Job Information
WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY Director, New Venture Programs in SALT LAKE CITY, Utah
If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.
Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. Current WGU employees should submit an internal application before 9/3/2024 to be considered.
The Director of Venture Programs will lead and manage WGU's startup accelerator program and oversee internal corporate venture initiatives. This role focuses on identifying, supporting, and accelerating high-potential, early-stage EdTech startups. This scope includes both external pre-Series A companies and internal products developed at WGU. The Director will play a pivotal role in supporting WGU's mission to create pathways to opportunity for all by leveraging external innovation and internal venture opportunities to enhance student success and align with WGU's strategic goals.
This role will build strategic relationships within the WGU ecosystem and serve as a central point of contact for new venture projects. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the EdTech landscape and a network of relationships across higher education institutions, vendors, and industry partners. S/He will have experience leading a startup organization and/or a deep understanding of how to bring early-stage companies and products successfully to market. They will be an experienced leader who has managed high-performing teams within an emerging body of work and will apply creative problem-solving and strategic thinking to support organizational, team, client, and student success.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities: * Lead and manage WGU's startup accelerator program. * Supervise and support a team of experienced consultants and product managers. * Oversee internal corporate venture initiatives that align with WGU's mission. * Provide mentorship, resources, and support to startups to accelerate their growth, including regular check-ins, tailored and strategic advice, and connecting them with relevant industry experts. * Organize and execute events such as pitch days, demo days, and networking events. * Build and maintain strategic partnerships with external organizations, including venture capital firms, universities, and innovation hubs. * Facilitate collaboration between startups and internal business units to drive mutual value, including pilots of startup services as needed. * Support Labs' thought leadership through contributions to written publications, conference proposals and presentations, speaking engagements, etc. * Represent WGU Labs at industry events, conferences, and networking functions. * Guide new venture projects, marshaling resources from across WGU and 3rd party partners. * Promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within the organization. * Serve as a liaison between 3rd party partners, WGU Labs, and key stakeholders at Western Governors University. * Contribute to the strategic and operational planning at WGU... For full info follow application link.
Western Governors Univeristy is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other classification protecte d by federal, state or local law.