Managing Director, Entrepreneurship

Overview

The Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale (Tsai CITY) mission is to inspire students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to seek innovative ways to solve real-world problems. Our unique innovation center welcomes students from all backgrounds to explore entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship across a wide spectrum of innovation-from venture‑backable startups in areas like AI and deep tech, to policy and civic initiatives that drive meaningful systems change, to transformative creative innovations such as documentary films and immersive media that shape culture. We serve students from across Yale’s campus through non-academic programs, funding, and mentoring. This is an exciting time to join Tsai CITY, as the center is entering a new chapter and launching its strategic plan that will shape the next phase of growth and deepen our impact across the university. The Managing Director will play a pivotal role in bringing this plan to life by designing and leading programs that support early-stage founders, strengthening pathways for student innovators, and shaping the entrepreneurial experience for students across disciplines. Our students bring remarkable creativity, ambition, and curiosity. As Managing Director, you will guide, challenge, and champion these emerging founders as they explore ideas, build ventures, and drive innovations that reflect a wide range of perspectives and problem spaces.

Essential Duties

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Managing Director is a key member of the Tsai CITY leadership team and will work with the Executive Director to:

1. Oversee the development of an evolving slate of programming focused on supporting student entrepreneurs at all stages.
2. Plan strategic priorities for student entrepreneurship programming, resources, and personnel, and lead their planning and execution.
3. Recruit and supervise multiple direct reports, managing their professional development and performance.
4. Oversee and partner with the Tsai CITY Director of Networks to steward a diverse ecosystem of external collaborators, including alumni entrepreneurs and innovators, to support students working on innovative projects.
5. Strengthen the visibility and reputation of Tsai CITY and Yale in student innovation and entrepreneurship by cultivating meaningful relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Speak publicly, regularly, and fluently, about Tsai CITY and its importance to the Yale innovation ecosystem.
6. Foster an active, collaborative, and inclusive environment within the Tsai CITY building.
7. Develop long-range forecasts, annual budgets, and reports for Tsai CITY and align resources with strategic goals. Assist with the center's annual budgeting process.
8. Develop and implement operational structure, workflows, and systems to support Tsai CITY’s programming and student engagement activities.
9. Oversee all processes for student grant awards.
10. Recruit and manage student employees.
11. Advise and mentor Yale students regularly on entrepreneurship and center programming.
12. Collaborate and partner with other centers, programs, organizations, and committees within and outside of Yale in support of Tsai CITY’s mission.
13. Participate in key Yale and external committees.
14. Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to create engaging content and manage digital and print communications.
2. Demonstrated ability in program and project management, including managing budgets, schedules, and resources effectively.
3. Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
4. Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability.
5. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and data management tools, with the ability to analyze and present data accurately.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Experience in entrepreneurship and innovation in one or more of the following areas: founded or joined an early-stage startup and/or led an accelerator program for early-stage founders.
2. 7-10 years of related experience and experience supervising a team.
3. Student advising, mentoring, coaching, or teaching experience. Ability to connect with students through conversation and listening.
4. Commitment to diversity, interdisciplinary exploration, curiosity, humility, and optimism; respectful of all lived and learned experiences.
5. Comfort in a leadership role and working independently, while simultaneously seeking and valuing collaboration. Clear oral and written communication skills.
6. Experience and/or education in fundamental areas of business such as accounting, marketing, finance, strategy, etc.
7. Experience in strategic planning, budget management, quality improvement initiatives, and stakeholder engagement.
8. Comfort with a variety of software platforms for managing projects, such as Slack, Airtable, Luma, Google Drive, Salesforce, and MS Office. Adept at learning new software tools.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Oversees the advancement and growth of the program. Gives direction and leadership supporting the philosophy, mission, strategy, and annual goals and objectives. Assumes primary accountability for disseminating and publishing all program information to create public awareness and support of the program.
2. Works closely with leadership, internal and external colleagues, and community residents to further develop and implement strategic plans.
3. Identifies, solicits, and cultivates community partnerships and collaborations to assist in the development and growth of the program. Develops the metrics to identify and measure the success of the program. Responsible for measurements of grant success and related evaluation.
4. Assists in identifying and evaluating potential future funding sources, and contributes to the submission of grants and contracts supporting the program, including the annual submission and writing of all content areas and budgetary sections of grant applications. Develops and manages the program’s operating budget.
5. Develops the administrative infrastructure of the program. Manages human resource and administrative functions of the program, including staffing and hiring, supervision, performance development, counseling and discipline, if warranted. Oversees and manages information systems, facilities, and space needs.
6. Investigates, identifies, implements, and oversees the maintenance of systems to gather, track, and report information to support the initiatives of the program. Tracks all program activities and regularly informs leadership of progress on each initiative. Recommends structural or programmatic adjustments, changes or additions based on full knowledge of missions, goals, and objectives.
7. Initiates, designs, and manages the compilation of program communications; identifying outreach potential, and promoting philanthropic and collaborative support of the program. Contributes to the development and assists in the management of content on the program’s website and monitors all changes and additions to the editorial content.
8. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in a related field and four years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.