Program Manager
Description:
Position Description
The Program Manager for Academic Innovations is responsible for managing relationships with South Carolina-based colleges, universities, and national labs, alongside their respective technology transfer offices, to advance use-inspired research, support academic startups, and increase innovation-based economic development within the State. The Program Manager is an essential member of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, knowledgeable of non-dilutive and dilutive funding sources, and has experience leading teams through research translation, market analysis, customer discovery, and enterprise development. The Program Manager develops and manages the deployment of various grant programs and is responsible for meeting and reporting on program objectives.
Essential Functions
Manage grant programs that address technology development, commercial viability, and business growth needs of academic researchers and startups. Manage a regional caseload of researchers and academic startups.
Work with technology transfer offices to identify and support technology development with commercial potential. Assist startups with identifying a pathway that leads from lab to market.
Screen prospective high-tech/high-growth academic startups for membership; present candidates at SCRA Company Review meetings.
Identify business development stage, monitor progress, and assess needs/obstacles to company maturation. Align resources, funding, and other support towards completing milestones that gain traction towards commercialization.
Identify and provide guidance on internal and external sources of dilutive (e.g., angel investment, venture capital) and nondilutive funding, including federal agencies (e.g., SBIR and STTR funding), and SC Launch Inc.
Foster innovation and entrepreneurship at academic institutions across South Carolina through increased engagement with: Research Universities, Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (Public and Independent), Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Technical Colleges, and National Labs; identify tech transfer capacity building opportunities.
Cultivate regional relationships with key external stakeholders: entrepreneurial support organizations, industry partners, subject matter experts, and the investment community for the benefit of resource enablement for academic startups.
Collaborate across the organization to complete multifunctional tasks, including investment due diligence, engaging our resource network, continuous improvement for the organization, and fundraising via the Industry Partnership Fund. Lead multifunctional teams when called on to do so.
Represent SCRA and Academic Innovations in public forums and outreach engagements, including participation in organizations, conferences, presentations, committees, and boards.
Continue professional development in technology transfer, business coaching, and venture investing.
Other duties as assigned by the Director of Academic Innovations.
Requirements
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree, master’s preferred; 7-10 years’ experience in various capacities, below:
Experience with technology transfer at academic institutions, entrepreneurial support organizations, and venture capital
Understanding of early-stage business development milestones and key activities
Technical experience in one of our technology sectors, preferred:
Life Sciences, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology, Agricultural Technology, Advanced energy, etc.
Competence in managing complex technical programs and/or projects.
Ability to clearly communicate orally and in writing; prepared to make presentations.
Collaborative mindset internally and externally with a variety of stakeholders. Dedicated to strong customer engagement; understands needs/solves problems.
Accepts accountability for individual goals, as well as shared outcomes. Adheres to schedules and deadlines. Demonstrates the highest level of integrity and initiative.
Strong competency in computer applications, including MS Office Suite and MS Dynamics.