Director of Whitman Entrepreneurship Center

The Director of the Whitman Entrepreneurship Center will lead the vision, management, and execution of innovative, non-academic entrepreneurship programs at the Whitman School of Management. This role will drive the development of nationally and globally recognized best-in-class programs that support student, alumni, staff, faculty, and the community entrepreneurs. The Director is expected to expand existing programming with a goal of re-establishing the Whitman Entrepreneurship Center as a national and global leader in entrepreneurship and as a role model for other university entrepreneurship centers, with a emphasis on supporting local and on-campus community entrepreneurship. The successful candidate will have a broad network and professional visibility. They will possess multiple years of leadership experience. The candidate will have an outstanding grasp of what a thriving university entrepreneurship center's programming should be. They must have the ability to collaborate well with others and to leverage the talents of the academic and professional partners within Whitman and across Syracuse University to achieve excellence. The candidate should have the experience to identify and secure grants and other funding, to ability to use data to evaluate program effectiveness, and the drive to build and innovate within a high-impact entrepreneurship ecosystem that will raise the profile of Whitman and Syracuse University locally, nationally, and globally.This role is critical to the success of Whitman School's entrepreneurship operations and central to Syracuse University's entrepreneurship ecosystem. Education and Experience Bachelor's degree required; a graduate degree is highly desirable. Seven (7) plus years of professional experience, preferably in a startup, corporate setting, or leading community-based entrepreneurship programs. Proven experience working with student entrepreneurs and developing entrepreneurship programming is essential. Visionary leadership and execution ability to build and innovate nationally recognized entrepreneurship programs. Strong familiarity with contemporary entrepreneurship issues, including finance, marketing, growth, and technology. Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage budgets effectively. Demonstrated ability to use data analysis for program evaluation and reporting. Experience in applying for and managing grants from local, regional, state, and federal sources is strongly preferred. Proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required. Skills and Knowledge Visionary thinker with the ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities to enhance the entrepreneurship ecosystem and advance programming. Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to working with student entrepreneurs, faculty, professionals, and community partners. Extensive network in the community to support initiatives and engage subject matter experts and key connections. Comfortable working with students from diverse backgrounds, including international students, and those with varying aspirations for their ventures. Strong team player with a collegial and positive mindset. Proactive problem solver with exceptional decision-making skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities, handle complex and confidential information with discretion. Must be collegial and have a positive mindset. Responsibilities Leadership of community programs: Lead the development and further growth of community-oriented entrepreneurship programs, including the WISE Women's Business Center, the South Side Innovation Center, the D'Aniello Internship program, among others, to include non-credit training and education of local entrepreneurs. This includes strategic foresight, understanding of community entrepreneurs' needs, networking and relationship building, as well as a collaborative ability to work with individual program managers and community stakeholders in regard to budget, personnel, and strategic oversight. Lead grant development and external funding efforts, ensuring financial and impact goals are achieved and effectively communicated. Use data to evaluate program effectiveness. Provide professional visibility, marketing, and representation in the community regarding Whitman's entrepreneurship programming and secure industry and Leadership of on-campus entrepreneurship programs: Lead the on-campus student-focused entrepreneurship programs, including the Couri Hatchery, the Panasci Business Plan Competition, the Entrepreneurship Club, Orange Tank, the undergraduate capstone competition, and other programs in collaboration with the Director of Experiential Programs and other on-campus leaders. Drive continuous innovation and new activities to create robust and cutting-edge programming that includes best-in-class mentoring, coaching, networking, skills development, incubation, acceleration, and funding programming. Build strategic partnerships with other key stakeholders on campus. Assist and participate in fundraising efforts to secure additional gifts and renew current gifts to support programming and awards. Student mentoring: Provide mentorship and guidance to student entrepreneurs, within Whitman and across campus. Includes understanding of student goals and aspirations, cultural competence, empathy, and technical abilities. Personnel management: Manage, inspire and direct the Couri Hatchery staff, South Side Innovation Center staff, the WISE Women's Business Center staff, and support for all consultants, volunteers and student assistants working in entrepreneurship-affiliated programs. Expand the volunteer network to support centers and programs. Responsible for hiring and staffing decisions. Develop and implement best-in-class entrepreneurship programming. Lead and innovate incubation and accelerator programs. Secure seed, venture, and grant funding. Deliver relevant and practical curriculum through seminars and workshops. Provide mentoring, coaching, and support services to entrepreneurs. Evaluate programmatic results, strategically identify areas for programmatic improvement, and oversee implementation of action plans for continuous improvement. Engage with industry leaders, subject matter experts and internal partners to build a robust network of collaborators. Manage and expand the current portfolio of initiatives, including the WISE Women's Business Center, South Side Innovation Center, Couri Hatchery, Panasci Business Plan Competition, Orange Tank, Entrepreneurship Club, and D'Aniello Internship Program. Management of staff program directors, budgets, fundraising, and data analysis related to impact and assessment. Increase visibility and reputation of the Whitman School at local, national, and international levels. Collaborate with partners within Whitman and across Syracuse University campus to achieve program goals. Other position-related duties as assigned Physical Requirements Not Applicable Tools/Equipment Not Applicable Application Instructions In addition to completing an online application, please attach a resume and cover letter.