Director of Corporate Partnerships for Runway Startup Program

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Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.
The Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech embodies the academic partnership between the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Cornell University on the Cornell Tech campus in New York City. The Jacobs Institute at Cornell Tech, focuses on creating pioneering leaders and technologies for the digital age, through research, technology commercialization, and graduate-level education at the professional Masters, doctoral and postdoctoral levels.
One of the flagship programs initiated by the Jacobs Institute is The Runway Startup Postdoc Program. Started in January 2014, Runway brings recent PhD’s to campus for one to two years to develop and leverage their deep technology expertise into significant impact through establishing a new company. The Runway program is governed by a special IP arrangement and investment model in which Jacobs Institute receives a small stake in the company. The program involves faculty from Cornell and the Technion and leverages the assets of the Jacobs Institute, Cornell Tech, and the NYC ecosystem.
Cornell Tech and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute are young and growing graduate-level educational institutions in New York City that create pioneering leaders and technologies for the digital age, through research, technology commercialization, and education at the professional Masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels. Among the most exciting programs we have on our campus are those that support budding entrepreneurs and facilitate the launching of new startups. We are seeking a new Director of Corporate Partnerships for those programs.

   

Director of Corporate Partnerships for Runway

The Director of Corporate Partnerships will be a critical contributor to the success of the Runway Program and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute’s mission to integrate academic research with external engagement in a wide variety of ways. The Director of Corporate Partnerships will work closely with the Director of Runway and Spinouts to attract a variety of corporate partners to create Runway’s connection to worldwide industrial leaders.

The Director of Corporate Partnerships’s primary goal will be the establishment of the Corporate Runway Program. Under the methodological umbrella of Runway, the Corporate Runway Program aims to attract scientists and/or technical people that are currently employed by a large company and that could be catalysis of corporate innovation. The Corporate Runway Program will be a 1 year immersive experience in which an employee of a larger corporation will, while resident at the Jacobs Institute at Cornell Tech, explore the commercialization of new technologies into spinouts. The Director of Corporate Partnerships will be responsible for engaging Corporate partners and build a diverse cohort of at least 10 corporate Runways by 2024. Continued funding will be contingent upon successful establishment of the Corporate Runway Program. (70%)

The Director of Corporate Partnerships will also serve as a liaison between Runway companies and large corporate entities. The Director of Corporate Partnerships will work to help Runway companies connect with potential customers, partners, suppliers, and users of the products and services developed by Runway companies. The Director of Corporate Partnerships will also track and measure the effectiveness of each corporate relationship. (20%)

Finally, the Director of Corporate Partnerships will also provide mentoring and guidance to Runway companies, helping them understand the landscape of large corporate entities and helping them establish strategies to work with them. (10%)

The position will report to the Director of Runway and Spinouts. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible staff position and working primarily in person on the Cornell Tech campus and within NYC. This is a one year year term position with the potential for renewal based on performance, funding and organizational objectives.

Key responsibilities include

• Developing the Corporate Runway Program. That includes connecting with corporations and pitching them on the value of letting their scientists or technologists spend a year at the Jacobs Institute
• Pitch Corporate partners on the value of Corporate Runway so that each Corporate Runway is paid. Estimated cost of a Corporate Runway will be $150,000 for one year. The Director should pitch cohorts of 5 with an estimated cost to the corporation of +$1 Million
• Create marketing material and recruitment strategies for the Corporate Runway Program
• Travel to meet potential Corporate Runways
• Create reports and track the progress of Corporate Runways
• Organize on-demand support, advice, and resources for Runway and our community of entrepreneurs
• Mentor and advising campus founders that are engaging in commercialization and spinout activities.
• Pitch Corporate partners on the value of Corporate Runway so that each Corporate Runway is paid. Estimated cost of a Corporate Runway will be $150,000 for one year. The Director should pitch cohorts of 5 with an estimated cost to the corporation of +$1 Million
• Create marketing material and recruitment strategies for the Corporate Runway Program
• Travel to meet potential Corporate Runways
• Create reports and track the progress of Corporate Runways
• Organize on-demand support, advice, and resources for Runway and our community of entrepreneurs
• Mentor and advising campus founders that are engaging in commercialization and spinout activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years of relevant work experience in the tech industry and its key activities, such as product development and management, business development, team building and raising capital
• Experience in tech entrepreneurship—experience as founder or in managing academic entrepreneurial programs is highly desirable
• Acquaintance with the academic world
• Experience with mentoring budding entrepreneurs, preferably in an accelerator or incubator setting
• Experience working with international entrepreneurs / in an international program
• Active involvement and deep connections within the NYC tech ecosystem, preferably with connections to other national and international ecosystems

• Evidence of strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skills with managers, peers, and reports
• Evidence of creativity/out of the box thinking
• Leadership through coaching and bridging diverse parties and stakeholders
• Ability to motivate and inspire entrepreneurs
• Considers the position as an intellectual and leadership challenge in her/his personal career
• Self starter, a demonstrated ability to create a system from scratch and build a structure into it
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

Technical Master’s degree in a relevant field, an MBA degree or PhD

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Cornell requires that all faculty and staff members, regardless of their work location, disclose their vaccination status, and provide proof of vaccination if vaccinated, immediately upon hire.

  

University Job Title:

Corporation Foundation Officer III

Job Family:

Alumni Affairs Development

Level:

G

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Julie Delay

Number of Openings:

1

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• Prior relevant work or industry experience.

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.

• Unique applicable skills.

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2022-01-19-08:00