About the position
Utah Valley University is seeking a Director of the Business Resource Center (BRC) to provide vision, leadership, and innovation in building connections between the university and the regional business community. This role offers the opportunity to shape economic development initiatives by overseeing the Utah Valley and Heber Valley BRCs, which include business incubators, co-working spaces, and educational programs that support entrepreneurship and innovation. The Director will lead outreach efforts, collaborate with community and economic development partners, and guide strategies that strengthen the region's business ecosystem while aligning with the university's mission. This position is ideal for a leader who thrives on building relationships, managing multi-source funding, and creating programs that drive measurable impact. With access to university resources and partnerships across state, federal, and local organizations, the Director will play a pivotal role in fostering business growth, developing talent, and securing funding to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs and established businesses alike. This is a chance to influence economic development at a regional level while advancing UVU's commitment to community engagement and innovation.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with stakeholders and community leaders in business and economic development through convening events, community meetings, and individual networking to promote the programs and resources offered by the BRC agencies and Utah Valley University.
- Connect university, business, and regional stakeholders to foster community engagement in and seek financial support for activities of the BRC.
- Form strategic relationships with local government leaders, business owners, potential supporters, and sources of capital.
- Represent the university and the BRC on local committees and boards, such as Downtown Provo Inc., Chamber of Commerce boards, and other organizations.
- Work with the Sr. Director of Community Outreach in building outreach strategies, implementing ideas, and reporting information gleaned from outreach activities to the University.
- Meet with business leaders, business owners, and entrepreneurs in the region to understand the business needs and the opportunities for the BRC to work with other organizations.
- Utilize university and BRC space and resources to create relevant programs according to the strategic direction offered by stakeholders, within grant and contract requirements.
- Collaborate with the Woodbury School of Business and/or other academic departments to build cooperative educational programs to support the business community.
- Track long-term and emerging needs for businesses in the region and collaborate with various agencies to position the BRC to meet those needs.
- Direct operations of the UVU and Heber Valley Business Resource Centers, overseeing BRC staff, tenant relations, lease agreements, and the new lease application process.
- Monitor and coordinate facility needs and building maintenance needs with the appropriate university departments or vendors as necessary.
- Ensure the appropriate and efficient operations of the building, programming, and staff of the BRC.
- Promote all BRC tenant agencies and businesses, working with the SBDC and other tenant agencies to align programming and activities to highlight the resources of those agencies.
- Manage existing grants with EDA and UT State BRC funding, including renewal applications and reporting of all required metrics and measures.
- Seek future funding to support the growth and influence of the Business Resource Center in Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties.
- Ensure that tenant agency metrics and reporting are not duplicated by BRC reports and that all BRC metrics are measured accurately and reported appropriately.
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Graduation from an accredited institution with a bachelor's degree in a related discipline.
- Three years of staff-level experience, OR an equivalent combination of education and/or experience related to the Summary of Duties totaling seven years.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience working in government and private industry preferred.
- Knowledge of general business practices, management, ownership, and entrepreneurship.
- Knowledge of management techniques and principles.
- Knowledge of office productivity software, including Microsoft Office.
- Knowledge in program development and management.
- Knowledge of customer service practices.
- Knowledge and ability in project management, budgeting, and program evaluation.
