Director, Entrepreneurship, Hall School of Business & Entrepreneurship

Director, Entrepreneurship, Hall School of Business & Entrepreneurship Reports to the Dean, School of Business. Location: Kelowna; Flexible work options available.

The Director provides strategic leadership for Okanagan College’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. This senior role is accountable for establishing, managing, and growing the School of Business Entrepreneurship incubator, ensuring measurable outcomes such as venture creation, improved survival and growth rates, integration of entrepreneurship into student learning, and demonstrable economic impact.

Functions and Duties Strategic Planning and Execution

Develops and executes the strategic vision for the entrepreneurship incubator, ensuring alignment with Okanagan College’s Inspire 2.0 strategic plan and the School of Business mandate.

Conducts quarterly strategic check‑ins with the President & CEO to ensure incubator outcomes align with institutional priorities and contribute to College‑wide objectives.

Establishes annual operational plans with clear milestones, key performance indicators, and resource requirements to achieve programmatic and financial goals.

Monitors and evaluates program effectiveness, making data‑informed adjustments to programming, operations, and strategic direction to maximize impact.

Identifies emerging trends in entrepreneurship education, venture capital, and startup support to position Okanagan College as a leader in post‑secondary entrepreneurship.

Incubator and Ecosystem Leadership

Establishes, manages, and continuously improves the incubator facility, programs, services, and operational infrastructure to support entrepreneurs at all stages of venture development.

Designs and implements comprehensive programming including workshops, hackathons, pitch competitions, mentorship matching, and specialized support for high‑growth ventures.

Ensures incubator facility is operational by 2027 with scalable infrastructure, technology platforms, and support systems to accommodate year‑over‑year growth.

Builds strong partnerships with entrepreneurial networks, investors, accelerators, industry leaders, and community organizations to create pathways for incubated ventures.

Establishes a minimum of ten formalised partnerships by Year 3 with organisations that provide capital, expertise, market access, or specialised support to entrepreneurs.

Oversees maker campus operations, ensuring appropriate equipment, safety protocols, training, and access for students and entrepreneurs to prototype and develop products.

Seed Funding Oversight and Financial Management

Develops transparent, rigorous processes for seed fund distribution in collaboration with the Manager, Business Operations, ensuring alignment with investment criteria and fiduciary responsibilities.

Coordinates with the Seed Fund Investment Committee to evaluate applications, conduct due diligence, make investment recommendations, and monitor portfolio performance.

Maintains compliance with all financial reporting requirements, fund governance policies, and regulatory obligations related to seed fund operations.

Prepares comprehensive financial reports for the Okanagan College Foundation, including fund utilisation, investment performance, portfolio composition, and economic impact metrics.

Develops budget forecasts and resource allocation strategies for incubator operations, ensuring sustainable financial management and optimal use of resources.

Student Integration and Academic Collaboration

Partners with Associate Deans in the School of Business to embed applied and experiential entrepreneurship learning opportunities into curriculum and co‑curricular programming.

Creates pathways for students to engage with the incubator through credit courses, work‑integrated learning, capstone projects, and volunteer opportunities that build entrepreneurial competencies.

Collaborates with faculty to develop entrepreneurship‑focused learning outcomes, assessment methods, and authentic learning experiences that prepare students for startup ventures or intrapreneurship roles.

Ensures incubator programming is accessible to students across all School of Business programmes and explores opportunities for cross‑disciplinary entrepreneurship initiatives.

Engages 450‑600 participants annually by Year 5, including students, alumni, youth, and community entrepreneurs, through incubator programs and ecosystem activities.

Entrepreneurs‑in‑Residence and Mentorship Networks

Recruits, selects, and manages a diverse cohort of Entrepreneurs‑in‑Residence (EIRs) who bring industry expertise, startup experience, and networks to support incubated ventures.

Establishes clear expectations, engagement models, and evaluation criteria for EIRs, ensuring they provide high‑quality mentorship and contribute to ecosystem development.

Expands mentorship networks by identifying and recruiting experienced entrepreneurs, industry experts, investors, and business leaders willing to support early‑stage ventures.

Facilitates structured mentorship matching, peer‑to‑peer entrepreneur groups, and community of practice initiatives that foster learning, accountability, and relationship‑building.

Organises events, showcases, and networking opportunities that connect entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, potential customers, and strategic partners.

Governance, Reporting, and Stakeholder Engagement

Actively participates in the Advisory Committee and Seed Fund Investment Committee, providing strategic input and ensuring effective governance of incubator operations.

Submits timely, comprehensive reports to the Okanagan College Foundation, Advisory Committee, and College leadership detailing program outcomes, financial performance, and impact metrics.

Coordinates donor recognition activities, stewardship initiatives, and impact reporting to demonstrate value and maintain strong relationships with philanthropic supporters.

Represents the incubator and Okanagan College at regional, provincial, and national entrepreneurship events, conferences, and forums to build visibility and partnerships.

Manages communications and digital presence for the incubator, including website content, social media, newsletters, and promotional materials that attract participants and partners.

KPIs, Impact Measurement, and Continuous Improvement

Establishes comprehensive data collection systems to monitor venture launches, survival rates, growth metrics, participant learning outcomes, and ecosystem health indicators.

Ensures participants demonstrate at least 30 % improvement in entrepreneurial skills and mindset through validated pre‑ and post‑assessments.

Achieves venture survival rate at five years for incubated startups, exceeding national benchmarks and demonstrating the effectiveness of support services.

Attains measurable revenue and/or employment growth within five years, contributing to regional economic development.

Documents engagement and participation of under‑represented groups including women, Indigenous entrepreneurs, racialised communities, and persons with disabilities to ensure inclusive programming.

Conducts regular programme evaluations, participant satisfaction surveys, and stakeholder feedback sessions to identify improvement opportunities and inform strategic planning.

Leadership and Team Development

Provides direct supervision to the Coordinator, Entrepreneurship, including goal‑setting, performance management, professional development, and day‑to‑day operational guidance.

Recruits, hires, and on‑boards additional staff as the incubator grows, building a high‑performing team with complementary skills and expertise.

Fosters a culture of innovation, collaboration, equity, and continuous learning within the entrepreneurship team and across the ecosystem.

Identifies and removes barriers that impede team effectiveness, providing resources, training, and support necessary for staff to succeed in their roles.

Performs other duties and assists with special projects as assigned by the Dean, School of Business, in support of departmental and institutional goals.

Education and Experience

Graduate degree in business administration, entrepreneurship, innovation management, or related field is required.

A combination of experience and education may be considered.

Minimum of ten years of progressive leadership experience in entrepreneurship, venture capital, business incubation, acceleration, or related fields is required.

Proven success in building or leading accelerator and/or incubator programs with demonstrated impact on venture outcomes is required.

Strong financial acumen including fund management, investment readiness assessment, venture financing expertise, and budget oversight is required.

Demonstrated ability to foster cross‑functional alignment across academic, operational, executive, and philanthropic stakeholders in a complex organisation is required.

Established network within Canadian entrepreneurial ecosystems is required; knowledge of Okanagan and British Columbia ecosystems is considered an asset.

Experience working in post‑secondary education, particularly integrating entrepreneurship into academic programming, is considered an asset.

Skills and Abilities

Strategic visioning and planning expertise with ability to translate institutional priorities into actionable entrepreneurship initiatives.

Ecosystem development ...