Director, Higher-Education Relationships

Description

Background:

Tulsa Innovation Labs LLC (TIL) is a tech-led economic development organization headquartered in Tulsa, OK pioneered by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The organization is responsible for catalyzing Tulsa’s leadership in advanced industries such as energy tech, advanced air mobility, virtual health, and cyber. We believe that by building a world-class tech hub in America’s heartland, we unlock opportunity for all.

The organization was founded in January 2020 and has already experienced significant momentum including its $38.2M Build Back Better Regional Challenge win and EDA Tech Hubs Designation that includes a $51M implementation award. Now, TIL is emerging from startup-phase and has established itself as a system hub and community leader, requiring additional emphasis on scaling-up operations and organizational capacity.

Position Summary

The Director of Higher-Education serves as the organizational leader for understanding, engaging, and leveraging the Higher-Education ecosystem in order to propel the Tulsa Region forward as a globally leading tech hub. This role is augmented by the broader TIL resource teams spanning capital & entrepreneurship, workforce & talent, and place & infrastructure in addition to other peer relationship managers who serve our additional key stakeholders, which includes our local community, local business community, government affairs, and national business entities.

Responsibilities / Essential Job Function

• Build, define, and execute a strategy for engaging Higher-Ed effectively, including defined Initiative objectives.
• Build professional knowledge of each Higher-Ed institutions, including function, strategic plans, leadership structure, and decision-making processes. Understand each organization’s resources, priorities, needs and policies.
• Collaborate closely with the Managing Director, Head of Operations, and Head of Strategy and Initiatives to ensure alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
• Work cross-functionally across the organization to develop and implement strategies to attract and enhance engagement from community colleges, CareerTech, and four-year institutions.
• Influence people and organizations, including executive management, when issues are complex/difficult and require considerable diplomacy and when often no precedent exists.
• Serve as point of contact for all higher-education partners ensuring successful navigation of right contacts and resources to enhance efforts in the Tulsa region.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with research institutions in target industry sectors to identify and nurture collaboration opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with events & programming team to identify ways existing or new TIL events or programming can support engagement, build awareness, and drive initiatives forward.
• Coordinate with Events & Programming team to devise and execute an annual calendar of events relevant to advancing key relationships including conferences, dinners, visits, etc.
• Working with Initiatives team and Marketing/Communications teams, prepare and then deliver compelling presentations and pitches to secure funding or partnership opportunities.
• Stay informed about industry trends, market conditions, and investment opportunities and serve as team resources where needed.
• Devise outreach plan that includes events, communications, and other strategic touchpoints in order to cultivate strategic relationships.
• Provide regular information to Marketing and Communications team regarding higher-education issues pertaining to TIL’s mission in newsletters, social media and other relevant distribution avenues, providing content or tapping into industry experts to aid in content creation.
• Represent TIL in areas relative to higher-education by attending specific conferences, events, and meetings where appropriate and aligned with defined strategy.
• Consistently utilize Salesforce and ensure timely entry of key touchpoints and opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned by Managing Director.
  
  

Requirements

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in political science, economics, public administration, or similar field.
• 5-7 years directly relevant work experience in higher-ed
• Two plus years working in a research institution focused on commercialization activities, programs, or goals preferred
• Knowledge of the higher-education ecosystem spanning community colleges, four-year institutions, vocational systems, etc.
• Demonstrated experience advising and updating leadership in order to drive better outcomes
• Strong analytical and project management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate cross-functionally with team members
  
  

Competencies, Skills & Abilities

To be successful in this role, you must have excellent communication, organizational and project management skills. You must also have the ability to actively listen, engage and connect with a diverse group of people, fostering meaningful relationships with our partners. Our team must be nimble and adaptable to the growing and changing needs of our organization and stakeholder groups, creating solutions and improving processes to achieve TIL goals.

• Integrity – honesty and directness in all things, especially with respect to the true status of initiatives and when in need of help and support from teammates and stakeholders.
• Intentionality – the desire to act now, and not later, on tasks and initiatives. Exhibit a hunger for success and results.
• Interest – an attitude of constant learning, curiosity, and humility with respect to what has yet to be understood.
• Interconnectedness – respect and appreciation for teammates and stakeholders: their backgrounds, skills, history, challenges, fears, and expectations that influence how approach shared tasks and relationships.
• Organized – Demonstrated ability to manage complex, sometimes conflicting, objectives and tasks.
• Decisive – Demonstrated ability to act even with incomplete information.
• Collaborative – Demonstrated ability to convene, facilitate, and develop shared understanding.
• Intelligent – Demonstrated ability to understand quickly and exhibit good judgement.
• Communicative – Demonstrated ability to listen to understand, and to share information with others simply and directly.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Communicate: Frequent phone, in-person, and messaging communication via various platforms. Must be able to exchange information effectively and accurately in all elements of verbal and written communication.
• Operate: Constant operation of computer, phones, and other office productivity tools.
• Willingness and ability to travel between program and related stakeholder locations, and service provider/vendor offices as required.
  
  

Hours & Location:

• Position is based in Tulsa within TIL headquarters located at 3 North Cheyenne Ave.
• Typical work hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, with flexibility required for various events, meetings, and relevant business needs.