Site Director, Connect Labs Sacramento

As the Director, Connect Labs Sacramento, you will play a crucial role as the face of our center, orchestrating the daily operations and leading a dynamic team. This role involves managing site operations, fostering a collaborative ecosystem of innovators, capital partners, and industry stakeholders, and driving life-science entrepreneurs towards successful commercialization. As the general manager, you will oversee the member experience, team management, partner relations, sponsor engagements, issue resolution, risk management, and operational excellence of facilities, all while upholding the culture and brand of Connect Labs and Wexford. You will also be tasked with selecting, mentoring, and developing a diverse and high-performing site staff across various domains, including laboratory, office, facilities, and programming, with a focus on operational and client service excellence. Finally, you will work to actively identify and implement creative strategies to enhance and amplify the existing work within the local ecosystem through Connect Labs and Wexford. This involves recruiting additional innovation-supporting entities such as workforce programs, accelerators, shared facilities, and venture funds to the city, fostering collaboration and goodwill throughout the ecosystem. The position will report to the VP of Connect Labs.

Leasing & Tenant Management

• Cultivate a pipeline of resident companies, actively recruiting new members.

• Engage in business development, marketing, and client experience to generate new leads and expand the site’s network.

• Handle leasing and sales activities.

• Collaborate with the Wexford Market Executive to enhance tenant growth opportunities.

Leadership & Operations

• Develop and manage budgets, set revenue targets, control costs, and report financial progress.

• Monitor and report on site KPIs and overall performance.

• Lead the Connect Labs team effectively, promoting professional growth and a positive work environment.

• Foster a culture of inclusivity, equity, and shared belonging.

• Report on client satisfaction and business performance metrics.

Community Relations & Engagement

• Establish and strengthen partnerships with industry and academic institutions.

• Build a network of top-tier academics, industry experts, and entrepreneurs to advise resident entrepreneurs.

• Maintain excellent relations with site partners and work together on site-specific initiatives.

• Manage sponsor relationships and ensure fulfillment of sponsorship benefits at the site level.

• Foster the local entrepreneurial ecosystem by building relationships with local entrepreneurs and community leaders. This involves partnering with key allies, networking, participating in speaking engagements, and serving on committees and boards.

• Bachelor’s degree or demonstrated experience in a relevant field (e.g., incubator management, economic development, university administration, accelerator programming, venture development)

• Strong leadership and team management skills.

• Experience in budgeting, financial forecasting, and managing financial targets.

• Proven track record in business development, marketing, and client relationship management.

• Ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with industry and academic institutions.

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.

• Experience in operational management and process optimization.

• Ability to foster an inclusive, equitable, and motivating work environment.

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

• Knowledge of the life sciences industry and commercialization processes.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Experience in leasing and real estate.

Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, is a real estate company exclusively focused on partnering with universities, academic medical centers, and research institutions to develop vibrant, mixed-use, amenity-rich innovation districts, that we call “Knowledge Communities.”  These highly collaborative, programmed, and amenitized environments are built on a foundation of discovery, innovation, entrepreneurial activity, corporate engagement, and community inclusion. Wexford targets strategic opportunities with top-tier research universities that are directly on or contiguous to dense, urban campuses. Presently Wexford has developed seventeen Knowledge Communities across the United States. For more information, please visit www.wexfordscitech.com.

Wexford offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and 401(k) matching.

Salary Range: $130,000 – $150,000

Interested candidates should email in a single PDF that includes a cover letter, resume, and evidence of relevant experience: to: [email protected] or complete the form below. Please name the file: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_SD_SAC.PDF.