Sr. Director, Commercialization

New Lab; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

Newlab is seeking a Sr. Director, Commercialization to oversee hands-on program delivery and partner management across flagship initiatives, starting with the Mining Studio and expanding into Energy & Industrials.

You will lead matrixed teams, manage government and industry relationships to create commercialization pathways for startups, and collaborate with Brooklyn leadership to convert global interest into strategic growth.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience leading complex program delivery or innovation execution.
• Management consulting background is helpful; STEM background or ability to handle complex technologies.
• Proven track record managing multi-stakeholder programs with government entities, corporate sponsors, and startups.
• Experience leading cross-functional, distributed teams in a matrixed environment.
• Strong financial literacy with direct experience managing project P&Ls, scoping, and resourcing.
• Outstanding communication, executive presence, and senior partner management skills.
• Performance bonus eligibility.
• Comprehensive benefits package with no waiting period.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mining studio (~50% focus): oversee execution of partnerships with government bodies and mining leaders, managing a distributed team and bridging startups with partners.
• Expand energy & industrial programs: scope, launch, and direct programs for government and industry partners to leverage global tech innovations.
• Drive commercialization outcomes: create clear pathways for startups to scale, secure pilots, and generate regional job growth.
• Drive program revenue growth: identify expansion opportunities, extend project scopes, and deepen partner engagement.
• Maintain quality control: accountable delivery leadership, partner satisfaction, and deliverable standards across programs.
• P&L & resource management: oversee program P&Ls, staffing models, and resource allocation.
• Systems improvement: identify bottlenecks and build better systems/workflows for seamless execution.
• Strategic growth & local ecosystem alignment: partner with Brooklyn leadership to convert global interest into durable partnerships.

Skills

Program delivery

Client management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Financial literacy

Executive presence

Communication

Education

STEM background

Job description

The Sr. Director, Commercialization will oversee the hands-on execution and partner management of Newlab's flagship programs, including an initial focus on our Mining Studio and expanding into our Energy & Industrials portfolio.

This role centers on driving direct program delivery, leading matrixed teams, and managing key government and industry relationships to create commercialization pathways for global startups. A secondary focus involves partnering with Brooklyn leadership to translate global interest in our HQ into strategic growth opportunities.

Key responsibilities

Commercialization delivery & stakeholder management (primary focus)

• Lead the mining studio (~50% focus): Oversee execution of our high-stakes partnership with Saudi Arabian government bodies and mining leaders to diversify their economy through critical minerals innovation. Manage relationship dynamics, direct a distributed team of 5-10 cross-functional contributors, and serve as the bridge between global startups and Saudi partners. This work is led out of our Brooklyn location with a globally distributed team, including in-country colleagues.
• Expand energy & industrial programs: Scope, launch, and direct programs that help government industry partners leverage global technology innovations to solve technology challenges, defend market positions, and expand into adjacencies.
• Drive commercialization outcomes: Ensure programs create clear pathways for startups to scale, secure commercial pilot opportunities, and generate regional job growth.
• Drive program revenue growth: Ensure well-executed programs grow revenue over time by identifying expansion opportunities, extending project scopes, and deepening engagement with existing partners.
• Maintain quality control: Act as the primary accountable leader for delivery execution, partner satisfaction, and deliverable standards across assigned programs.
• P&L & resource management: Maintain full oversight of program P&Ls, staffing models, and resource allocation to ensure healthy project economics and team utilization.
• Systems improvement: Identify operational bottlenecks in real time, anticipating team needs and building better systems and workflows to ensure seamless execution.

Strategic growth & local ecosystem alignment

• Partner with leadership: Collaborate with the Brooklyn Managing Director, Chief Strategy Officer, and Global Head of Business to engage industry and government partners interested in Newlab Brooklyn.
• Develop durable partnerships: Translate high-level strategic conversations and incoming global interest into durable partnerships through hands-on scoping, proposal development, and structuring new commercial agreements.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience leading complex program delivery, client management, or innovation execution in energy, climate, industrials, or deep tech ecosystems.
• Background in management consulting preferred; educational background in hard sciences or STEM (engineering, physical sciences) helpful, or a demonstrated ability to go deep into complex technologies.
• Proven track record of managing multi-stakeholder programs involving high-level government entities, corporate sponsors, and early-stage technology startups.
• Experience managing cross-functional, distributed teams in a matrixed environment.
• Strong financial literacy with direct experience managing project P&Ls, scoping, and resourcing.
• Outstanding communication, executive presence, and senior partner management skills.
• Performance bonus eligibility
• Comprehensive benefits package with no waiting period