Innovation Community Manager University

Position Title:

Innovation Community Manager

Academic Staff

Regular

Outreach Program Manager

The Lubar Entrepreneurial Center (LEC) at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee is a dynamic hub that empowers students, faculty, and staff to nurture ideas, build confidence, and grow as entrepreneurs, innovators, and change‑makers. It delivers multidisciplinary programming that strengthens creativity, design thinking, and real‑world problem‑solving skills, and serves as a resource for emerging ventures and experiential learning opportunities.

The Innovation Community Manager plays a strategic role in building, activating, and sustaining UWM’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. This position leads ecosystem mapping and community strategy to increase visibility, accessibility, and engagement across campus and external partners. It designs inclusive, low‑barrier programming to foster collaboration, cross‑disciplinary co‑creation, and shared problem‑solving among students, faculty, staff, and community stakeholders. The role cultivates partnerships, aligns stakeholders, and develops contributor pathways that encourage community ownership and leadership.

It also oversees program evaluation, impact measurement, and continuous learning.

• Ecosystem Mapping & Strategy
  • Map existing innovation and entrepreneurship communities across UWM.
  • Identify gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for connection and growth.
  • Develop a community systems strategy that increases visibility, accessibility, and participation.
• Community Activation & Programming
  • Design and deliver programming that re‑activates and sustains communities of practice.
  • Build low‑barrier entry points for new participants and clear pathways toward deeper engagement.
• Cross‑Community Collaboration
  • Create mechanisms that encourage collaboration across traditionally siloed groups.
  • Facilitate shared challenges, thematic initiatives, and cross‑disciplinary project teams.
• Open Innovation & Contributor Pathways
  • Adapt best practices from open‑source communities to develop contributor roles.
  • Design systems that move participants along a continuum: observer - participant - contributor - leader.
• Metrics, Evaluation & Learning
  • Develop and track metrics that capture community growth, diversity, engagement depth, collaboration across communities, and conversion to active contributors.
  • Use qualitative and quantitative data to continuously refine strategy and demonstrate impact.
• Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build relationships with faculty, campus units, student organizations, and external partners.
  • Collaborate with initiatives such as NSF I‑Corps, Founder Factory, and other LEC programs.

$80,000 - 90,000 (Final salary offer determined based on qualifications and experience)

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 3+ years of experience in program management, community building, or innovation ecosystems.
• Experience designing and facilitating workshops, convenings, or collaborative programs.
• Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated through collaborative work with individuals and/or groups.
• Experience working across diverse stakeholder groups.

• Advanced degree.
• Experience with human‑centered design, design thinking, or entrepreneurial methodologies.
• Background working in higher education, nonprofit leadership, or innovation programs.
• Experience managing or contributing to communities of practice or network‑based initiatives.
• Familiarity with open‑source or distributed collaboration models.
• Experience with impact measurement, evaluation, and reporting.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies.