Director, Business Relationships

Apply Description

Background:

Tulsa Innovation Labs LLC (TIL) is a tech-led economic development organization headquartered in Tulsa, OK pioneered by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The organization is responsible for catalyzing Tulsa’s leadership in advanced industries such as energy tech, advanced air mobility, virtual health, and cyber. We believe that by building a world-class tech hub in America’s heartland, we unlock opportunity for all.

The organization was founded in January 2020 and has already experienced significant momentum including its $38.2M Build Back Better Regional Challenge win and recent $51.7M Tech Hubs award from the US Department of Commerce. Now, TIL is emerging from startup-phase and has established itself as a system hub and community leader, requiring additional emphasis on scaling-up operations and organizational capacity.

Position Summary:

The Director of National Business Partnerships will engage non-local corporations, businesses, and enterprises to expand TIL’s network of partners across key areas: capital and entrepreneurship, talent and workforce, and place and infrastructure. This role is essential for sourcing external funding opportunities, securing workforce program placements, and cultivating partnerships that drive TIL’s portfolio of initiatives forward. Additionally, the Director will play a key role in identifying and launching new initiatives to fuel catalytic economic development. Success in this role is not about the number of relationships but the strategic value and productivity of those relationships. The ideal candidate will possess a strong ability to understand complex industry challenges and translate that insight into impactful outcomes for Tulsa Innovation Labs and the broader Tulsa region.

Responsibilities / Essential Job Function:

The following functions represent the majority of the duties performed by the position. The description is not meant to be all-inclusive or prevent other duties from being assigned when necessary:

• Build, define, and execute a proposed slate of targeted non-local businesses that align with TIL defined Initiative strategies to engage on a quarterly-basis.
• Build professional knowledge of each partner organization, including function, business unit or country operations, leadership structure, and decision making processes. Understand each organization’s resources, priorities, needs and policies.
• Collaborate closely with the Managing Director, Head of Operations, and Head of Strategy and Initiatives to ensure alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
• Work cross-functionally across the organization to develop and implement strategies to attract funding and engagement from non-local corporations, startups, and mid-sized businesses.
• Influence people and organizations, including executive management, when issues are complex/difficult and require considerable diplomacy and often no precedent exists.
• Serve as National point of contact for all non-local companies and businesses ensuring successful navigation of right contacts and resources to support their business in Tulsa.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with businesses in target industry sectors to identify and nurture collaboration opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with events & programming team to identify ways existing or new TIL events or programming can support engagement with high-value business targets, and build awareness and buy-in of TIL vision and drives priorities forward
• Work with Events and Programming team to coordinate an annual calendar of events relevant to advancing key business relationships including conferences, dinners, visits, etc.
• Working with Initiatives team and Marketing/Communications teams, prepare and then deliver compelling presentations and pitches to secure funding or partnership opportunities.
• Stay informed about industry trends, emerging and existing companies, market conditions, and investment opportunities and serve as team resources where needed.
• Devise outreach plan that includes events, communications, and other strategic touchpoints in order to cultivate strategic relationships with target businesses working alongside appropriate team members for insights and guidance to ensure successful adoption and execution.
• Provide regular information to Marketing and Communications team regarding business or industry issues pertaining to TIL’s mission in newsletters, social media and other relevant distribution avenues, providing content or tapping into industry experts to aid in content creation.
• Represent TIL in areas relative to national business relationships by attending specific conferences, events, and meetings where appropriate and aligned with defined strategy.
• Other duties as assigned by Managing Director.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required in business administration, public administration/affairs, or a directly related field
• Minimum 8 years relevant work experience in economic development, strategy development, and partnership building initiatives
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating with and between organizations to drive innovation
• Familiarity with content management and productivity systems, AP Style, Slack, Salesforce, Canva, Asana, SplashThat, Microsoft Office Suite, and social media platforms preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate with team members

Competencies, Skills & Abilities:

To be successful in this role, you must have excellent communication, organizational and project management skills. You must also have the ability to actively listen, engage and connect with a diverse group of people, fostering meaningful relationships with our partners. Our team must be nimble and adaptable to the growing and changing needs of our organization and stakeholder groups, creating solutions and improving processes to achieve TIL goals.

• Integrity – honesty and directness in all things, especially with respect to the true status of initiatives and when in need of help and support from teammates and stakeholders.
• Intentionality – the desire to act now, and not later, on tasks and initiatives. Exhibit a hunger for success and results.
• Interest – an attitude of constant learning, curiosity, and humility with respect to what has yet to be understood.
• Interconnectedness – respect and appreciation for teammates and stakeholders: their backgrounds, skills, history, challenges, fears, and expectations that influence how approach shared tasks and relationships.
• Organized – Demonstrated ability to manage complex, sometimes conflicting, objectives and tasks.
• Decisive – Demonstrated ability to act even with incomplete information.
• Collaborative – Demonstrated ability to convene, facilitate, and develop shared understanding.
• Intelligent – Demonstrated ability to understand quickly and exhibit good judgement.
• Communicative – Demonstrated ability to listen to understand, and to share information with others simply and directly.

Physical Requirements:

• Communicate: Frequent phone, in-person, and messaging communication via various platforms. Must be able to exchange information effectively and accurately in all elements of verbal and written communication.
• Operate: Constant operation of computer, phones, and other office productivity tools.
• Willingness and ability to travel between program and related stakeholder locations, and service provider/vendor offices as required.

Hours & Location:

• Position is based in Tulsa within TIL headquarters located at 3 North Cheyenne Ave.
• Typical work hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, with flexibility required for various events, meetings, and relevant business needs.

Benefits and Compensation:

As part of our overall compensation package, we offer work/life flexibility, comprehensive health benefits, paid time off, and generous retirement contributions designed to support you and your family.

Details:

• 100% employer paid medical, dental, and long-term disability for full-time employees only. Option to add vision and dependents.
• 401K employee and employer contributions.
• Paid time off to support you while you are out of the office.
• Paid holidays so our employees can spend time with those they care about.
• Employer paid AD&D life insurance, with employee option to add supplemental life insurance.