Director, Venture Incubation

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Driving Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovation: Director, Venture Incubation

About Us
At Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), we are relentless in our mission to end cancer for life. MSK Applied Innovation Studios (MAIS) is where bold ideas meet transformative action. Designed to harness entrepreneurial talent and exciting new technologies developed at MSK, the venture incubator empowers innovators to create new companies, advance their ideas into transformative therapies, and raise seed capital. This is your chance to lead a dynamic team, cultivate pioneering startups, and shape a culture of innovation that extends MSK's legacy of excellence—all while staying deeply engaged in the details to drive success.

Role Overview
In this inaugural role, the Director, Venture Incubation will design, lead, and grow MSK’s venture incubator program. Reporting to the Vice President of Technology Management & Commercialization, this role requires both high-level strategic vision and a hands-on, “roll-up-your-sleeves” mindset to execute on initiatives, solve complex challenges, and deliver real-world impact.

You’ll need to thrive in ambiguity, adapt to evolving priorities, and be as comfortable building relationships with scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and key opinion leaders as you are diving into operational details to move projects forward.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Execution

• Develop and execute a vision for MSK Applied Innovation Studios, fostering a robust ecosystem for entrepreneurship.
• Allocate and manage MAIS resources, including funding, legal, operational and business support, and physical infrastructure—stepping in where necessary, to troubleshoot and implement solutions when needed.
• Establish KPIs to measure program impact and lead from the ground up to ensure goals are met.

Startup Portfolio Development

• Oversee MSK’s portfolio of startups, actively supporting them through the critical stages of growth.
• Partner with licensing managers to advance MSK intellectual property (IP) within portfolio companies.
• Personally engage with startups to refine their strategies, secure funding, and tackle roadblocks with agility.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building

• Cultivate and manage a network of entrepreneurs-in-residence and expert mentors, personally guiding connections and ensuring alignment with MSK’s mission.
• Build strategic relationships with advisors, key opinion leaders, industry partners, and venture capital firms while driving day-to-day collaborations that unlock value for startups.
• Lead the development of entrepreneurial training programs, from ideation to hands-on implementation.

Team Leadership

• Manage a high-performing team, providing not just strategic direction but also hands-on mentorship and support.
• Be ready to step in, solve problems, and execute alongside your team when resources are limited or timelines are tight.
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain a high performance culture

Key Qualifications and Core Skills

• 7–10 years of deep, hands-on experience in healthcare, life sciences, startups, or venture creation. Current or previous entrepreneur-in-residence experience and/or healthcare venture incubator is ideal.
• Proven success in roles requiring both strategic leadership and hands-on execution, particularly in innovation-driven environments.
• A track record of building and scaling initiatives in entrepreneurial or high-impact settings.
• An established professional network in healthcare, life sciences, or venture investing is highly valued.
• Strategic Doer: Equally adept at crafting visionary strategies and rolling up your sleeves to get the job done.
• Entrepreneurial Problem-Solver: Thrives in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments where creativity and adaptability are key.
• Collaborative Leader: A natural connector and builder of relationships who doesn’t shy away from operational involvement.
• Scrappy and Resilient: Energized by ambiguity, unafraid to dive into the weeds, and committed to delivering measurable results.

Pay Range: $238,300.00-$405,100.00

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MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.  

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