Venture Operations Program Director

Venture Operations Program Director

Job Summary:

• Serve as the operational lead for CU Innovations' venture programs, ensuring timely execution of initiatives and alignment with strategic goals.
• Act as the primary point of contact for internal follow-through, accountability, and operational coordination across ventures, grants, and startup support programs.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, trackers, and reporting systems to monitor program performance, risks, and outcomes for leadership.
• Independently oversee operations and confidently make key decisions, consistently demonstrating readiness to assume leadership responsibilities whenever needed.
• Design and implement internal initiatives that support spinout ventures, grant program cohorts, and CU Innovations' overall mission.
• Plan and execute educational, networking, and outreach events that strengthen the ventures ecosystem.
• Engage with campus innovation initiatives (e.g., CCTSI iCorps, SPARK, Startup Toolbox, VMS) to connect entrepreneurial programs and build a cohesive venture development pipeline.
• Partner with the Managing Director to identify program priorities, allocate resources, and manage timelines across multiple venture projects.
• Design and implement internal processes that improve the efficiency, transparency, and consistency of venture operations.

Work Location: Hybrid

Why Join Us:

• Medical:
  Multiple plan options
• Dental:
  Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance:
  Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan:
  Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off:
  Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit:
  Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass:
  Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, biomedical sciences, engineering, or a related field.
• 6-8 years of experience in venture development, program management, operations, or innovation-related roles.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in biomedical sciences, or related field.
• Advanced degree in business.
• 9+ years of professional experience in venture development working with academic investigators, program management, operations, or innovation/entrepreneurship environments.
• Experience working in an academic healthcare setting.
• Previous experience running an academic incubator program advancing faculty ventures.
• Experience developing dashboards, metrics reports, or project tracking systems (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Asana, Smartsheet).

Competencies:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Strong scientific background.
• Strong conceptual thinker with the ability to grasp and navigate abstract concepts, relate them to one another, and translate those concepts into strategies and practical actions.
• Confident in leading and executing a portfolio of interconnected projects with high attention to detail across multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to independently recognize learning opportunities, design and conduct research, gather data, structure quantitative and qualitative analyses, and draw and apply actionable recommendations.
• Excellent skills in creating original public content and delivering verbal presentations in multiple settings.
• Proactive in identifying problems and opportunities, developing recommendations, and acting on those recommendations.
• Thrives in an ambiguous environment with the autonomy to drive work.
• Desires continuous improvement; has an innate sense of curiosity and is grounded by self-awareness that provides space for learning and growth.
• Recognizes the value of a well-prepared and supported community, can bring together thought leaders, facilitate conversations, and remove barriers to collaboration.
• Possesses a mix of vision and tactics, manages multiple teams on various projects, and is willing to engage directly in tasks.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change, possesses a positive attitude, and identifies creative solutions to obstacles while managing multiple responsibilities.
• Consistently considers diverse perspectives, has experience working with diverse teams, and values creating a supportive workplace.
• Willing to support both small projects and large strategic goals, earning influence without authority, and always ready to lend a hand.

How to Apply:

Apply to

Screening of Applications Begins: January 12th

Anticipated Pay Range: $107,819 - $137,146

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