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Details

**Open Date** 05/30/2025

**Requisition Number** PRN42055B

**Job Title** OCHE Director, The Point

**Working Title** Director of Fund Operations - Nucleus

**Job Grade** H

**FLSA Code** Executive

**Patient Sensitive Job Code?** No

**Standard Hours per Week** 40

**Full Time or Part Time?** Full Time

**Shift** Day

Work Schedule Summary

Monday – Friday

8am – 5pm

**VP Area** President

**Department** 01379 - USHE Commissioner

**Location** Campus

**City** Draper, UT

**Type of Recruitment** External Posting

**Pay Rate Range** $100,000-$120,000 DOE

**Close Date** 07/30/2025

Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)

Job Summary

We are seeking a Director of Fund Operations to manage day-to-day operations of the Utah Innovation Fund, under the direction of Nucleus. UIF is a 40-million-dollar state-backed fund created to invest in technology and research coming out of Utah’s Higher Education Institutions. Our fund is focused on investing in deep tech including AI, energy, cyber, life sciences, defense, aerospace, and emerging technologies. We invest at the pre-seed stage.

In this role you will manage and train 20-30 student analysts from around the state, directing them on the diligence process for deals. This role will also manage ongoing portfolio support after investment. Other responsibilities include audit and compliance reporting, supporting ecosystem events and developing a venture network. This role reports to the Associate Commissioner of Innovation, Commercialization and Economic Development.

Responsibilities

+ Independently evaluates the commercial potential by identifying new uses, markets, market size, competing technologies through the use of personal knowledge of emerging technologies, information gleaned from University partners, experts and on-line databases.

+ Collaborate with professors, students and industry partners to identify research projects that have commercial potential.

+ Understand and stay up-to-date with university research and industry trends.

+ Independently develops a strategy for each of the selected technologies or opportunities.

+ Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly reports for presentation to the Associate Commissioner and Executive team to outline potential opportunities, fund or commercialization progress or success.

+ Work with venture capital firms to generate deal flow for the Utah Innovation Lab Fund, provide qualitative data to the Associate Commissioner and Executive team as requested.

+ Conduct due diligence on potential investment opportunities and present findings to the investment committee.

+ Proactively identifies potential problems with inventors, sponsors, and potential licensees.

+ Proposes, promotes and/or helps to negotiate solutions or agreements

+ Assist in the management of operations of the Utah Innovation Lab Fund, including preparing reports, creating presentations, tracking investments made, working with accounting/ legal and coordinating meetings.

+ Assist in the creation the Utah Future Report, which focuses on new and exciting developments in Utah’s schools and the Utah ecosystem. This includes understanding what cutting edge research is being developed and commercialized, what is being funded by venture capital that is tied to Utah, what new entrepreneurial businesses are being created, and what new policy and State efforts are being developed to support innovation. This will also include creating the report and supporting events to promote the report.

+ Assist in design thinking and system thinking efforts including workshops, presentations and creation of systems for Innovation efforts.

+ Participation on committees or industry associations as speaker, workshop leader, committee member, officer, etc. as requested by the Associate Commissioner.

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform the essential functions of this job as outlined in the position description.

DISCLAIMER

OCHE has reviewed this job description to ensure that essential functions and primary duties

have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee’s

ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of

all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be

assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of

employment, and OCHE reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for

the employee to perform, as OCHE may deem appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications

+ Bachelor’s degree in related field required; preference will be given to applicants with a Masters degree in a related field.

+ 2-4 years of full-time relevant work experience in industry supporting innovation, commercialization, and venture capital.

Preferences

+ Entrepreneurial, communication and interpersonal skills are critical for success in this position; demonstrated ability to effectively communicate, build relationships with professors, students and venture capital firms required.

+ Strong analytical skills and the ability to conduct due diligence on potential investment opportunities.

+ Strong organizational and systems thinking expertise and the ability to manage multiple projects at once.

+ A passion for innovation and the ability to identify new opportunities for growth.

+ All other job duties or projects as assigned by the Associate Commissioner of Innovation.

+ Preference will be given to applicants with previous commercialization, technology transfer, university administrative or research experience, and venture capital efforts around commercialization.

**Type** Benefited Staff

Special Instructions Summary

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and patients from all backgrounds and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education and quality healthcare for historically underrepresented students and patients.

All qualified individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action ( OEO /AA). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at: https://www.utah.edu/nondiscrimination/

Online reports may be submitted at oeo.utah.edu

https://safety.utah.edu/safetyreport This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.