Program Director

The Program Director position will be responsible for leading the overall strategy and execution of FESI’s Federal and small business innovation and commercialization initiative, ensuring the program accelerates startups path from research to market. The ideal candidate is motivated by the prospect of building a new program and creating connective tissue between the Department of Energy, other federal agencies, investors, buyers, and ecosystem partners. The Director leads the end-to-end commercialization pipeline, ensuring startups receive the training, connections, and support needed to transition from research to market. They are highly organized, outgoing, and professional, commercially astute, and energized by the challenge of building and scaling a mission-driven partnership model. Responsibilities DOE Relationship & Federal Engagement Serve as FESI’s primary operational point of contact with DOE on Small Business innovation and commercialization activities. Oversee relationships with federal agencies able to use sole source authority, ensuring strong understanding of the portfolio and mission fit. Ensure program activities align with DOE priorities, timelines, and expectations. Represent the program in DOE briefings, interagency discussions, and federal stakeholder forums. Program & Team Management Lead overall strategy and execution of FESI’s Small Business innovation and commercialization initiative from design through delivery (from intake, assessment, readiness, partner engagement to outcomes). In alignment with the VP of Platform, design and manage a repeatable commercialization pipeline spanning government engagement, private sector outreach, improve TABA utilization, and investor readiness. o Design and deliver commercialization training and support programs. o Lead the strategy and execution of TABA services. o Identify startup needs and coordinate appropriate support resources. Develop and maintain systems for tracking progress, commercialization outcomes, and impact (e.g., readiness, connections made, follow-on funding). Build, manage, and mentor a small, high performing team in a fast-moving foundation startup environment. Based upon startup needs (pitch readiness, showcase, demonstrations) create events that support startups and small businesses. Ensure responsible stewardship of public and philanthropic resources, with strong operational, financial, and ethical discipline. Cross Functional Leadership & Internal Collaboration Work closely with the Partnerships Manager to align buyer, investor, and TABA provider relationships with program strategy, ensuring awardees are connected to the right partners at the right time. Identify appropriate investors and corporate partners for startups. Work with the Partnerships Manager to facilitate targeted TABA matchmaking. Ensure connections translate into meaningful commercialization opportunities through pitch competitions and investor readiness training. Own program data and performance tracking, including Startup readiness and progress, Commercialization outcomes, Follow-on funding and adoption. Coordinate with Partnerships Manager to ensure alignment between program outcomes and partner engagement data. Partner with the VP of Investment Platform to integrate SBIR companies into FESI’s broader capital and investor ecosystem, aligning commercialization activities with investment readiness and market demand. Collaborate with the Events Director to define the strategic purpose of convenings such as pitch days, buyer demos, and agency match events and ensure each event advances commercialization outcomes rather than one-off engagement. Coordinate across these roles to create a seamless, end-to-end commercialization experience for awardees, from early customer discovery to follow-on funding and adoption. Serve as the internal integrator, translating DOE priorities, market signals, and partner feedback into clear direction for partnerships, investment engagement, and event programming. Ensure consistent communication, shared goals, and clear accountability across teams, so execution remains aligned, efficient, and impact driven. Qualifications 8–12+ years of experience in federal programs, technology commercialization, or innovation ecosystems. Demonstrated ability to work with federal agencies, startups, investors, or complex multi‑stakeholder ecosystems. Experience leading or managing programs focused on technology commercialization, innovation, or market adoption. Strong strategic and operational skills, with experience building processes in dynamic or startup environments. Excellent communication and relationship management skills across technical, policy, and business audiences. Experience managing people or cross functional teams. Preferred Skills Strong familiarity with federal R&D programs, technology transfer, or government procurement. Experience working with DOE or other federal agencies. Background in ecosystem building, incubator/accelerator, small business support programming, commercialization training, or convening partners (e.g., demo days, pitch events, buyer meetings). Bachelor’s degree; advanced degree preferred but not mandatory. CRM or relationship management tools (Salesforce). Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Monday). Data tracking or reporting tools (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, dashboards). Presentation tools for senior stakeholders and external audiences. Health, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) retirement plan with employer match; short- and long-term disability, life insurance, paid time off and holidays; flexible work schedule/hybrid. This role is open to candidates based anywhere in the United States. While remote eligible, the position will involve a significant presence in Washington, DC due to close collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal partners. The Program Director should expect to be in DC for meetings, briefings, convenings, and relationship building. FESI will cover reasonable, job-related travel expenses. Relocation is not required for this position. #J-18808-Ljbffr