Director of the CSI Innovation Hub

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The College of Staten Island invites applications for a Director of the CSI Innovation Hub. The role leads strategy, programming, and daily operations for the Hub and CSI Tech Incubator, guiding a diverse team and securing funding across public and private sources.

The Director will build partnerships with the College, industry, schools, and the Staten Island community, advancing entrepreneurship, workforce development, and student success outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience including 3+ years managing a department.
• Significant experience in entrepreneurship support, business development, or incubator/accelerator management.
• Experience supervising multiple staff and budgets.
• Proven success in securing and managing grants and funding.
• Experience in large, complex organizations and cross‑department collaboration.
• Track record delivering programs for entrepreneurs and students.
• Ability to analyze data and report outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic plans to grow the Hub’s impact.
• Design and evaluate incubation programs, workshops, mentoring, and events.
• Recruit, supervise, and develop staff and interns; set performance goals.
• Provide business development support; connect members with mentors and investors.
• Manage technology labs, partnerships, and community engagement.
• Lead fundraising, grant writing, and reporting to funders.
• Track performance metrics and report to leadership.

Skills

Entrepreneurship support

Business development

Fundraising

Grant management

Team leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Program development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location: COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND Bargaining Unit: No About the College of Staten Island Grounded in the Liberal Arts tradition, the College of Staten Island (CSI) is committed to the highest standards in teaching, research, and scholarship. Drawing on the rich heritage of the City University of New York, which has provided access to excellence in higher education since 1847, CSI offers that same opportunity in New York City’s Borough of Staten Island. CSI is dedicated to helping its students fulfill their creative, aesthetic, and educational aspirations through competitive and rigorous undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. We embrace the strength of our diversity, foster civic‑mindedness, and nurture responsible citizens for our city, country, and the world.

About the CSI Innovation Hub The CSI Innovation Hub at the College of Staten Island serves as a central driver of entrepreneurship, workforce development, and emerging technology integration on Staten Island. Anchored by the CSI Tech Incubator, the Hub supports founders, small businesses, and students through hands‑on mentorship, targeted programming, and access to critical resources that move ideas into viable, scalable ventures. Through partnerships with industry leaders in emerging technology, the Hub integrates artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality across its programs, expanding how participants learn, build, and innovate. The space features flexible co‑working areas, collaboration zones, and advanced technology labs designed to strengthen the local innovation ecosystem and create pathways to economic opportunity.

Position

The College of Staten Island seeks an experienced senior manager with a strong background in entrepreneurship and economic development to serve as Director of the CSI Innovation Hub. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director will help shape and execute the strategic vision for the Hub and the CSI Tech Incubator, oversee its 4,000 sq. ft. facility and technology labs, and lead a team of full-time and part-time staff and interns. The Director will build partnerships across the College, industry, local schools, and the Staten Island community, secure public and private funding, and be accountable for measurable outcomes in entrepreneurship, workforce development, and student success.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning: In collaboration with the Executive Director and College leadership, develop and execute strategic plans that expand the Hub’s impact on entrepreneurship, workforce development, community engagement, and education, in alignment with the College’s priorities.
• Program Development: Design, implement, and evaluate programs for Hub members, students, and the community, including incubation services, workshops, mentorship, pitch events, and training in emerging technologies.
• Team Leadership: Recruit, supervise, and develop a team of full-time and part‑time staff and interns; set performance goals and foster a collaborative, high‑performing culture.
• Member Services and Business Development: Provide and coordinate business development services for Hub members and incubator companies, connecting them with mentors, investors, service providers, and customers.
• Technology and Industry Partnerships: Manage relationships with technology and industry partners and oversee the integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality, into the Hub’s labs and programs.
• Faculty and Student Engagement: Collaborate with faculty, academic departments, and student services to integrate entrepreneurship into curriculum, research, and experiential learning; support CSI students and alumni in developing and launching ventures, including a pathway into the CSI Tech Incubator; and expand internship and job opportunities for students.
• K-12 and Youth Entrepreneurship: Develop partnerships with local K-12 schools and youth‑serving organizations to introduce students and young entrepreneurs to entrepreneurship, business development, and emerging technologies, building a pipeline to the College and the Hub.
• Community and Economic Development: Build and maintain partnerships with local businesses, government agencies, economic development organizations, and community stakeholders to stimulate economic growth in the borough.
• Fundraising and Grant Management: Identify and secure funding from public and private sources, including writing grant proposals and cultivating sponsors. Manage existing grants to ensure compliance, timely reporting, and successful outcomes.
• Marketing and Member Recruitment: Oversee marketing, branding, and outreach to promote the Hub’s services, attract members and partners, and raise the Hub’s visibility on Staten Island and beyond.
• Performance Metrics and Reporting: Establish and track key performance indicators, such as businesses launched and supported, student ventures launched, jobs created, capital raised, and students and community members served, and report outcomes to College leadership, funders, and partners.
• Budget and Operations Management: Manage the Hub’s budget and day‑to‑day operations, including the facility, technology labs, membership, and space scheduling, ensuring a safe, well‑maintained, and welcoming environment.

Essential Functions

• Contribute to the Hub’s strategic direction in collaboration with leadership, and lead its programming and daily operations.
• Supervise full-time and part‑time staff and interns.
• Provide support to Hub members and incubator companies.
• Build and maintain partnerships with faculty, students, K‑12 schools, industry, and community stakeholders.
• Lead fundraising, grant writing, and grant management activities.
• Track, analyze, and report on program outcomes and performance metrics.
• Participate in occasional Hub events held on evenings and weekends.
• Perform other related duties or special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree is required.
• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience, including at least 3 years managing a department, division, or multi‑program operation with full responsibility for its staff, budget, and outcomes.
• Substantial experience in entrepreneurship support, business development, economic development, or incubator/accelerator management.
• Demonstrated experience directly supervising multiple full‑time employees, including hiring, performance management, and staff development.
• Experience managing an annual operating budget of $500,000 or more, including budgets supported by multiple funding sources such as grants, institutional funds, and sponsorships.
• Experience working within a large, complex organization, such as a university, government agency, corporation, or large nonprofit, including navigating procurement, human resources, compliance, and approval processes.
• Proven track record of securing grants and other funding from public and private sources, and of administering awarded grants, including compliance and funder reporting.
• Experience designing and delivering programs for entrepreneurs, small businesses, or students.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and report on program data and performance metrics.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment while working collaboratively within institutional structures, policies, and reporting relationships.
• Skill in developing new workflows and business processes.
• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in business, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience founding, owning, or operating a business.
• Knowledge of technology incubation programs and familiarity with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality.
• Experience working in higher education, government, or a nonprofit setting.
• Experience developing partnerships with K‑12 schools or youth entrepreneurship programs.
• Knowledge of the Staten Island business community and economic development landscape.

Pay Range:

Minimum - Maximum: $120,000 - $130,000

RFCUNY Benefits

RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post‑award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post‑award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub‑awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub‑awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.