Assistant Director, Business Incubator for AMPS in Albany, New York at Albany College of Pharmacy

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director supports the growth, operations, and strategic development of the NYSTAR Certified Business Incubator for Accelerating Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (AMPS). AMPS provides laboratory and office space, shared scientific resources, business development support, and access to a collaborative innovation ecosystem for emerging companies in biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences, medical technologies, and related life sciences industries.

The Assistant Director is responsible for recruiting prospective tenants, coordinating entrepreneurial programming and outreach activities, developing relationships with regional stakeholders, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the incubator. The position serves as a primary point of contact for current and prospective tenants and works closely with the Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET) to connect emerging businesses with technical expertise, specialized facilities, and commercialization resources.

The successful candidate is highly organized, proactive, and comfortable working independently in a dynamic environment that brings together entrepreneurs, academic researchers, industry partners, and economic development organizations. The Assistant Director reports to the Executive Director, CBET.

Major Duties & Responsibilities:

Tenant Recruitment and Business Development (30%)

• Develop and implement strategies to identify, recruit, and retain early-stage life sciences companies.
• Coordinate prospective tenant inquiries, facility tours, introductory meetings, and application processes.
• Maintain an active pipeline of prospective tenants and track recruitment activities, occupancy, and conversion outcomes.
• Support tenant onboarding, including coordination of occupancy agreements, orientation, and access to facilities and resources.
• Identify opportunities to increase incubator occupancy, utilization, and revenue.
• Maintain regular communication with existing tenants to assess business needs, address concerns, and identify opportunities for additional support.

Events, Programming, and Outreach (20%)

• Plan, organize, and coordinate seminars, workshops, networking events, facility tours, and educational programs that support entrepreneurship and commercialization.
• Support marketing and communications initiatives, including website content, social media, newsletters, and promotional events, including conferences.

Incubator Operations and Tenant Support (25%)

• Provide day-to-day administrative and operational oversight of the incubator.
• Serve as primary contact for tenants regarding facility access, scheduling, operational needs, and available services.
• Identify opportunities to improve tenant experience, operational efficiency, and utilization of incubator resources.

Partnerships, Reporting, and Strategic Initiatives (20%)

• Cultivate relationships with regional innovation ecosystem partners, including NYSTAR, Innovate518, economic development agencies, academic institutions, and industry organizations.
• Connect incubator tenants with appropriate business mentoring, technical assistance, funding opportunities, and commercialization resources.
• Collect and maintain performance metrics, including tenant recruitment, occupancy, programming participation, business development activities, and tenant outcomes.
• Assist in preparing periodic activity reports, presentations, and documentation required for institutional and external stakeholders.
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned by the Executive Director.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with digital communication and organizational tools.
• Familiarity with biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences, medical technologies, or the broader life sciences industry. (Preferred)
• Familiarity with NYSTAR programs, commercialization resources, and startup funding mechanisms. (Preferred)

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, life sciences, entrepreneurship, marketing, economic development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of relevant professional experience in business development, program coordination, operations, entrepreneurship support, or a related area.
• Experience working with business incubators, accelerators, startups, or entrepreneurial support organizations. (preferred)
• Experience in tenant recruitment, business development, marketing, or partnership cultivation. (Preferred)
• Experience collecting performance metrics and preparing program reports. (Preferred)

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Please note that this posting is not all-inclusive of the job responsibilities or qualifications of the position. The essential functions of the job may or may not have been fully described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Additional Information:

This position is based full-time on-site in Albany, NY, requiring a consistent, in-person presence at AMPS to handle incubator operations and collaborate directly with our community and tenants. Standard work hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EST, though the role requires flexibility to attend occasional off-site meetings, conferences, and events outside standard business hours. Additional details pertaining to this position will be discussed during the interview process.

Benefits:

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including medical, dental and vision benefits, free life insurance and disability programs, tuition assistance programs, retirement plan with employer match and contribution, and generous time off including 20 paid holidays plus paid sick and vacation time. Additional perks include wellness rewards, free gym access, free parking, identity theft protection and many others. Please note, benefits and benefits eligibility can vary by position, and exclusions may apply for some roles.

ACPHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any protected class of job applicant or employee in our hiring and employment practices.