Chief Operating Officer

CONTEXT OF THE JOB

The Chief Operations Officer leads the laboratory, facilities, scientific support, and business operations that enable The Innovation Space and its client companies to succeed. Reporting operationally to the President & CEO, the COO translates organizational strategy into safe, reliable, and scalable systems across facilities, finance, legal, technology, people operations, EH&S, compliance, and risk management. This highly visible role combines enterprise leadership with hands‑on execution and offers the opportunity to help scientists and entrepreneurs advance breakthrough technologies toward commercial and societal impact.

The COO leads a capable multidisciplinary team with four direct reports: the Client Experience Manager, Assistant Director of Facilities, Senior Scientist and Laboratory Manager, and Laboratory Coordinator. The COO also draws upon specialized expertise from DuPont and an established network of external financial and legal advisors, contractors, and service partners. This combination of internal capability and external support enables the COO to provide enterprise-level leadership, delegate effectively, and remain sufficiently close to day‑to‑day execution to engage directly when needed.

The COO will be a DuPont employee seconded to The Innovation Space. The President & CEO of The Innovation Space will provide day‑to‑day direction, establish organizational priorities, and oversee performance in the role, while DuPont will retain responsibility for employment administration.

This is an opportunity to help shape a nationally significant center for science‑based entrepreneurship. The role offers an unusual combination of enterprise leadership and direct impact.

SUCCESS IN THE ROLE

Success in this role will be demonstrated by the COO’s ability to translate organizational priorities into disciplined execution while ensuring that The Innovation Space operates safely, reliably, efficiently, and at a standard that supports the success of its clients and programs.

Key outcomes include:

• Ensuring safe, compliant, and reliable operation of The Innovation Space’s 130,000-square-foot laboratory, office, and collaboration facility.
• Delivering annual operating and capital plans within approved budgets while strengthening financial discipline, cost management, and long‑term resource planning.
• Providing responsive, high‑quality laboratories, facilities, scientific support, technology, and administrative services that enable client companies and programs to reach critical milestones.
• Establishing scalable operational systems, policies, performance measures, and service standards that support organizational growth and continuous improvement.
• Maintaining strong readiness for audits, regulatory inspections, emergencies, business interruptions, and other operational risks.
• Building and developing a collaborative, accountable, and high‑performing multidisciplinary team.
• Partnering with the President & CEO and Chief Growth Officer to build a strong pipeline of promising science‑based companies and expand participation in The Innovation Space’s facilities, programs, and funding opportunities.
• Serving as a trusted strategic partner to the President & CEO, Board, founding partners, clients, and other stakeholders while effectively balancing strategic priorities with hands‑on operational leadership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Laboratory, Facilities, and Client Service Delivery

• Provide overall leadership for the organization’s 130,000-square-foot laboratory, office, and collaboration facility, ensuring safe, reliable, and cost‑effective delivery of infrastructure, technical capabilities, and services.
• Lead laboratory and facility planning, infrastructure reliability, preventive maintenance, capital planning, and significant construction and improvement projects.
• Manage operating budgets and external contractors, vendors, and service providers supporting laboratory and facility operations.
• Partner with Innovation Space clients to understand their operational and technical needs and continually improve laboratory capabilities, service quality, reliability, utilization, and the overall client experience.

Business, Financial, Grant, and Contract Operations

• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, accounting, cash management, financial reporting, audits, tax coordination, and internal financial controls, working closely with the President & CEO and external financial resources.
• Lead annual operating and capital planning and support financial reporting to organizational leadership, the Board of Directors, funding partners, and government agencies.
• Oversee the administrative and financial management of government, foundation, and corporate grants, including budgeting, compliance, allowable‑cost requirements, documentation, reporting, audit readiness, and coordination with program leaders.
• Lead the development, review, negotiation, and administration of client agreements, collaboration agreements, grant and funding agreements, vendor contracts, and construction and capital‑project agreements, working with legal counsel as appropriate.
• Oversee procurement, competitive bid processes, vendor selection and management, insurance, contract tracking, and other core business‑administration activities.
• Provide strategic oversight of information technology, cybersecurity, telecommunications, access‑control systems, financial systems, and other business technology infrastructure.

EH&S, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Provide leadership for environmental health and safety, laboratory safety, regulatory compliance, and enterprise and operational risk management.
• Establish and maintain appropriate policies, procedures, management systems, and internal controls to support safe, compliant, and effective operations.
• Oversee regulatory interactions, environmental reporting, audits, inspections, emergency preparedness, business continuity, and corrective actions.

Startup Sourcing, Due Diligence, and Funding Programs

• Support the sourcing and recruitment of promising science‑based startups through relationships with universities, investors, accelerators, economic‑development organizations, corporate partners, and other ecosystem stakeholders.
• Lead or coordinate due diligence on prospective client companies and applicants to Innovation Space investment, grant, and acceleration programs.
• Evaluate company leadership, technology and intellectual property, market opportunity, business model, development milestones, financing strategy, operational requirements, and key execution risks.
• Support the First Fund investment program and Early‑Stage Growth Grants through pipeline development, application review, diligence, funding recommendations, agreement development, closing, milestone tracking, and post‑award monitoring.

Leadership, People, and Strategy

• Partner with the President & CEO and leadership team to establish organizational priorities and translate strategy into operating plans, budgets, systems, capabilities, and measurable results.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of employees, contractors, and external service providers across a broad range of technical, financial, and business functions.
• Build effective relationships across the Innovation Space ecosystem, including DuPont, the University of Delaware, government and funding partners, clients, investors, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Proactively identify organizational risks, resource constraints, and opportunities for improvement and lead cross‑functional solutions.
• Partner with program leadership on grant‑funded initiatives and lead other strategic projects at the direction of the President & CEO.

QUALIFICATIONS

The strongest candidates will bring deep leadership experience across many of these areas, sound judgment in working through specialized professionals, and the curiosity and adaptability to lead effectively across the full scope of the organization.

Must‑Have Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, operations, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible operational leadership experience, including leadership of multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience overseeing complex laboratories, research, engineering, manufacturing, or similarly regulated operations.
• Demonstrated financial acumen and responsibility for operating budgets, capital planning, financial performance, financial statements, internal controls, vendor management, and contract administration.
• Experience providing executive oversight of EH&S, regulatory compliance, operational risk, emergency preparedness, and business continuity in a laboratory, research, engineering, manufacturing, or similarly regulated environment.
• Strong judgment, communication, and execution skills, with the ability to move effectively between strategic leadership and hands‑on problem‑solving.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in science, engineering, business, finance, or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting science‑based startups, shared laboratory facilities, research organizations, or innovation ecosystems.
• Experience in a nonprofit, public‑private partnership, or multi‑stakeholder governance environment.
• Experience overseeing organizational and investment assets and working with external accounting, audit, and investment professionals.
• Familiarity with grant‑funded operations, government contracting, or federally funded programs.