Assistant Director of Entrepreneurship Programs - Gies College of Business

Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship is expanding access to evidence-based entrepreneurship education and providing expertise and resources to fuel all forms of entrepreneurship. The office does this through learner entrepreneurial activities, fosters knowledge creation and dissemination from top faculty in the field, and designs and offers the curriculum needed to bring that knowledge to the classroom—exposing learners to new ideas that could shape and transform the future of business. Gies College of Business purposefully innovates through this office's thriving and continually growing entrepreneurship efforts. As a key component of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem, the office is a central hub for iVenture Accelerator, EntreCorps, Orange and Blue Ventures, the Program Fellowship, the Faculty Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, and the Entrepreneurship Minor.

About the role

This position is responsible for providing program administration and management of a portfolio of entrepreneurship education and support programs in the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship. This role supports the Office's mission to expand access to life-changing entrepreneurial education and opportunities through a broad view of entrepreneurship that encompasses founding or joining new ventures, engaging in social innovation, and adopting an entrepreneurial mindset within established organizations. The Assistant Director will work collaboratively with partners in Gies Business and across campus to develop, plan, and execute best-in-class offerings in entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Responsibilities

• Assist with efforts to increase entrepreneurship opportunities for students and faculty within the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship.
• Strengthen the Office’s suite of programs and increase access by expanding the scope of the ecosystem to include Chicago, the State of Illinois, and the national community, which may include new partnerships and online programming.
• Investigate opportunities for the Office to support budding student entrepreneurs through events, research, networking, and operations.
• Assist with efforts for the Office to serve as an educational resource for innovators to enhance campus-wide interest in and knowledge about entrepreneurship and technology commercialization.
• Contribute to overall work to support unit goals, including participation in team meetings about unit strategy, program development, reporting requirements, branding and communications, advancement, and alumni relations.
• Provide analytical and programmatic support by evaluating current programs, facilitating structured feedback for improvement, and implementing adjustments annually.
• Coordinate outreach and advertising content with Gies Business Marketing and Communications to attract qualified students to Office offerings.
• Manage workspaces and workflows for students, as well as day-to-day communication with them.
• Provide program administration and management for a portfolio of cross-campus programs in entrepreneurship and innovation, including the iVenture Accelerator, Entrecorps, the Entrepreneurship Minor, and the Program Fellowship, among other offerings.
• Manage student workers and interns within the program fellowship.
• Support Gies entrepreneurship efforts in Chicago, including but not limited to the iVenture Accelerator summer program.
• Support programs and events, including oversight of outreach, planning, logistics, and operations for programs that engage students in the Illinois and Chicago entrepreneurship ecosystems.
• Represent the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship at campus and external events, strengthening visibility and engagement.
• Actively explore and implement programs within the entrepreneurial and innovation space that directly align with the current efforts and goals of the unit.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and campus partners to integrate entrepreneurship programming across disciplines and support the development of a cohesive campus-wide ecosystem.
• Manage social media content and coordinate with Gies Marketing & Communications to ensure a consistent and engaging presence across channels, while supporting other outreach efforts.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including alumni, founders, investors, and corporate partners, to enhance program engagement and mentorship opportunities.
• Create, curate, and deliver educational content in co-curricular and outreach programs.
• Conduct venture analysis and critique, monitor and assess student progress, design and evaluate founder experiments, and review updates through tracking systems.
• Produce concise written summaries and feedback memos for startups to guide iteration and improvement.
• Participate in select workshops, office hours, and group sessions to provide analytical input and pressure-test founder thinking.
• Mentor and coach student startups, social ventures, and constituents.
• Work with the team on program recruitment and selection processes, including outreach, application review, and cohort development.
• Coordinate speakers, mentors, and judges for entrepreneurship programs and events.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• A total of three (3) years (36 months) in education, training, and/or work experience in entrepreneurship or with startups.
• Demonstrated experience in hands-on management, including project management and/or program management.
• Demonstrated experience working with college students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, education, fine arts, media, social work, engineering, or a related field.
• Experience supporting or interacting with entrepreneurship programs in an academic setting.
• Experience designing and executing structured experiments, including hypothesis testing, data collection, and iterative improvement within startup contexts.
• Experience with social media management, content creation, and photo/video capture.

Skills

• A commitment to serving students and to advancing the intellectual, professional, and leadership development of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to evaluate complex business models, identify risks, and synthesize insights into actionable recommendations.
• Ability to translate data and research findings into practical strategies, including defining key performance indicators (KPIs) and tracking venture progress.
• Knowledge of startup development processes, including customer validation, product iteration, and early-stage venture growth.
• Quantitative and data analysis capabilities in experimental design to support founders.
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously with attention to detail, quality, and program consistency, and operate effectively in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Ability to work independently.
• High energy, self-motivated, and enthusiastic about working with students.
• Collaborative work style with faculty, students, professionals, and executives.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively with others, including producing clear, structured reports and presenting findings to a wide range of audiences.

Schedule

Some travel and evening or weekend events are expected.

Pay

Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary range for this position is $60,000 to $64,000.

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Life Insurance.
• Retirement Plan.
• Paid time off.
• Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.