Business Incubation Section Head

Job Description
The Business Incubation Section aims at improving the performance of early-stage startups and young SMEs by nurturing talent and entrepreneurial skills, and providing entrepreneurial training programs. The section creates favorable conditions for newly established startups and the expansion of often fragile young companies.

The Incubation Head will be an entrepreneurial candidate who can take ownership of the day-to-day activities and overall coordination at the incubator. She/he will be responsible for the general management of the incubator, coordination among different stakeholders and startups, partnerships, events, and other related activities. The manager will also ensure implementation of the overall incubation structure that has been designed. Along with general roles, the manager is also expected to engage with the larger startup ecosystem, establishing key partnerships across potential sponsors, VCs, other incubators, industry players, policymakers, and knowledge partners. She/he will regularly take necessary inputs and feedback from all stakeholders and ensure that they are delivered to the leadership team for further action.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Work with startups at the business incubator according to the frameworks and mechanisms outlined by the UAEU SIP leadership team. Monitor business performance of portfolio startups and interface with other stakeholders to provide industry connections.
2. Regularly interact and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure program performance. Look for newer avenues of partnerships and bring the same to the leadership team for further action.
3. Work towards overall startup community outreach, ensuring that the program reaches out to relevant ecosystem stakeholders.
4. Study key sectors and generate insights, use-cases, and industry analyses for internal and external usage.
5. Manage and support internal and external communication as needed for the program, including maintaining communication with the media as required.
6. Interact and maintain relationships with portfolio companies, mentors, and partners.
7. Ensure preparation of necessary portfolio reports for both internal and external purposes.
8. Ensure smooth day-to-day overall functioning of the incubator by coordinating with admin, marketing, HR, logistic support, and other relevant team members.
9. Actively participate in events, seminars, and workshops for building and sharing knowledge.
10. Ensure coordination with relevant team members within the organization.
11. Oversee all technical activities and operations in the business incubator, ensuring high-quality training, events, and programs.
12. Supervise, mentor, and develop technical staff, fostering professional growth and a collaborative environment.
13. Prepare operation plans, timelines, and procedures, ensuring alignment with UAEU SIP mission and goals, startup requirements, and community needs.
14. Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and implement best practices.
15. Coordinate the procurement, contracts, and upgrading of spaces and policies/procedures as needed.
16. Any tasks assigned by the UAEU SIP management.

Minimum Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, marketing, or entrepreneurship.
• Previous experience and successful track records in universities/institutions.
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills to inspire confidence and create trust.
• Ability to build consensus and relationships among executives, partners, and the workforce.
• Ability to understand new issues and take the right decisions.
• Experience in developing, planning, and implementing successful strategies in similar working environments.
• Familiarity with various business functions such as marketing, sales, finance, HR, etc.
• Work with SMEs and management of innovation activities in academic institutions or public and industry sectors.
• Experience in securing grant funding.
• Analytical mindset and problem-solving orientation.

Preferred Qualification
Master's degree in management or entrepreneurship management is preferable.
Expected Skills

• A minimum of 4-6 years of working experience in the business administration and entrepreneurship fields.
• Working experience in managing and setting up innovation and startup programs.
• Experience with project planning, resource allocation, and stakeholder management.
• Familiarity with implementing innovative technologies and optimizing workflows.
• Familiarity with the industry landscape and key stakeholders.