Executive Director - #1406474

Summary:

MSU Technologies seeks a visionary Executive Director to lead its technology transfer and commercialization efforts. The ideal candidate will bring significant experience in university-based technology transfer, intellectual property management, and commercialization strategy. Demonstrated success in entrepreneurial or innovation-driven environments across business, government, or academia is essential, along with strong leadership, deal-making, and stakeholder engagement skills. Expertise in sectors aligned with MSU’s strengths, international business networks, and familiarity with regulatory and funding landscapes are highly desired. This is a unique opportunity to drive the transformation of research into real-world impact at a leading research institution.

The Executive Director will be responsible for establishing and implementing the strategy for the overall protection, management, marketing, and licensing of diverse technologies derived from intellectual properties created by MSU faculty, research facilities and subsidiaries. The successful candidate will enrich and sustain a metric-driven “best in class” organization to commercially exploit MSU’s rich base of scientific discovery and innovation to benefit the public and the University and to support regional economic development. This individual will promote growth and education opportunities to develop entrepreneurial MSU faculty and student trainees. As a peer in the MSU Innovation Center and the regional innovation and commercialization ecosystem, the Executive Director will strategically collaborate with leaders of MSU Business-CONNECT, MSU Research Foundation, and external partners in economic development such as the MEDC and LEAP. This position will report to the Associate Vice President for Innovation & Economic Development.

Responsibilities:  

Intellectual Property Management 

• Develop, lead and maintain the MSUT team required to excel in commercial translation of MSU intellectual properties. This includes: 
• Strategically evaluate and assess existing and emerging technologies and the intellectual property estate at MSU in the context of creating commercial value. 
• Oversee and supervise all licensing, marketing, and other business activities of MSUT; establish a global commercial customer base in alignment with MSU’s technology portfolio. 
• Establish and/or augment the use of advanced data systems, both to track and optimize the operations of the organization, as well as to gather critical data on the marketplace for technologies.
• Develop and manage the efficient integrated portfolio of internally and externally funded “Gap Funding” programs such as T3N, MTRAC, TSGTD, and Advance to accelerate the maturation and translation of technologies toward the marketplace. Provide appropriate oversight of those programs to comply with sponsor’s and other funders’ expectations. Make recommendations to the OVPRI and MSU Research Foundation concerning business decisions and investments including short term targeted funding (such as SPG and HARP programs) of research projects with commercial potential and long-term planning for development of MSU’s commercial opportunities. 
• Envision, evaluate and/or develop internal and external technology infrastructure, when needed, to optimally support MSU’s technology portfolio. 
• Systematically and continuously assess the commercial value of established MSU technologies and early-stage projects mined from the MSU grants portfolio and MSU’s IP estate; work effectively and continuously to prioritize disclosures and/or patents of MSU inventors to maximize the value of resource commitments and to ensure compliance with institutional policies.  
• Maximize licensing and royalty income, or where appropriate, start-up opportunities via Spartan Innovations, while simultaneously minimizing the costs of protecting intellectual properties through effective decision making and business processes. 

Personnel and Leadership 

• Maintain a robust performance management process and culture with annual goal setting and reviews with compensation decisions linked directly to performance. Utilize 360 feedback in the process wherever practical. 
• Recruit new personnel when required for the key business functions of MSUT including associate and assistant directors, technology and commercialization managers, marketing, patent, agreement, financial, and information technology coordinators, and other staff.  
• Work together with leaders of MSU Business-CONNECT, MSU Research Foundation, VPRI, and other stakeholders to strategically define the best business options for supporting research and developing technologies with commercial potential, for example, sponsorship arrangements, licensure, internal services development, new company creation. 
• Collaborate closely with Spartan Innovation, Red Cedar Ventures, external venture investors and other stakeholders in their efforts to create and develop new companies derived from MSU inventions, if that commercial path is selected. 
• Develop and oversee an education and outreach program relevant to the MSU Innovation Center’s activities for faculty and students to create a culture on campus that recognizes the role of innovation both inside and outside the University and which leads to more innovation, increased disclosures and value for the University. 
• Oversee training of all functions for continuous improvement and development of MSUT including intern and other training programs for MSU students. Define requisite performance criteria and conduct annual evaluations for employees. 

Outreach & Engagement 

• In partnership with peers in MSU’s Business-CONNECT and the MSU Research Foundation, engage with external alliances, including agencies such as Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), and other economic development centers and Smart Zones within Michigan. 
• Represent MSUT and participate in various University initiatives; participate and represent MSU and MSUT in local and state programs such as MUICF/Michigan University Innovation Capital Consortium and T3N. 
• Maintain an optimal public relations position on behalf of MSUT; establish networks with political and trade organization. 
• Network across campus organizations and administrators including MSU Business-CONNECT, Conflict of Interest Office, Office of General Counsel, Sponsored Research Administration, Contract and Grant Administration, Deans, Associate Deans for Research, University Executive Leadership, and the MSU Research Foundation (including Spartan Innovations and Red Cedar Ventures) to coordinate MSUT functions and to promote its objectives and goals.