Head of Growth

Position Summary:
The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship (Rice Alliance) is seeking a Managing Director Head of Growth to lead the commercial and revenue strategy for the Rice Alliance across the Ion District and Venture Advantage Platform.

Through the Venture Advantage Platform we bring together people expertise capital and corporate and community partners into a coordinated system designed to help founders gain advantages and compound impact. By doing so we seek to strengthen Houstons ability to sustainably launch and grow thriving ventures that deliver local national and global impact. Over 25 years the Rice Alliance has supported more than 3700 startups that have raised more than $31 billion in capital. That impact is rooted in our belief that when people are activated around meaningful work it creates an economic engine that generates an abundance of opportunities for our community to prosper. The Rice Alliance exists to help people pursue their lifes work starting by serving entrepreneurs.

The Rice Alliance has a long history of working with corporations and philanthropic partners to advance its mission and create high-value collaborations. Through its role in the Ion District this work has expanded to include enterprise partnerships and services that connect companies to entrepreneurs emerging technologies new networks Rice University and Houstons broader innovation ecosystem.

This role comes at a pivotal moment as the Rice Alliance brings its established partnership sponsorship and enterprise engagement activities into a more integrated Growth function. The Head of Growth will build on an existing book of business to strengthen and expand enterprise relationships create a more disciplined commercial strategy and drive sustainable revenue growth across the Rice Alliance and Ion District.

As a member of the Rice Alliance leadership team the Head of Growth will be accountable for overall revenue and commercial performance and will lead the Growth function. The Head of Growth will:

• Set and execute the commercial and go-to-market strategy including integrated pricing and packaging pipeline development forecasting and revenue growth.

• Build on existing relationships and offerings while sourcing negotiating and closing significant new enterprise partnerships.

• Lead the Growth team and establish the systems processes and operating discipline needed to strengthen partner delivery retention renewals and expansion.

• Translate market and customer needs into new and improved offerings in partnership with teams across the organization.

• Work closely with Rice University and organizational leadership to advance strategic partnerships and support the growth and impact of the Ion District.

Through this work the Head of Growth will expand the organizations reach strengthen Houstons innovation ecosystem and create greater capacity for the Rice Alliance and Ion District to fulfill their missions on a larger scale.

In the First Six Months Success Looks Like:

• An integrated view of the existing book of business pipeline renewals and growth opportunities with clear ownership and priorities.

• A disciplined commercial operating rhythm including CRM pipeline management forecasting and performance reporting.

• Refined pricing and packaging across existing and emerging partnership sponsorship and innovation offerings.

• Demonstrated expansion of existing relationships alongside meaningful progress and wins with new enterprise partners.

• A clearly defined and operational Growth function with effective handoffs across business development partner management and organizational delivery.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues. Additionally please provide a short case study summary of a past project that demonstrates how you grew a team fixed a broken sales funnel or achieved significant revenue targets.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate is a high-performing mission-driven commercial builder with a track record of developing go-to-market strategies leading sales and growth functions and personally closing high-value partnerships with organizations ranging from growth-stage companies to Fortune 500 companies.

You know how to build on an existing foundation while bringing greater commercial discipline focus and ambition. You understand customers and markets know how to create a pipeline and turn opportunities into revenue and can build the systems and teams required to scale.

You are energized by the opportunity to help grow the Ion District strengthen Houstons innovation ecosystem and make other parts of the organization more successful. You can translate vision into execution lead a high-performing team and view revenue growth as a means to create greater value for those we serve and expand our impact.

Experience in energy industrial hard-tech or other sectors important to Houstons economy is preferred.

Workplace Requirements:

Work is primarily performed in a professional office and event environment. The position requires regular interaction with corporate executives external partners founders and university leaders. You should expect regular evening activities and occasional weekend events as well as periodic travel.

Workplace Location:

This position is exclusively on-site requiring all duties to be performed in person at the Ion Rice policy 440 work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: Hiring salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

*Exempt (salaried) positions underFLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelors degree.

• In lieu of the education requirement additional related experience above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

• Five or more years of related experience in business development enterprise sales strategic partnerships innovation or a related field with at least five years of direct leadership experience.

Skills:

• Strong record of identifying negotiating and closing business deals complex partnerships and multi-year agreements.

• Ability to develop and execute commercial strategy establish revenue targets and manage pipelines forecasts KPIs and performance reporting.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to assess markets customer needs competitive dynamics and revenue opportunities.

• Excellent executive communication proposal development presentation negotiation and relationship management skills.

• Experience using CRM systems sales reporting and performance analytics to drive action and accountability.

• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and develop a high-performing customer-focused growth function.

Preferences:

• Ten or more years of experience in business development enterprise sales partnerships sponsorships or a related field.

• Experience building a commercial or sales function from the ground up or transforming the revenue model of an established organization.

• Experience in venture capital startup support corporate innovation higher education accelerators coworking economic development or a related innovation environment.

• Established relationships or partnership experience within Houstons corporate innovation ecosystem particularly in energy industrial hard-tech or climate sectors.

Essential Functions:

• Develop and execute the organizations commercial business development and revenue strategy establishing targets forecasts KPIs and accountability for overall commercial performance.

• Build on the organizations existing book of business while identifying cultivating structuring negotiating and closing significant new enterprise partnerships and multi-year agreements.

• Develop and continuously refine integrated pricing packaging and partnership models across enterprise partnerships sponsorships innovation services and strategic collaborations.

• Lead market and customer discovery to identify opportunities and translate partner needs into compelling offerings partnerships and revenue opportunities.

• Build and operationalize the commercial systems and processes required to effectively manage pipeline forecasting CRM account handoffs renewals expansion and performance.

• Lead and develop the Growth team establishing clear accountability across new business partner management and execution while collaborating across platform marketing events programs operations and other teams.

• Advise senior leadership on strategic partnerships and growth opportunities and represent the organization in executive-level conversations with prospective partners and other external stakeholders.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Additional Functions:

• Support high-priority organizational initiatives partner events and external engagements as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Rice University HR Benefits: Mission and Values: Mission and Values Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race color religion age sex sexual orientation gender identity national or ethnic origin genetic information disability or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process please get in touch with Rice Universitys Human Resources Office via email at for support.

If you have any additional questions please email us at . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.