Economic Development Director Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

UCF Business Incubation Program:

The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program (UCF BIP) turns ideas into companies, and companies into lasting economic impact. As a nationally award-winning economic development engine and corporate innovation partner, UCF BIP is powered by the research, talent, and scale of UCF. Through a nine-site regional network, the program has helped launch and scale hundreds of companies, driving high-wage jobs, private investment, and sustained growth across Central Florida and beyond. It's a model for how universities, corporations, communities, and economic development partners can drive growth together and turn potential into impact.

The Opportunity:

As Director of the UCF Business Incubation Program (UCF BIP), you'll sit at the helm of a program that's already proven its impact and lead it into its next chapter. This is a role for a bold, entrepreneurially minded leader who knows how to build ecosystems, not just manage them. You'll be in the room with founders, forging partnerships with local government, unlocking funding, engaging communities, and designing programs that turn ambitious startups into scalable companies.

If you thrive at the intersection of entrepreneurship, community, and strategy, and you want your leadership to leave a mark that outlasts any single company or initiative, this is the opportunity you've been looking for.

Classification Title: Director, Business Development II

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Operations

• Provide strategic leadership, management, and operational oversight for the nine incubators comprising the UCF BIP network, including four Innovation District incubators and five Regional incubators.

• Ensure effective and efficient support to client companies within the system.

• Develop and implement consistent operational policies and procedures that increase the quality of service delivered to all clients.

• Provide tools and resources to enhance the work of each incubator as they seek to broaden local economies, with a focus on accelerating growth, connecting incubator clients & promoting the services of client companies.

• Lead financial management, tracking and reporting of the UCF BIP, which includes maintaining positive financial status for each of the nine incubator sites.

Strategy, Programming & Performance

• Execute a multi-year strategic plan to build vibrant, distinct but connected incubator locations that attract, support, and grow scalable companies. This includes plans, programs, processes, policies, and metrics focused on amplifying growth in the target industries that align with UCF and local economic development organizations.

• Manage and assess programs to ensure they successfully support high-growth companies.

• Identify gaps and design new programming to address needs within and across all nine incubator locations.

• Develop and manage systems to track, analyze, and report program KPIs, economic impact, client outcomes, and organizational performance.

• Produce data-driven reports and impact assessments that demonstrate the effectiveness and value of business incubation and entrepreneurial support programs while informing strategic planning, continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement, and funding initiatives.

Partnerships, Funding & External Relations

• Secure external funding and develop partnerships with external and internal entities to support innovation and commercialization that catalyze regional economic growth in alignment with the goals of UCF, local government partners, and regional economic development organizations.

• Represent the UCF BIP in various meetings that advance the mission of UCF and the BIP. Engagements will be before, during, and after business hours, including breakfast meetings, luncheons, dinners, conferences, trade shows, etc.

• Engage and align community leaders, partner organizations, other UCF entities, industry, local government and existing industry support organizations around a compelling strategy and execution for the UCF BIP.

• Engage and participate in regional and/or statewide entrepreneurship initiatives.

• Engage UCF support departments including legal and compliance as needed on behalf of the BIP, preparing and submitting reports as required by funding partners and UCF leadership, as well as other funding entities as required by law.

Brand & Thought Leadership

• Develop and promote a brand for the UCF BIP that enhances visibility, accelerates growth and aligns with branding of UCF and other key economic development and industry organizations.

• Position the UCF BIP as a thought leader among incubation/entrepreneurial support organizations.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 8+ years of relevant experience, including 3+ years of leadership experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in business incubation, accelerators, and/or other entrepreneurial support organizations.

• Demonstrated success leading high-performing teams in a non-profit, entrepreneurial support environment.

• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-site or multi-program operations.

• Direct experience as a startup company founder or C-level executive.

• Extensive expertise in startup lifecycle, venture creation, scaling strategies, and founder support.

• Experience supporting faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and student entrepreneurs in a research university environment.

• Strong track record of advising and mentoring entrepreneurs across diverse technology and industry sectors.

• Demonstrated track record of securing and managing external funding, including government grants, sponsorships, and philanthropic support.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

The anticipated salary range for this position is $122,980 - $153,725. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

All applicants mustbe authorized towork for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Classification Title: Director, Business Development II

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you'll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You'll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you'll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you'll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks!UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program

• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays

• Retirement savings options

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions

• Education assistance

• And more...For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide.

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

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The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.

For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please email onac@ucf.edu.