Partnerships Director - NCTI
Listed on 2026-09-06
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Business
Client Relationship Management, BD Manager, Corporate Strategy -
Management
Client Relationship Management, BD Manager, Corporate Strategy, Project & Program Management
National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI)
The National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI) is a national initiative dedicated to helping innovative technology companies transform breakthrough ideas into commercial success. Supported through a National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative and led by the University of Central Florida, NCTI serves as a national hub connecting entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, government partners, and commercialization experts to accelerate innovation, business growth, and economic impact.
NCTI is designed to help promising deep-technology companies navigate the journey from scientific discovery and technological advancement to sustainable market success.
As a new institute, NCTI offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology commercialization on a national scale. Through strategic partnerships, individualized commercialization support, and a collaborative innovation ecosystem, the institute is advancing solutions that help high-potential companies overcome commercialization barriers and bring transformative technologies to market. NCTI combines the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of a startup with the resources and credibility of a leading research university, creating an environment where innovation, partnership, and impact drive meaningful results.
The Opportunity :
Join the founding team of the National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI), a groundbreaking National Science Foundation (NSF) pilot led by the University of Central Florida. The Partnerships Director will serve as a key architect of NCTI's national network, cultivating relationships with investors, industry partners, mentors, national laboratories, and entrepreneurial support organizations that support the commercialization and growth of emerging technologies.
This is a unique opportunity to help launch a first-of-its-kind initiative with the potential to influence the future of technology commercialization and innovation support nationwide.
The most successful candidate will be a connector and ecosystem builder who thrives at the intersection of innovation, business development, and technology commercialization. They will possess the credibility and relationship-building skills needed to engage investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, industry leaders, and strategic partners while identifying opportunities that accelerate innovation and create meaningful impact. Experience supporting startups, commercialization programs, venture networks, or innovation ecosystems is strongly preferred.
This is a Contracts & Grants (C&G) funded position. Employment is subject to availability of funding and may cease at the time funding for this employment is depleted. This position is approved for the first 18 months of the 24-month grant period.
Classification title:
Program Director I
Responsibilities:
- Build and manage the national mentor corps: recruit, vet, onboard, and develop mentors matched to cohort company sectors and stages; support mentor-company matching with the Commercialization Director; monitor engagement quality and rotate under-performing matches (N1).
- Build and manage the investor network beyond the anchor investment partner: recruit venture, angel, corporate-strategic, and mission-aligned investors; co-deliver structured investor access — investor deep dives, curated introductions as each company reaches readiness — for cohort companies with the Commercialization Director (N2, S6).
- Operationalize national laboratory partnerships (Oak Ridge, Sandia, Pacific Northwest): establish points of contact, facility-access and technical-collaboration pathways, and match cohort companies to laboratory capabilities (N3).
- Steward the project's 31 letter-of-collaboration partners and build the redundant, sector-matched partner bench required by the risk-management plan; monitor partner performance and execute replacements so no cohort company is stalled by partner under-performance.
- Build and maintain the institute's national resource portfolio as an institutional asset: establish and steward working agreements and referral pathways with…
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