Sr. Director, Commercialization

Key Responsibilities

• Lead mobility, manufacturing, and industrial programs: Oversee execution of high-stakes partnerships with automotive and mobility OEMs and tier 1 suppliers, industrial leaders, and government entities to accelerate external technology adoption.
• Manage key relationship dynamics, direct cross-functional teams of contributors, and serve as the bridge between global startups and industrial partners.
• Expand mobility and industrial programs: Scope, launch, and direct programs that help government and corporate partners leverage global technology innovations to solve complex technical challenges, defend market positions, and expand into adjacencies.
• Drive commercialization outcomes: Ensure programs create clear pathways for startups to scale, secure commercial pilot opportunities, and generate regional job growth.
• Drive program revenue growth: Ensure well-executed programs grow revenue over time by identifying expansion opportunities, extending project scopes, and deepening engagement with existing partners.
• Maintain quality control: Act as the primary accountable leader for delivery execution, partner satisfaction, and deliverable standards across assigned programs.

Financial, resourcing & systems improvement

• P&L & resource management: Maintain full oversight of program P&Ls, staffing models, and resource allocation to ensure healthy project economics and team utilization.
• Systems improvement: Identify operational bottlenecks in real time, anticipate team needs, and build better systems and workflows to ensure seamless execution.

Strategic growth & local ecosystem alignment

• Partner with leadership: Collaborate with the Detroit Managing Director, Chief Strategy Officer, and Global Head of Business to engage industry and government partners interested in Newlab Detroit.
• Develop durable partnerships: Translate high-level strategic conversations and incoming global interest into durable partnerships through hands-on scoping, proposal development, and structuring new commercial agreements.

Qualifications

• Background in management consulting preferred; educational background in hard sciences or STEM (engineering, physical sciences) helpful, or a demonstrated ability to go deep into complex technologies.
• Proven track record of managing multi-stakeholder programs involving high-level government entities, corporate sponsors, and early-stage technology startups.
• Experience managing cross-functional, distributed teams in a matrixed environment.
• Strong financial literacy with direct experience managing project P&Ls, scoping, and resourcing.
• Outstanding communication, executive presence, and senior partner management skills.

Compensation & Benefits

$160,000 – $190,000 USD base salary
Performance bonus eligibility
Comprehensive benefits package with no waiting period
On-site perks at Newlab Detroit