CDL - Wisconsin Venture Manager

Employer: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Location: Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Salary: Competitive Salary

Date posted: Jan 5, 2026

Position Type: Administrative, Business & Administrative Affairs, Business & Administrative Support, Other Business & Administrative Affairs, Community Relations & Institutional Outreach

Employment Type: Full Time

Job Details

Salary:
Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category: Academic Staff

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Project Manager I

Job Summary: Recruitment & Selection:

• Identifies and builds relationships with centers of innovation in the local ecosystem; including Universities, venture capital funds, incubators & accelerators, and tech associations to build a strong pipeline of Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) venture applicants
• Executes outreach strategy for recruitment of incoming cohort
• Builds pipeline of CDL prospects and works within Salesforce system to monitor and convert leads to applications
• Assesses fit for early-stage risk and insurance ventures that apply for the CDL program
• Interviews companies and makes recommendations about who should be admitted to the program

Venture Management:

• Acts as coordinator between ventures, scientists, and students
• Supports ongoing communication with CDL founders and mentors
• Develops documentation to support CDL programming
• Manages documentation workflow (Venture Summaries, Venture Updates, Meeting Schedules, etc.)
• Works closely with other venture managers

CDL Operations:

• Provides ad hoc event planning support to CDL Events Manager/Project Manager
• Supports CDL event logistics as required, including conferences, educational events, and CDL Super Session
• Supports CDL administrative functions as required

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Facilitates the estimation of project costs, resources, and time required to complete the assigned phase of a project and monitors activities, negotiates for resources, and assigns tasks to ensure these targets are met. Follows established change control processes if targets can no longer be met
• Prepares regular reports to communicate the status of the project within and beyond the project team
• Creates a project plan, monitors progress and performance against the project plan, and identifies, resolves, or escalates risks and issues
• Sets priorities, allocates tasks, and collaborates with project staff to meet project targets and milestones
• Manages the activities of outside contractors to ensure they are integrated into the project and that the organization receives satisfactory standards of service

Department:
Wisconsin School of Business, Risk & Insurance Department

Compensation:
The minimum salary for the position is $72,000. Actual starting salary will be based on experience and qualifications.

Required Qualifications:

• At least two years of experience in the risk & insurance industry
• At least two years of experience working with or for startups

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a start-up accelerator, particularly in developing and implementing a successful venture recruitment strategy, is highly valued.
• Work experience sharing negative constructive feedback
• Technology background, with a focus on risk and insurance
• Work experience working with startups, technology companies, or venture capital is an asset
• Strong analytical ability and understanding of business models and drivers of success in startups across several verticals
• Experience and confidence working with high-performing teams and multiple stakeholders
• Entrepreneurial and highly motivated with a strong interest in startups and venture capital
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Passion to consistently meet or exceed performance objectives
• Collaborative work ethic with willingness to work independently and autonomously
• Organized with project management experience

Education:

• Required Education: Bachelor’s degree

How to Apply:
Click the "Apply" button to start the application process.
You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Qualification

Applicants should attach a letter of qualifications and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced above. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process. The search committee will review all application materials after the posted deadline. We will notify selected applicants to participate further in the selection process directly. References will be requested of final candidates. All applicants will be notified after the search is complete and a candidate has been selected.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. 

Contact Information:
Rima Okbazghi
rima.okbazghi@wisc.edu
608-262-2810
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.