About FIRST
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.
The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
An international not-for-profit organization (501(c)(3)) founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Alumni of FIRST programs gain access to exclusive scholarships, internships, and other opportunities that create connections and open pathways to a wide variety of careers.
FIRST Core Values
The FIRST Core Values emphasize friendly sportsmanship, respect for the contributions of others, teamwork, learning, and community involvement and are part of our commitment to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The FIRST Community expresses the FIRST philosophies of Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition® through our Core Values:
- Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
- Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
- Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
- Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
- Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
- Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!
Learn more about FIRST at https://www.firstinspires.org/.
The Opportunity
The Senior Director of Business Innovations will lead a newly established Business Innovations Team that will be an incubator for the exploration of new strategies and opportunities for growing FIRST. It will comprise a team of dedicated full-time staff who will explore, develop, and scope new ideas, concepts, technologies and business models, leveraging both external and internal expertise. The team will also act as a bridge to the internal departments and work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to bring promising opportunities to fruition and foster a culture of innovation through the organization.
As the leader of this team, the Senior Director, Business Innovations is a highly visible role that requires an entrepreneurial leader capable of inspiring a culture of innovation and spearheading high-impact initiatives that align with our strategic goals. Areas of responsibility include:
Strategy and Vision
- Define and execute a strategic vision for the Business Innovations team to identify, validate, and scale new business opportunities.
- Develop and maintain a strong, actionable pipeline of innovative business development initiatives that align with the company’s strategic goals.
- Partner closely with executive leadership to ensure the alignment of the team’s projects with broader organizational objectives, while retaining autonomy for exploration.
Project Leadership and Execution
- Oversee the end-to-end development of high-impact projects, from ideation and rapid prototyping, through the development of business plans that identify staffing, resources, financial models and other requirements to move promising ideas to execution and implementation by the organization.
- Cultivate a test-and-learn culture within the team, emphasizing experimentation, agile methodologies, and iterative improvement.
- Establish frameworks and metrics for success, tracking progress against goals and pivoting quickly as needed.
Cross-functional Collaboration
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including FIRST program leadership, engineering, finance, legal, and marketing, to support the team’s initiatives.
- Foster partnerships with external entities (startups, accelerators, industry experts, etc.) to amplify project reach and capabilities.
- Act as a bridge between the Business Innovations team and other departments, advocating for the team’s objectives and facilitating smooth transitions and hand-offs for successful projects.
Team Leadership and Culture
- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performance, multi-disciplinary team passionate about rapid innovation and capable of managing ambiguity.
- Cultivate a creative, high-trust, and fast-paced work environment that promotes autonomy, calculated risk-taking, and accountability.
- Ensure knowledge-sharing and skill-building within the team, balancing visionary thinking with disciplined execution.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
- A BS/BA in Business, engineering or other relevant field preferred.
- 10+ years in business development, innovation, strategy, or a similar role. Experience leading or working within a business development, product development or centralized innovation function preferred.
- Proven track record of successfully building and managing teams to deliver complex projects from concept to execution, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and foster a creative culture.
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in environments of ambiguity, managing multiple high-impact projects with limited resources.
- Strong business acumen, with an entrepreneurial and problem-solving approach that embraces experimentation and iterative improvement.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of clearly articulating strategic objectives and team progress to all levels of the organization.
- Adept at building relationships and working cross-functionally with diverse teams, including external partners.
- Experience with agile methodologies, lean startup principles, or design thinking a plus.
Compensation & Benefits
The salary range for this role is $136,950 - $182,600 with a generous benefits package.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
Contact
Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Erin Reedy and Christy Farrell. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, age, religion/creed, and military/veteran status in its programs and activities.