Innovation Hub Program Navigator

Fixed-term, renewable position (through 06/30/2027) at 1.0 FTE (variable 0.5–1.0), represented by AAUP. Position number D93501; Department 400311 – STP Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Proposed start 12/01/2026.

About the role

Portland State University is Oregon’s most affordable public research university, located in the heart of one of America’s most dynamic cities. Our mission to “let knowledge serve the city” reflects our dedication to turning ideas into action — in Portland and around the world. The city is our campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands-on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners. More than 20,000 students from all backgrounds bring diverse perspectives to our classrooms and campus life, from the tree-lined Park Blocks to the bustling Urban Plaza and state-of-the-art science labs. We are proud of our world-class faculty, groundbreaking research and international reputation for excellence in sustainability, community engagement and innovation.

Portland State University facilitates and hosts the Metro Region Innovation Hub (the Hub), which launched in Summer 2024. Funded by Business Oregon and other community partners, the Hub serves the tri-county Metro area and provides regional entrepreneurs from all sectors, backgrounds, and business stages with accessible paths to all existing regional resources in networking, coaching, education, and capital access in order to foster and grow innovation-based businesses.

An invisible driver of success for many entrepreneurial ecosystems is local connectors who know what resources are available and the criteria for accessing them, and who regularly talk to entrepreneurs and provide intros to access those resources. For many communities, however, there are too few of those people, disparities in who can access those people (e.g. in terms of race and gender), and the labor for people who take on those roles is often informal and uncompensated. The Hub directly invests in that driver with a closely coordinated team of visible and knowledgeable Navigators that any entrepreneur can easily and equitably access.

Responsibilities

• Acquire and maintain relationships with and knowledge of regional ecosystem resources and providers
• Meet and assess the needs of individuals and small companies in the region
• Refer or case-manage entrepreneurs to regional resources and providers
• Follow up with engagements to ensure and “map” out what is most effective
• Drive resource deployment in other Hub programs by uncovering emergent needs among entrepreneurs in the region
• Serve as leaders and experts for Hub programs, managing unique and challenging issues that have significant impact on the Hub and the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Lead other employees and students in executing Hub programs
• Help set Hub objectives and related milestones in collaboration with the Hub director and oversight board
• Maintain a current inventory of ecosystem resources and guide people and small companies through them
• Translate between “entrepreneurship”, “business”, and “normal” ways of addressing innovative and business ideas

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study and 4 or more years of professional experience, or
• Master’s degree with 2+ years within functional area, or
• Equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep experience within the metro region entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Experience with coaching entrepreneurs and/or small companies
• Experience in high volume customer service roles
• Demonstrated organizational skills

Competencies

Key Cultural Competencies

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement
• Adheres to all PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct

Environmental Stewardship

• Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals

Schedule

Usually Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week at 1.0 FTE; schedule to be determined. Occasional evening and weekend hours required.

Compensation & Benefits

Starting annual salary between $65,736 and $82,416 (typically starting around the Q1 level to allow for growth within the band). Salary may be negotiated above this range dependent upon years of related experience, applicable skills, knowledge and abilities, market parity, internal equity, department budget, and HR approval. PSU uses a structured process for determining starting compensation.

• 95% premium-paid healthcare
• Generous retirement and vacation package
• Reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse, or dependent at any Oregon University System school

See the total compensation calculator for the full value of the benefits package.