is committed to providing an educational and work environment that is conducive to the personal and professional development of each employee. Each member institution provides equal opportunity and access to all students, employees and prospective employees.

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