Director, Innovation Initiatives

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 EDA Tech Hubs Designation and $51M implementation award. 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 Innovation Initiatives serves as the point person and leader for a portfolio of innovation initiatives designed catalyze economic development in the Tulsa region. They help decide which initiatives we undertake, source necessary resources to supply those initiatives, employ and work to improve the methodologies we use to advance those initiatives, oversee the progression of those initiatives, modify and improve the initiatives based on real-world feedback, and transition those initiatives upon completion to community stakeholders.

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:

• Lead a portfolio of the most complex innovation initiatives born of problems to be solved and ideas to be pursued sourced from our stakeholder communities, which include our local community, local business enterprises, government, higher education, and national business entities.
• Together with other senior leaders, define and determine which initiatives will be undertaken by the organization, focusing on impact and feasibility of successful implementation.
• Working collaboratively with stakeholder relationship managers and resource leaders, which include capital and entrepreneurship, talent and workforce, and place and infrastructure, identify and secure agreements to supply the necessary resources to enable the development of initiatives in their portfolio.
• Help to create and define the innovation processes and methodologies employed by our organization, and actively contribute improvements to those methodologies based on observations and analysis of their effectiveness.
• Establish and oversee project objectives, milestones, deliverables, resources, timelines and risks through roadmaps and updates to senior leadership and stakeholders, using tools and support from the operations team.
• In collaboration with the operations team, develop, evaluate, and monitor budgets for each innovation initiative. Approve budgetary expenditures at the innovation initiative department level.
• Iteratively adjust and improve each initiative in your portfolio based on evolved information and learnings during implementation of each initiative.
• Transition ownership of initiatives upon completion of roadmap to the stakeholder communities.
• Seek to create and strengthen relationships with our stakeholder communities.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred
• Minimum 8 years relevant work experience in overseeing and managing innovation initiatives
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating with and between organizations to drive innovation
• Strong analytical and project management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• 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.