Associate Director, Technology, Harvard Innovation Labs

Duties & Responsibilities

The Harvard Innovation Labs (HIL) is a unique collaboration and education space designed to foster entrepreneurship and innovation across the Harvard University community. The Harvard Innovation Labs consists of three programs:

1. The i-lab is available to all current students from any Harvard school who are looking to explore innovation and entrepreneurship at any stage. The i-lab provides all the physical and intellectual resources needed to develop and grow startups, including co-working space, advising, office hours with industry experts, workshops, the Venture Incubation Program (VIP), and the President’s Innovation Challenge (PIC), an annual student (and select alumni) venture competition.

2. Launch Lab X (LLX)is a nine-month accelerator for 15 Harvard alumni ventures. Housed inside the i-lab, the program commences every September and culminates in May with the LLX track of the President’s Innovation Challenge.  Applications are accepted from all over the world and open to any alum from any school.

3. The Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab is a shared laboratory space for high-potential life sciences and biotech startups founded by Harvard faculty, alumni, students, and postdoctoral scholars. The 15,000-square-foot facility has 36 lab workbenches and 50 co-working spaces, conference rooms and kitchen.

Position overview:
The AD, Technology is responsible for advising and mentoring Harvard students, alumni and affiliate-founded ventures that are technology-centric and/or in the business-to-business space.  The role oversees programming (workshops, roundtables, outreach etc.) to inform our community about the opportunities and challenges in tackling problems and creating value with technology innovations.  The ideal candidate has led or been part of the leadership team of a technology-centric startup, is connected to the Boston technology entrepreneurship ecosystem, has experience as a mentor to startups and students, and is an excellent presenter, communicator and project manager.  

Job Mission:
Create meaningful, life impacting value for Harvard students, alumni, and affiliate teams interested in technology-centric innovation and/or startups.  

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary Staff Advisor for all assigned Technology and/or Business-to-Business teams and students in the Harvard Innovation Labs ecosystem (i-lab, LLX and Life Lab) using the HIL assessment and guidance methodology to ensure traction

• Develop and implement innovation skills development programming and resources that align with the core HIL pedagogy and support all three HIL programs. Plans will be developed in coordination with contacts developed from assigned Harvard schools, student clubs, and/or outside groups.  Balance recruiting external speakers with personally delivered sessions

• Serve as the primary liaison to students, student clubs, selected faculty, and administrative staff from across Harvard schools working on technology and business-to-business ventures.

• Initiate activities and programs that build the Harvard Innovation Labs as a community home for student entrepreneurs and innovators pursuing technology-centric ideas.

• Serve as a contact point for faculty across Harvard who are interested in partnering to drive their teaching and program ideas with the i-lab and the Innovation Labs in general.  

• Participate in the guidance of the President’s Innovation Challenge Open Track and overall execution with support from the Operations and Marketing teams.

• Build and maintain understanding and relationships with entrepreneurial ecosystem in Boston and other key national hubs, i.e. SF & NYC.

Basic Qualifications

• BA/BS required, MBA preferred

• 8 years of experience including leading or helping to grow a technology focused startup organization 

Additional Qualifications

Other Tasks and Accountabilities:

• Work with Marketing and Operations to ensure Technology programming is executed flawlessly

• Work with the Director of Advising to optimize the Venture Incubation Program Mentor Program.  

• Actively participate in the broader innovation community and the technology sector in particular

Key Behaviors:

• Outgoing

• Proactive

• Collaborative

• Methodical

• Thorough

HIL Brand Personality Attributes
Passionate***Nimble***Thoughtful

HIL Performance Principles

• Raise your own bar – be an active learner

• Start with Why – be strategic

• Get outside – learn from others

• Think sideways – collaborate across departments

• Don’t look back – let go of legacy thinking

Additional Information

• Strong understanding in and passion for the latest technologies and technology trends

• Excellent local network in the technology startup space

• Experience with B2B/enterprise business models

• Experience working with university students preferred

• Strong diplomacy, organizational and communication skills (verbal, written)

• Proven ability to deliver results with minimal oversight (self-starter)

• Excellent communication skills – verbal, written, presentation

• Some experience with event management preferred

• The ability to work occasional extra hours, including evenings and weekends, to meet deadlines and oversee and/or attend events

• Agility, gravitas, and high EQ are valued attributes

• Solid PowerPoint and Excel skills required

• Interdependencies:

• Client to Marketing, Tech Dev and Operations

• Supplier to Marketing, Tech Dev and Operations

Many HBS employees are eligible for Flexible Work Arrangements, which may be explored during the interview process.

Cover Letter is Required.

Culture of Inclusion: The work and well-being of HBS are strengthened profoundly by the diversity of our network and our differences in background, culture, experience, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and much more.

Explore HBS Work Culture at  http://www.hbs.edu/employment/  and learn about other Employment Opportunities.
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Harvard Business School will not offer visa sponsorship for this opportunity.