Director

W3Global; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

W3Global in San Jose, CA, seeks a Director/General Manager to lead a life sciences innovation center. You will oversee daily operations, staff, and sponsor engagements while driving tenant recruitment and business development.

You will cultivate partnerships with industry and academia, manage budgets and KPIs, and advance the center's culture of inclusion, collaboration, and excellence in client service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or demonstrated experience in incubator management, economic development, university administration, accelerator programming, or venture development.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Experience with budgeting, financial forecasting, and managing financial targets.
• Proven track record in business development, marketing, and client relationship management.
• Ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with industry and academic institutions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in operational management and process optimization.
• Ability to foster an inclusive, equitable, and motivating work environment.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Knowledge of the life sciences industry and commercialization processes.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience with leasing and real estate is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Leasing & Tenant Management
• Cultivate a pipeline of resident companies and actively recruit new members.
• Lead business development, marketing, and client experience initiatives to generate new leads and expand the center's network.
• Manage leasing and sales activities.
• Collaborate with partners to create opportunities that support tenant growth and success.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships with industry, academic institutions, and ecosystem leaders.
• Build a network of leading academics, industry experts, entrepreneurs, and other advisors.
• Maintain strong relationships with landlords and collaborate on site-specific initiatives.
• Manage sponsor relationships and ensure fulfillment of sponsorship commitments at the site level.
• Foster the local entrepreneurial ecosystem through relationships with entrepreneurs, investors, and stakeholders.
• Represent the center through networking, speaking engagements, committees, boards, and ecosystem activities.
• Develop and manage budgets, establish revenue targets, control costs, and report financial performance.
• Monitor and report on site KPIs and overall business performance.
• Lead and develop the center team, promoting professional growth and a positive work environment.
• Foster a culture of inclusivity, equity, collaboration, and shared belonging.
• Monitor client satisfaction and business performance metrics.
• Oversee operational excellence across facilities, laboratory, office, and programming functions.
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Drive process improvements and ensure a high-quality member and client experience.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Business development

Strategic thinking

Partnership building

Budgeting & forecasting

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Overview & Description

• As the Director of a life sciences innovation center, you will play a crucial role as the face of the center, orchestrating daily operations and leading a dynamic team. This role involves managing site operations, fostering a collaborative ecosystem of innovators, capital partners, and industry stakeholders, and supporting life-science entrepreneurs toward successful commercialization.
• As the general manager, you will oversee the member experience, team management, partner relations, sponsor engagements, issue resolution, risk management, and operational excellence of facilities. You will also uphold the center's culture, values, and brand while selecting, mentoring, and developing a diverse and high-performing site staff across laboratory, office, facilities, and programming functions, with a focus on operational and client service excellence.
• The role will also involve identifying and implementing creative strategies to enhance and amplify the center's impact within the local innovation ecosystem. This includes recruiting additional innovation-supporting organizations such as workforce programs, accelerators, shared facilities, and venture funds, while fostering collaboration and goodwill throughout the ecosystem.
• The position will report to a senior executive responsible for community and/or center operations.

Responsibilities

• Leasing & Tenant Management
• Cultivate a pipeline of resident companies and actively recruit new members.
• Lead business development, marketing, and client experience initiatives to generate new leads and expand the center's network.
• Manage leasing and sales activities.
• Collaborate with partners to create opportunities that support tenant growth and success.

Community Relations & Engagement

• Establish and strengthen partnerships with industry, academic institutions, and ecosystem leaders.
• Build a network of leading academics, industry experts, entrepreneurs, and other advisors to support resident companies.
• Maintain strong relationships with landlords and collaborate on site-specific initiatives.
• Manage sponsor relationships and ensure fulfillment of sponsorship commitments at the site level.
• Foster the local entrepreneurial ecosystem by developing relationships with entrepreneurs, investors, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the center through networking, speaking engagements, committees, boards, and other ecosystem activities.

Leadership & Operations

• Develop and manage budgets, establish revenue targets, control costs, and report financial performance.
• Monitor and report on site KPIs and overall business performance.
• Lead and develop the center team, promoting professional growth and a positive work environment.
• Foster a culture of inclusivity, equity, collaboration, and shared belonging.
• Monitor client satisfaction and business performance metrics.
• Oversee operational excellence across facilities, laboratory, office, and programming functions.
• Identify operational risks and implement appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Drive process improvements and ensure a high-quality member and client experience.

Preferred Skills & Abilities

• Bachelor's degree or demonstrated experience in a relevant field such as incubator management, economic development, university administration, accelerator programming, or venture development.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Experience with budgeting, financial forecasting, and managing financial targets.
• Proven track record in business development, marketing, and client relationship management.
• Ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with industry and academic institutions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in operational management and process optimization.
• Ability to foster an inclusive, equitable, and motivating work environment.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Knowledge of the life sciences industry and commercialization processes.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience with leasing and real estate is a plus.