Sr. Manager, Technical Strategy

Newlab is hiring a Senior Manager of Technical Strategy to support its strategic direction and development in Detroit. This person will be responsible for developing and establishing technical strategies in Newlab Detroit’s sectors of focus, including the future of mobility, energy security, nuclear, hydrogen, advanced manufacturing, and more. This person will also work closely with startups, industry, the State of Michigan, Michigan Central, federal agencies, and other public and private partners to advance strategies to support, attract, and retain high-growth companies in Michigan. At its core, this role is about surfacing and translating technical insights into business relevance and strategic recommendations to enable ecosystem development aligned with Newlab’s Detroit work. This is an exciting role that brings together both strategic and technical responsibilities to drive tangible impact in high-growth sectors and in one of America’s most historic and innovative cities.

This is an in-person role in our Detroit, MI office.

Strategy Shaping

• Conduct assessments and validations of technologies, startups, and projects that align with Newlab Detroit’s assets and partnerships to identify near-term growth opportunities for Michigan
• Support engagement with the State of Michigan to define and support high-growth opportunities, technologies, and startups in the state
• Support Newlab Detroit’s existing and prospective partners - startups, industry, and others - through technology assessments, technical strategy development, and ecosystem building
• Stay abreast of global climate tech landscape and market trends to discover, evaluate and benchmark unfair advantages and critical gaps to inform Newlab Detroit’s sector and technology priorities
• Interface with senior leaders and develop cross-functional relationships internally and externally to align technical strategies and opportunities with overall Newlab objectives and location-based targets
  
  

Portfolio Development

• Identify and engage promising startups constantly, leading early due diligence on their technical feasibility and commercial viability,to foster a strong top of the funnel
• Investigate, map and classify Detroit opportunities for innovation to guide portfolio construction and allocation strategy and craft storyline to best communicate Newlab’s value propositions
• Accumulate and apply key insights from startups about roadblocks and wish lists at each stage of their commercialization journey to power long-term strategic planning of Newlab’s geographic platform and that of the Michigan Central innovation ecosystem
  
  

Ecosystem Activation

• Cultivate constructive relationships with key stakeholders that have right spirit and capabilities to empower Newlab Detroit’s mission and technical strategies
• Support Newlab’s engagement with the State of Michigan and build trust and partnership with both State of Michigan and broader public sector stakeholders
• Secure, maintain and demonstrate deep understanding of existing and prospective partners’ business priorities and needs, making strategic recommendations and facilitating alignments with Newlab Detroit’s strategies and growth opportunities
• Structure and activate projects in Michigan and surrounding region by matching the needs of engaged startups and partners to unlock additional visibility, resources and capital
• Document and share learnings from forward operations with the Newlab commercial teams, encouraging best practices for continued scale-up and long-term success of Newlab’s locations
  
  

Experience

• 5+ years of experience with demonstrated track record across strategic and/or technical work, with preference for management consulting or strategic project management work
• Degree from in a relevant area of study (engineering/technical preferred)
• Track record of engaging and supporting high-growth companies, ideally in a technical capacity
• Ability to work with many types of stakeholders and lead multi-stakeholder projects
  
  

Compensation

we plan for this role to be in the $120,000-$135,000 range

comprehensive benefits

bonus program

EEO