Assoc Vice Chancellor & Executive Director of the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub

Job Summary:

The Associate Vice Chancellor for Entrepreneurship and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub is a new, university-wide leadership position tasked with shaping and implementing the entrepreneurship strategy at UW-Madison, including the Chancellor's new campus-wide entrepreneurship initiative.

Visit https://entrepreneurship.wisc.edu/ to learn more about the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative.

The ideal candidate will help position UW-Madison as a leader in entrepreneurship by leveraging external and internal partnerships. They will support the development of a visible, transformative entrepreneurial community, supporting technology transfer while enhancing opportunities beyond patents by supporting business formation by faculty, postdocs, and student entrepreneurs.

Responsibilities:

Promotes and facilitates innovation within the instruction, technology, research, and strategic partnerships areas for a school, college, or division, serving as principle contact for internal and external agencies in administration, fundraising and outreach.

• 20% Identifies innovative opportunities that best benefit the mission, vision, and goals of the unit and the university
• 20% Directs the overall vision of a school, college, or division, focusing on new program development and establishing and maintaining partnership opportunities across the institution, government, profit, and non-profit organizations
• 10% Directs or leads the strategic plan and initiatives of the unit
• 15% Develops and implements fundraising goals and strategies for the unit
• 15% Develops and maintains relationships with industry and other partners, serving as the principal point of contact for the unit
• 10% Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• 10% Develops and monitors key performance indicators, related metrics, and budget in consultation with the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub advisory board

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Education:

Required
Bachelor's Degree

Preferred
Master's Degree

Qualifications:

Required qualifications:
- At least five years of direct experience in entrepreneurship, such as working in one or more startup companies, forming startup companies, working in venture capital, or entrepreneurship program leadership.
- Strong relationship-building and leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to lead through indirect influence and by inspiring others.
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a rapidly changing environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills. Highly skilled in public speaking.
- Experience managing cross-functional teams and complex projects.

Preferred qualifications:
- Experience leading in higher education institutions.
- Experience launching a company from a university, national laboratory, or similar context.
- Experience leading in both startup companies and non-profit organizations.
- Expertise in entrepreneurship program development and implementation.
- Experience raising capital or philanthropic support from investors, industry partners, and donors.
- Experience developing and managing budgets.
- Experience building or launching a new program, initiative, or business.

Work Type:

Full Time: 100%

This is a hybrid position.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Salary:

Negotiable
ANNUAL (12 months)
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced insurance plans, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Learn more at https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/. 

How to Apply:

Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Application materials should include 1) a current resume or curriculum vitae and 2) a letter of interest. Interested candidates should submit confidentially, in electronic form (Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF files preferred), a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest to:

Kate Nihill
Consultant to the Search Committee
Russell Reynolds Associates
UWEntrepreneurship@russellreynolds.com

Please note that the university is undergoing an HR system upgrade and all current job postings will automatically close on July 6, 2025. However, we will continue accepting applications and this posting will remain open until filled. 

Contact:

Kate Nihill
UWEntrepreneurship@russellreynolds.com

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Official Title:

Innovation and Strategy Dir(AD077)

Department(s):

A01-GENL EDUCATIONAL ADMIN/UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION/CHAN OFC

Employment Class:

Limited

Job Number:

316979-LI

 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Division Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.