Director of Industry Relations

Description Background:

Tulsa Innovation Labs, LLC (TIL) is a tech-led economic development organization transforming the Tulsa region into a nationally recognized hub for advanced industries. By building coalitions across companies, research institutions, workforce partners, and public agencies, TIL identifies and removes barriers to innovation, enabling businesses to scale, commercialize new technologies, and compete globally.

TIL focuses on strategic industry clusters where Tulsa has a competitive advantage, including aerospace, energy technology, autonomous systems, and enabling infrastructure. Through federal partnerships, industry-led initiatives, and ecosystem coordination, TIL drives investment in research, commercialization, workforce development, and place-based infrastructure that benefits both companies and the broader regional economy.

Founded in 2020 by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, TIL has secured major federal awards including the Build Back Better Regional Challenge and Tech Hubs programs (one of only two regions in the country to do so) establishing a foundation for long-term impact. Today, TIL serves as a convener, system builder, and innovation catalyst, positioning the Tulsa region as a place where companies can grow, innovate, and lead in the industries of the future.

The Director of Industry Relations is a leadership role responsible for shaping and executing Tulsa Innovation Labs’ strategy for industry engagement and ecosystem development. This position serves as a strategic connector between national and international companies, regional innovation initiatives, workforce systems, and infrastructure assets to accelerate industry growth in the Tulsa region.

The Director will identify, cultivate, and manage high-impact relationships across the full business lifecycle, ensuring companies are positioned to scale, innovate, and compete globally. Success in this role requires deep industry knowledge, the ability to navigate complex corporate structures, and the insight to translate business challenges into actionable opportunities for both TIL and the region.

As a trusted advisor, convener, and influencer, the Director will integrate intelligence and insights across TIL initiatives, aligning internal teams and external partners to strengthen Tulsa’s advanced industry ecosystem. The role balances proactive engagement with strategic account management, ensuring companies not only grow locally but also serve as catalysts for regional innovation, talent development, and infrastructure advancement.

• Develop and Execute Comprehensive Corporate Engagement Strategy – Design and implement an integrated approach to corporate partnerships that identifies priority targets for new engagement while maintaining systematic outreach to existing businesses. Balance prospecting activities with retention efforts to maximize strategic value and outcomes across the full portfolio of corporate relationships aligned with TIL's targeted industry focus.
• Strategic Corporate Relationship Management – Build and maintain deep knowledge of each partner's business model, leadership structure, priorities, and decision-making processes, from initial engagement through long-term collaboration. Translate corporate insights into actionable opportunities for TIL initiatives, including pilot programs, commercialization partnerships, infrastructure investments, policy alignment, and workforce solutions that strengthen cluster competitiveness.
• Business Retention and Growth Facilitation – Identify challenges limiting innovation, investment, or operational growth among companies in the region. Work with corporate leadership and TIL initiative teams to deploy solutions such as research partnerships, pilot programs, capital access, talent strategies, or infrastructure development that enable companies to grow and compete.
• Partnership Development – Identify and cultivate partnerships that advance product commercialization, pilot deployments, industry-led research collaborations, shared infrastructure, federal funding opportunities (e.g., Tech Hubs, EDA, DOE), etc. Connect companies…