Hiring: Executive Director – NCTI Company: University of Central Florida Location: Greater Orlando Job Posted Time: 2026-09-10 13:23:30 Employment Type: Contract Target Skills & Keywords : C, Project Management, Risk Management, Spark About the job Experience: •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). •1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela. •At least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela. Required Skills: •This is a Contracts & Grants (C&G) funded position. Employment is subject to availability of funding and may cease at the time funding for this employment is depleted. •Classification Title: Director, Business Development II •Supervise the institute’s professional staff — Commercialization Director, Education Director, Partnerships Director, and Project Manager — and clerical support: hiring, work assignment, performance management, and professional development; ensure coordinated delivery across SUPPORT, EDUCATE, ORIENT, CONNECT, and NETWORK activities. •Support institute governance: coordinate quarterly Strategic Board meetings, convening of the independent Selection Board during the national competition, and Partner Council engagement; maintain nondisclosure and conflict-of-interest protocols for board members. •Actively facilitate and support PI/PD in NSF relations: annual and ad hoc programmatic reporting, NSF learning sessions and program meetings, and responses to NSF requests; ensure institute operations comply with NSF award terms, including participant support cost requirements and prior-approval rules. •Oversee the institute’s operating budget (approximately $4M in operations, research, and evaluation funds) in coordination with Office of Research administration; monitor expenditures, subaward (RTI International) administration, consultant engagements, and procurement of program platforms and services. •Represent the institute externally with partners, investors, national laboratories, and the national innovation network; lead planning and execution of the annual investor showcase, the in-person midpoint convening, and cohort convenings in coordination with the Partnerships and Commercialization Directors. •Lead risk management and continuous improvement: act on formative findings from the external evaluator, oversee corrective actions (e.g., partner under-performance, thin applicant pool contingencies), and maintain the documented, transferable operating model NSF requires of the pilot and all other duties as assigned. 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). •Master’s degree (MBA or related) or doctorate in business, engineering, science, public administration, or a related field. •Demonstrated success standing up a new program, center, or organization — facilities, staffing, governance, and operating systems — on an accelerated timeline. •Senior leadership experience operating a funded venture-support, accelerator, proof-of-concept, or commercialization program, ideally with milestone- or tranche-based funding governance. •Direct experience with federal awards administration (NSF strongly preferred), including participant support costs, subawards, and federal reporting. •Operational familiarity with the SBIR/STTR program and deep-technology commercialization (readiness frameworks such as TRL/MRL/CRL/IRL). •Demonstrated ability to convene and manage boards, investors, industry partners, and national-laboratory relationships. •Special Instructions To The Applicants •The anticipated starting salary for this position is $150,000 to negotiable. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations. •The selected candidate must comply with NCTI conflict-of-interest and nondisclosure protocols, including disclosure of any financial interest in applicant or cohort companies, given the position’s role in approving participant funding. Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!