Corporate Research Partnerships Manager

University of Waterloo • Waterloo, ON

67d

About The Position

The incumbent is responsible for the cultivation, development and procurement of external research partnerships with industry. This will include broadening the relationship between industry and faculties leading to collaborative research projects with the Tri-Councils (NSERC, CIHR & SSHRC), Ontario Centres of Excellence, ORF, CFI, etc. The incumbent will be expected to source and nurture industry research partnership leads that may arise from targeted outreach, or through a diverse network including faculty members, industry associations, other university departments (e.g. Advancement, Co-Op), and direct industry requests. The incumbent has responsibility for the initial negotiation of the key terms and conditions of industrial research contracts and, accordingly, should have a detailed and extensive knowledge of the academic research environment as well as University policies and practices governing the conduct of research, ownership of intellectual property and overhead costs associated with industrial research. As these negotiations have a direct bearing on the success of securing industrial funding for research, the incumbent must have excellent negotiation and customer relations skills, excellent oral and written communications skills and the ability to adapt to the complex and changing University, Industry and Government environments. A strong technical background, preferably including an advanced research degree, is an asset in dealing with companies and academics in this role.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of relevant experience in business development, technology management, or R&D in a private or public organization. Direct experience in a university technology transfer or industry liaison role would be an asset.
• Knowledge of federal and provincial R&D funding agency programs and policies
• Demonstrated proactive leadership skills, strong project- and time-management, attention-to-detail, and problem-solving skills are required
• Ability to “think on your feet” in respect of managing relationships and complex negotiations with creativity, especially when faced with challenging situations or personalities
• Team player who thrives in an environment of exchanging information and ideas, and who will support other members of the industrial liaison team to meet collective goals
• Outstanding oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent presentation skills and the ability to be an articulate advocate for the University in research promotion and external relations
• Ability to follow technical discussions related to research, and to identify appropriate faculty members in respect of industry interests
• Excellent negotiation and customer relations skills, and the ability to adapt to the complex and changing University, Industry and Government environments
• Ability and confidence to communicate effectively with all researchers, including academic administrators such as Deans, Chairs and Associate Deans of Research, from a variety of disciplines within all six faculties, as well as with staff, students, administrators and faculty from other institutions
• Ability and confidence to communicate effectively with all industrial partners, including executive leaders, technical, administrative and contract staff
• Ability to understand and promote the aspirations of University faculty members in respect of research but to balance the often conflicting requirements of industry partners, university researchers and institutional priorities and policies
• Ability to work with confidential information
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment, and the capacity to work effectively and efficiently in a complex, fast-paced and changing environment with numerous deadlines and priorities
• Strong analytical skills, accurate data interpretation and the ability to integrate report data from various sources

Nice To Haves

• PhD or MBA would be an asset.
• Facility in a non-English language would be an asset.
• Experience and knowledge related to patents and other intellectual property management would be an asset
• Experience in sourcing, researching and analyzing corporate mandates to assess a company’s suitability as a research partner
• Experience in negotiating contracts and agreements would be an asset
• Familiarity with an academic or corporate research environment

Responsibilities

• Identify potential industry partners
• Maximize leverage from industry dollars
• Marketing
• Collaboration with University personnel
• Undertake Special Projects as assigned by the Director or other OR senior management

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level