Managing Director of Business & Entrepreneurship Center

position Description & Qualifications

Reports to: Faculty Director of the B&E Center

Location: Fox Commons

Position Type: Full-Time (exempt)

Primary Objective

Lawrence University of Wisconsin seeks to hire a Managing Director for its Business & Entrepreneurship Center. The B&E Center launched in October 2024 in the new Fox Commons development in the heart of downtown Appleton, Wisconsin. Its state-of-the-art spaces host community events, speaker series, classes, pitch contests, board meetings and other university events, as well as social events.

The Managing Director will play a key role in creating a vibrant entrepreneurial hub that will connect the business and entrepreneurship community with campus. This is an in-person role that begins in January 2026.

Job Responsibilities

Programming

• Working with the Faculty Director on planning a variety of events within specific themes (Entrepreneurship, including arts organizations; Business and finance; Non-profits; Science and Tech; Environment and sustainability)
• Coordination of programming with the campus and community calendars
• Marketing and publicity for events
  • Budgeting; planning revenue generating events

Course Contribution

• Contribute to BUEN courses (such as Business and Society, In Pursuit of Innovation) through working with teams, arranging alumni and community mentors and guest speakers, etc.

Planning & Organization

• Plan and organize LaunchLU, our campus pitch contest, and represent Lawrence University at The Pitch, our regional pitch contest.
• Plan and implement summer programming in the B&E Center in coordination with the appropriate offices on campus.

Community Outreach and Relationship Building

• Development of community partnerships with businesses, non-profits, schools, arts organizations, etc.
• Collaborations with community organizations (founders’ groups)
• Engagement of the local alumni community where the alumni can support the Center’s mission
• Work closely with the Career Center to increase the number of BUEN internship and post-graduation opportunities for our students

Day-to-day operations

• Staff presence when community members use the space; access control; security
• Logistics for events (including weekends, evenings)
• Room reservations, scheduling, space use

Preferred Skills and experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
• At least 2 years of experience in the entrepreneurial ecosystem
• Project management experience
• Experience in higher education

Working Relationships

Work collaboratively with all members of the team, staff, faculty and other members of the Lawrence community, including vendors, students, and parents.

Employment Requirements

• Employment is contingent on acceptable results of criminal, MVR, and educational background checks. This role requires the university authorized driver requirements to be met.

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