Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Work to Improve and Increase Economic Opportunities in the St. Louis Region

Position Description

Under the supervision of and reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship is responsible for and will serve as the architect and leader of the STL Partnership division dedicated to a comprehensive, regionally focused innovation and entrepreneurship strategy; will plan, direct, and position the four STL Venture Works incubators as the centerpiece of an integrated economic development approach expected to support and de-risk business formation by supporting entrepreneurs in growing their business; will develop strategic partnerships, advance client growth, strengthen ecosystem alignment, and design initiatives that expand entrepreneurial capacity across the region.

Job Duties - Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategy

• Develop and lead a comprehensive, data-informed innovation and entrepreneurship strategy for the STL Partnership and STL Ventureworks, aligned with organizational economic development priorities and regional needs with a focus on long-term sustainability.
• Assess market trends, ecosystem gaps, and opportunities to advise and introduce new programs, incubator models, and investment priorities.
• Identify opportunities for new incubator concepts, program models, or physical infrastructure investments in response to market demand, emerging sectors, or gaps in the existing ecosystem.
• Explore and build strategies for entrepreneurship-through-acquisition, de-risked business attraction models, and other innovative techniques to leverage incubator assets.
• Guide modernization, expansion, or repositioning of the incubators in response to evolving market needs and strategic priorities.
• Establish and track measurable performance benchmarks related to business formation, job creation, client growth, and ecosystem outcomes related to the incubators and STL Partnership/STL Ventureworks strategic priorities.
• Conduct peer city benchmarking and regional economic analysis to provide guidance for long-term strategic goals.
• Work independently on complex and confidential assignments without detailed instructions.
• Analyze information to solve problems through deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Perform various other duties and functions as required or assigned within the area of expertise.

Job Duties - STL Venture Works Incubator Strategy and Programmatic Leadership

• Provide executive-level strategic oversight for the four STL Venture Works incubators, ensuring consistent vision, program cohesion, and strategic alignment across all incubators.
• Develop long-term positioning strategies for each facility in alignment with regional economic growth priorities, including, for example, key industry clusters.
• Maintain responsibility for development, execution, and tracking of the full life cycle of client programs and policies, including client selection, business assistance services, client growth planning, and client graduation.
• Develop incubator alumni program and mechanisms for continued interaction and tracking of graduate's impact on the ecosystem and the region.
• Coordinate with the Lead Site Administrator on tenant administration, tenant selection frameworks, and operational procedures.
• Ensure incubator programs connect with other organizational divisions and support programs.
• Partner closely with the Assistant Vice President of Real Estate on maintenance, capital improvements, and strategic property needs.
• Work independently on complex and confidential assignments without detailed instructions.
• Analyze information to solve problems through deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Perform various other duties and functions as required or assigned within the area of expertise.

Job Duties - Ecosystem Partnership Development

• Engage and partner with cross-regional network of accelerators, universities, corporate partners, funders, and community-based organizations to ensure alignment and promote collaboration.
• Convene partners to align programming, reduce duplication, and expand shared capacity across the ecosystem.
• Cultivate relationships that expand access to entrepreneurial opportunities across geographies and business stages.
• Leverage and monitor regional inventory of ecosystem activity and resources and use this to inform regional messaging and data pipelines.
• Work independently on complex and confidential assignments without detailed instructions.
• Analyze information to solve problems through deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Perform various other duties and functions as required or assigned within the area of expertise.

Job Duties - Program Development and Capacity Building

• Design new programs that support early-stage and growth-oriented entrepreneurs, including acquisition-based entrepreneurship pathways, capital-access initiatives, and sector-specific accelerators.
• Partner closely with the Small Business Development Manager/SBDC Business Counselor to design and implement programming leveraging SBDC resources.
• Identify and promote emerging technologies to enhance delivery of programming and other Partnership services.
• Lead development of internal metrics and support ecosystem-wide metrics and impact reporting structures for innovation and entrepreneurship activities.
• Work independently on complex and confidential assignments without detailed instructions.
• Analyze information to solve problems through deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Perform various other duties and functions as required or assigned within the area of expertise.

Job Duties - Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

• Serve as STL Partnership's primary external representative on innovation and entrepreneurship matters by engaging civic, business, government, academic, and philanthropic leaders to communicate STL Partnership's strategic focus and to ensure regional alignment.
• Shape public conversation around entrepreneurship and innovation and elevate the profile of regional startup successes.
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities to support programs, incubator upgrades, and regional initiatives.
• Prepare strategic recommendations, visual presentations, and policy guidance for senior leadership and public-sector partners to convey the work and impact of the Partnership.
• Work independently on complex and confidential assignments without detailed instructions.
• Analyze information to solve problems through deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Perform various other duties and functions as required or assigned within the area of expertise.

Professional Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in business, entrepreneurship, local government administration, political science, law, planning or similar related field. Pursue ongoing education and training and participate in applicable associations.

Experience and Skills

• At least eight years of progressively more responsible related work experience in economic development, business and/or public and community relations. This includes knowledge of: City/County government, metropolitan St. Louis leaders and organizations and leaders within St. Louis County municipalities and the City of St. Louis.
• The ability to execute regional strategic initiatives and perform contract and/or project management.
• Proven ability to establish and formalize public/private partnerships with a broad range of organizations and communities to further cooperation and collaboration within the St. Louis region; and the understanding of relevant legal and technical terminology encountered during economic development.
• Recognize and respect diversity.
• Understand and execute both basic and complex directions.

Personal Qualities

1. Demonstrated commitment to public service and STL Partnership's mission.
2. Self-motivated, able, and willing to manage an aggressive schedule.
3. A team player who inspires collaboration and is well-organized.
4. The ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Interpersonal Characteristics

Strong written and verbal communication skills and public speaking experience are expected. Possess supervisory skills and team orientation, with the ability to motivate community leaders and other staff as necessary. Must have a business and professional presence appropriate to the position. Should be a strong team and relationship builder and self-motivated. Demonstrate the ability to recognize and respect diversity and work effectively with people of all backgrounds and cultures and have a desire to make a positive difference within the community. This role requires a proven commitment to maintaining a professional work environment and treating others with respect and dignity in executing all job functions.

Working Conditions

The job duties described above are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation and Terms

Commensurate with experience, STL Partnership offers a competitive base salary (pay range is $80,000 - $90,000) and a culture that fosters and supports creativity and innovation. STL Partnership offers a generous benefits package that includes paid time off and holidays; medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, and retirement plan options. This is a full-time, exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Interested and qualified applicants should submit their resume to . Applicants are also encouraged to visit our website to learn more about the organization and opportunity: and .

Accredited Economic Development Organization The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership is proud to have earned the distinguished title, Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The accreditation signifies the professional excellence of economic development entities throughout North America.