Job Title Executive Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Agency Texas A&M University Department Dean Of Business Administration Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate Job Location College Station, Texas Job Type Staff Job Description A Glimpse of the Job Mays Business School is seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and practice-oriented leader to serve as the Executive Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Executive Director will shape and lead the school's vision to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset across the campus, accelerate startup activity, and build a vibrant innovation ecosystem. This role is instrumental in developing physical and intellectual spaces where students, faculty, alumni, and external partners engage in high-impact entrepreneurial experiences. You will bring deep experience from the entrepreneurial world and a track record of building successful programs, networks, and cultures of innovation while acting as an inspiring leader, capable of building partnerships, mentoring student ventures, and translating entrepreneurial theory into practice at scale. The Executive Director will also play a key role in designing a dedicated entrepreneurship space in a new Mays Business School building, shaping it into a hub for innovation, collaboration, and venture creation. Essential Duties/Tasks Design and Launch High-Impact Entrepreneurship Programs and Curriculum + Develop and oversee a portfolio of new co-curricular and curricular entrepreneurship programs in collaboration with the Dean and other senior leaders at Mays Business School, including venture accelerators, startup boot-camps, pitch competitions, and founder workshops. + Create, secure approval for, and scale credit-bearing courses and certificate pathways in entrepreneurship in collaboration with Mays faculty and university partners. + Lead the development of flagship annual events to establish the Center’s brand and visibility. + Partner with faculty to integrate entrepreneurship modules and experiential components into existing Mays courses and new program offerings. + Build partnerships with industry to bring real startup challenges into the classroom and provide live case and capstone project opportunities. + Instill and promote a mindset and culture of entrepreneurship across Mays and the broader Texas A&M campus. Develop and Lead a Thriving Startup Ecosystem + Activate and manage dedicated entrepreneurship spaces, transforming them into vibrant places for co-working, ideation, and venture development. + Propose, win buy-in for and launch and grow accelerator and incubator initiatives for student and alumni startups. + Connect startups with funding opportunities, mentors, legal resources, and industry partners. Integrate and Synergize with Strategic Mays and Texas A&M Initiatives + Partner with the Dean and other senior leaders to ensure strategic alignment and collaboration with programs such as the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), Mays’ high-impact courses, and the broader Texas A&M Innovation and Entrepreneurship ecosystem. + Partner with colleges across campus to support interdisciplinary entrepreneurial efforts. Engage and Build a High-Impact Advisory Board and Network + Recruit, engage, and steward a high-profile advisory board made up of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and corporate innovators. + Activate the advisory board as mentors, guest speakers, and strategic advisors for programming. + Foster relationships with alumni and external entrepreneurs to enrich the Center’s ecosystem. Program Development, Management, and Fundraising + Oversee the day-to-day operations, staffing, and strategic planning of the Center. + Partner with Mays leadership to secure funding through grants, corporate sponsorships, and philanthropy. + Develop measurable outcomes for entrepreneurship initiatives and report on key performance indicators (e.g., ventures launched, capital raised, student engagement). Qualifications Required Education and Experience + Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. + 10 years of related experience in management Preferred Qualifications + Advanced degree preferred. + Experience in higher education or working closely with academic institutions. + Track record of fundraising or building advisory boards. + Familiarity with design thinking, lean startup methodology, or similar entrepreneurial frameworks. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities + Proven experience leading entrepreneurship programs or successful startups. + Deep understanding of startup formation, venture capital, and innovation ecosystems. + Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build and lead cross-functional partnerships. + Demonstrated success in mentoring and developing entrepreneurs. + Strong communication skills and a collaborative leadership style. What you need to know Salary: Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire’s experience. Special Instructions: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended. You may upload these in the CV/Resume section. Who we are Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School is a vibrant learning organization of more than 175 faculty members, 125 staff members, and 6,400 undergraduate and graduate students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing, and supply chain management. Mays Business School’s vision is building a better future through business. To fulfill this vision, our mission is developing leaders of character who make a positive difference in the communities where they live, work, and serve. Why Texas A&M University? We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration. Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you. Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes. + Medical, (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/medical/) prescription drug, dental, (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/dental/) vision, life and AD&D, (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/life-add/) flexible spending accounts , and long-term disability insurance (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/long-term-disability/) with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums + 12-15 days (https://employees.tamu.edu/employee-relations/leave/index.html) of annual paid holidays + Up to eight hours of paid sick leave (https://employees.tamu.edu/employee-relations/leave/paid/sick.html) and at least eight hours of paid vacation (https://employees.tamu.edu/employee-relations/leave/paid/vacation.html) each month + Automatically enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (https://www.trs.texas.gov/Pages/Homepage.aspx) + Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time (https://flourish.tamu.edu/wellness-release-time/) + Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning (https://linkedinlearning.tamu.edu/) training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more + Educational release time and tuition assistance (https://livingwell.tamu.edu/employee-tuition-assistance) for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee + Living Well , (https://livingwell.tamu.edu/) a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees Our Commitment Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values (https://www.tamu.edu/about/coreValues.html) which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service. All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check. Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.