EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR INNOVATION TRANSFER AND ENTREPRENUERSHIP

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The position is based in Oakland, California

Work Accommodation: Fully Remote within California only

UC OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

At the University of California (UC), your contributions make a difference. A world leader producing Nobel and Pulitzer Prize recipients with over 150 years of groundbreaking research transforming the world. Choose a career where you can leverage your knowledge, skills and aspirations to inspire and support some of the greatest minds in the world, and those who will follow in their footsteps. Working at the University of California is being part of a unique institution, and a vibrant and diverse community. At the University of California, Office of the President, we propel our mission through impactful work locally, in government centers and systemwide. We are passionate people, serving the greater good.

The University of California, one of the largest and most acclaimed institutions of higher learning in the world, is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and public service. The University of California Office of the President is the headquarters to the 10 campuses, six academic medical centers and three national laboratories and enrolls premier students from California, the nation and the world. Learn more about the UC Office of the President

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Innovation Transfer & Entrepreneurship (ITE) is located organizationally within Research and Innovation (R&I), a subdivision of Academic Affairs at the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP). ITE advances the University's mission in a range of activities related to intellectual property (IP) management and technology transfer, including patenting and licensing of technologies, equity management, and industry engagement for all University of California campuses, Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR), and UC-affiliated national laboratories. The unit provides aggregation of systemwide data, systemwide coordination of campus-based programs, and communication of the benefits of UC innovation and entrepreneurship across all sectors and communities throughout California.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Executive Director is a recognized leader and expert on a wide range of federal government, industry, and academic trends in and the interaction between knowledge transfer, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. This role represents the UC system with external stakeholders throughout the public and private sectors, both nationally and internationally, on matters of considerable diversity, complexity, risk and political sensitivity, and serves as the University's lead resource to UC locations on IP and technology transfer policy and business processes. The Executive Director oversees a highly specialized staff who develop and administer initiatives, agreements, and policies that serve the UC campuses, UC ANR, and the three national labs. The Executive Director oversees the unit's overall budget and organizational resources and is a member of the senior cabinet of the Vice President, Research & Innovation.

The Executive Director will join ITE at a pivotal moment as the organization undertakes an enterprise-wide technology and business process transformation. This role leads UC's multiyear modernization of the Intellectual Property Management System (IPMS), replacing the legacy Patent Tracking System with the Wellspring Evolve SaaS platform. The Executive Director will assume primary business leadership of the implementation during pre-deployment testing and will be responsible for successful change management, stakeholder alignment, and full system rollout in 2026, ensuring project delivery on time and within budget.

Responsibilities

• 35% Systemwide Leadership, Policy, and Governance: Provides strategic leadership for UC's knowledge transfer, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem across all ten campuses, UC ANR, and the national laboratories, while establishing and overseeing institution-wide strategies for patenting, licensing, equity management, conflicts of interest, and IP governance. Exercises delegated authority for major decisions involving finance, staffing, contracts, settlements, and compliance, and works closely with the Research Policy Analysis and Coordination unit, UC Legal, and campus leadership to shape policy, resolve complex legal or operational issues, and ensure alignment across units. Represents UC nationally and internationally on matters related to IP, innovation, research security, entrepreneurship, and economic development, leads systemwide reporting and analytics for technology commercialization, serves as the principal staff officer for the systemwide Knowledge Transfer Advisory Committee (KTAC), and acts as the systemwide owner of equity and facilities-access policies. Drives initiatives to diversify the entrepreneurial pipeline and expand UC's innovation capacity through collaboration with government, industry, investors, philanthropy, and the scientific community.
• 30% UC Licensing Support Services and Reporting: In overseeing UC Licensing Support Services, provides executive leadership for systemwide licensing operations, including financial accounting, revenue collection, inventor payments, equity income, and compliance reporting of more than $120 million annually. Serves as the delegated authority for UCOP licensing transactions, supports campus-level patent prosecution and licensing activities, and ensures the integrity and optimization of UC's IP databases and enterprise systems to support accurate reporting, Bayh-Dole compliance, iEdison submissions, and operational analytics. Leadership extends to managing UC's annual reporting of licensing revenue, equity income, and invention activity across the system.
• 25% Organizational Management and Capacity Building: Directs a highly technical unit of approximately 25 FTE-including senior managers, licensing professionals, patent specialists, analysts, and system implementation staff-providing strategic workforce planning, resource allocation, and operational leadership aligned with systemwide priorities. Establishes internal controls, standard operating procedures, and governance structures to ensure effective IP management and departmental operations while advising senior university leaders, faculty, and stakeholders on innovation, commercialization, and research partnership matters. Additionally, identifies organizational training needs and develops professional development and capacity-building programs for campus partners, technology transfer staff, faculty, and internal teams.
• 10% Innovation & Entrepreneurship Partnerships: Provides leadership and strategic guidance to the President's Entrepreneurship Network Council and strengthens relationships with industry leaders, venture capitalists, economic development organizations, and entrepreneurship partners to accelerate commercialization and startup activity across UC. Establishes systemwide guidance on incubators, accelerators, and external partner access, promotes interdisciplinary research translation and public-benefit pathways for UC innovations, and advocates for equitable access to entrepreneurship training and commercialization resources for historically underrepresented groups.
  

Required Qualifications

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience managing IP and/or technology transfer in a university, research, or business environment.
• Demonstrated executive leadership of large, complex, multi-stakeholder IP and commercialization programs.
• Experience overseeing IP or technology transfer-related enterprise-level digital transformation, business system implementation, or technology modernization projects.
• Strong financial and operational management experience, including oversight of multimillion-dollar budgets and revenue portfolios.
• Deep understanding of the academic research enterprise, innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship, and economic development.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to represent the institution to diverse national and international audiences.
• Expert-level knowledge of IP law, technology commercialization practices, and university-industry partnerships.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Bayh-Dole compliance, iEdison reporting, and federal regulatory frameworks.
• Extensive experience leading operations support for large, centralized IP platforms in large complex organizations.
• Extensive experience negotiating complex license agreements, contracts, and commercial terms.
• Demonstrated excellence leading diverse, high-performing teams and developing staff at all levels.
• Experience in organizational change management and policy development.
• Commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within innovation ecosystems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification or formal training in Organizational Change Management.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide technology implementations for research or innovation & entrepreneurship (I&E).

Education

• Master's degree in related area required
• Terminal degree (PhD, JD, or LLM) preferred

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

10% Travel to include professional organization meetings, convenings of UC intellectual property & technology transfer managers

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Job Title
Intellectual Property Manager 2

Job Code
000372

Salary Grade
Grade 29

Payscale:
$240,000 - $266,000

The University of California, Office of the President, is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The full salary range shows the growth potential for this position and the pay scale is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position.

Benefits: For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit: Benefits of Belonging

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOW TO APPLY

Please be prepared to attach a cover letter and resume with your application.

APPLICATION REVIEW DATE

The first review date for this job is February 4, 2026. The position will be open until filled.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check Process: Successful completion of a background check is required for this critical position. Background check process at UCOP

Smoke Free Work Environment: The University of California, Office of the President, is smoke & tobacco-free as of January 1, 2014. UC Smoke & Tobacco Free Policy

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
  • UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
  • UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
  • APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

EEO STATEMENT

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

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