Venture Ecosystem Manager

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Utah is seeking a Venture Ecosystem Manager to connect faculty and startup teams with mentors, partners, and resources to move university technologies toward execution-ready companies. The role coordinates internal resources and builds relationships with accelerators, incubators, and commercialization service providers.

You will support faculty commercialization programming, manage portfolio operations, and ensure milestones and a clear pathway through venture development, sitting

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalency) with four years related work experience for Senior Supervisor level.
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalency) with six years related work experience for Manager level.
• Experience in venture development or startup operations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Guide opportunities from initial validation through venture formation.
• Translate commercialization strategies into practical execution plans with milestones, responsibilities, resource needs, and measures of progress.
• Develop and coordinate programming for faculty and startup teams to build entrepreneurial skills, startup readiness, and engagement with mentors and investors.
• Recruit and engage mentors, entrepreneurs, industry experts, and other advisors to address commercialization needs.
• Serve as a connector across innovation programs and resources within the university ecosystem.

Skills

Project management

Relationship management

Communication skills

Startup operations

Venture development

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

Venture Ecosystem Manager

Job Summary

The University of Utah is building the future of innovation — andwe're looking for a connector, strategist, and startup champion tohelp turn promising university technologies into successfulcompanies. The Venture Ecosystem Manager will help university startups movefrom promising opportunities to well-supported, execution-readycompanies. This position guides faculty and startup teams throughearly venture development while connecting them with the people,programs, partners, and specialized expertise needed at each stageof commercialization. The Manager serves as a central connector across the University'sinnovation ecosystem, coordinating internal resources and buildingproductive relationships with accelerators, incubators, mentors,industry partners, economic development organizations, andcommercialization service providers. The position also supportsfaculty commercialization programming and manages portfoliooperations to ensure startups have clear milestones, coordinatedsupport, and an efficient pathway through the venture developmentprocess. This is a unique opportunity to sit at the center of theUniversity's innovation ecosystem — working closely with the TLOteam, inventors, entrepreneurs, and investors — to accelerate thegrowth of breakthrough ideas into successful companies.

Learn more about the great benefits of working forUniversity of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

The department may choose to hire at any of the below joblevels and associated pay rates based on their business need andbudget.

Responsibilities

• Guide selected opportunities from initial commercial validationthrough venture formation and early company development.
• Translate commercialization strategies into practical executionplans with defined milestones, responsibilities, resource needs,and measures of progress.
• Support business model refinement, customer discovery, marketvalidation, go-to-market planning, and early business plandevelopment.
• Provide venture project management and maintain momentum acrossfaculty, mentors, partners, and internal commercializationteams.
• Develop and coordinate programming for faculty and startupteams that build entrepreneurial skills, startup readiness, andengagement with mentors and investors, including commercializationworkshops, venture office hours, and startup-readinessprograms.
• Recruit and engage mentors, entrepreneurs, industry experts,and other advisors who can help startup teams address specificcommercial needs.
• Serve as a connector across various innovation programs andresources, such as Venture Development Partners, theEntrepreneur-in-Residence network, technology accelerators, andother campus commercialization resources.
• Develop relationships with external accelerators, incubators,industry partners, strategic customers, economic developmentorganizations, deep-technology organizations, and federalcommercialization programs.
• Build and manage a vetted network of specialized serviceproviders in areas such as legal, regulatory, reimbursement,manufacturing, marketing, finance, human resources, and fractionalexecutive support.
• Coordinate with the Senior Manager, Venture Development ascompanies advance toward executive recruitment, investor readiness,capital strategy, and institutional fundraising.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher educationcan be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience(Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related workexperience).

Department may hire employee at one of the following joblevels:

• Senior Supervisor, Operations Project / ProgramManagement: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.
• Manager, Operations Project / Program Management: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (orequivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences

• Ability to understand and interpret technical or research-basedinformation
• Experience in venture development, startup operations,entrepreneurship programming, innovation ecosystem development,economic development, or a related field.
• Strong project and relationship management skills, with theability to coordinate multiple stakeholders without directauthority.
• Collaborative and comfortable operating at the intersection oftechnology, business, and partnership development.
• Excellent communication, relationship management, andpresentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively with faculty inventors, technicalexperts, business leaders, investors, and universitystakeholders.

Requisition Number: PRN46217B

Full Time or Part Time? Full Time

Work Schedule Summary: Monday – Friday

Department: 00642 - Technology Licensing Office

Location: Campus

Pay Rate Range: $75,000 - $85,000

Close Date: 12/15/2026

Open Until Filled:

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