Director, UCF Business Incubation Program

About the Role

The Director of the UCF Business Incubation Program (UCF BIP) will lead a nationally award-winning economic development engine and corporate innovation partner. This role is designed for a bold, entrepreneurially minded leader who builds ecosystems, forges partnerships, secures funding, and designs programs that turn ambitious startups into scalable companies. The Director will drive high-wage jobs, private investment, and sustained growth across Central Florida and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Leadership & Operations
  • Provide strategic leadership, management, and operational oversight for the nine incubators comprising the UCF BIP network, including four Innovation District incubators and five Regional incubators.
  • Ensure effective and efficient support to client companies within the system.
  • Develop and implement consistent operational policies and procedures that increase the quality of service delivered to all clients.
  • Provide tools and resources to enhance the work of each incubator as they seek to broaden local economies, with a focus on accelerating growth, connecting incubator clients, and promoting the services of client companies.
  • Lead financial management, tracking, and reporting of the UCF BIP, including maintaining positive financial status for each of the nine incubator sites.
• Strategy, Programming & Performance
  • Execute a multi-year strategic plan to build vibrant, distinct but connected incubator locations that attract, support, and grow scalable companies, including plans, programs, processes, policies, and metrics focused on amplifying growth in target industries.
  • Manage and assess programs to ensure they successfully support high-growth companies.
  • Identify gaps and design new programming to address needs within and across all nine incubator locations.
  • Develop and manage systems to track, analyze, and report program KPIs, economic impact, client outcomes, and organizational performance.
  • Produce data-driven reports and impact assessments that demonstrate the effectiveness and value of business incubation and entrepreneurial support programs.
• Partnerships, Funding & External Relations
  • Secure external funding and develop partnerships with external and internal entities to support innovation and commercialization that catalyze regional economic growth.
  • Represent the UCF BIP in various meetings that advance the mission of UCF and the BIP, including engagements before, during, and after business hours (e.g., breakfast meetings, luncheons, dinners, conferences, trade shows).
  • Engage and align community leaders, partner organizations, other UCF entities, industry, local government, and existing industry support organizations around a compelling strategy and execution for the UCF BIP.
  • Engage and participate in regional and/or statewide entrepreneurship initiatives.
  • Engage UCF support departments including legal and compliance as needed on behalf of the BIP, preparing and submitting reports as required by funding partners and UCF leadership.
• Brand & Thought Leadership
  • Develop and promote a brand for the UCF BIP that enhances visibility, accelerates growth, and aligns with branding of UCF and other key economic development and industry organizations.
  • Position the UCF BIP as a thought leader among incubation/entrepreneurial support organizations.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree and 8+ years of relevant experience, including 3+ years of leadership experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).
• Preferred Qualifications
  • 10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in business incubation, accelerators, and/or other entrepreneurial support organizations.
  • Demonstrated success leading high-performing teams in a non-profit, entrepreneurial support environment.
  • Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-site or multi-program operations.
  • Direct experience as a startup company founder or C-level executive.
  • Extensive expertise in startup lifecycle, venture creation, scaling strategies, and founder support.
  • Experience supporting faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and student entrepreneurs in a research university environment.
  • Strong track record of advising and mentoring entrepreneurs across diverse technology and industry sectors.
  • Demonstrated track record of securing and managing external funding, including government grants, sponsorships, and philanthropic support.

Pay

The anticipated salary range for this position is $122,980 - $153,725. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Schedule may vary as required based on operational needs. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be necessary to support initiatives aligned with incubator objectives.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays
• Retirement savings options
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions
• Education assistance