Director of Strategic Partnerships, Health Sciences and Technology

Virginia Tech•Washington, DC

7d•Remote

About The Position

The Virginia Tech Office of Health Sciences and Technology (HS&T) and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC (FBRI) are seeking a Director of Strategic Partnerships to strengthen and expand external collaboration (including industry, government, and nonprofits) for Virginia Tech’s biomedical sciences/health sciences research enterprise. HS&T, headquartered in Roanoke, builds relationships across the university community with health care partners at Carilion Clinic and Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. to address today’s major health care challenges. FBRI, central to the HS&T office, has grown its research portfolio to more than $240 million in extramural funding and $686 million in research expenditures in its first fifteen years. Based in Northern Virginia, the Director will be a liaison for external partners aligning industry interests and external engagement with key strategic activities of FBRI and HS&T. Reporting to the Chief Health Sciences Growth & Innovation Officer and embedded within the Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology, the Director will: • Engage industry, supporting collaborations in research, sponsorship, and experiential learning. • Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships with corporate and biotech executives, serving as a point of contact for FBRI and HS&T. • Work closely with HS&T and FBRI faculty, executive leadership, Advancement, and Office of Research and Innovation colleagues in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and the greater Washington D.C. metro area to engage external partners and create links between university capabilities with market needs. • Develop expertise in HS&T’s research strengths and connect them to market opportunities. • Facilitate working sessions, co-creation activities, and campus visits that generate impactful outcomes. • Apply market and technical insight to identify high-value partnership opportunities. • Support the development of proposals, white papers, grant applications, and stewardship materials. • Assist with strategy development and strategic projects, from inception through agreement execution. • Contribute to marketing and communications. • Serve as liaison to HS&T/FBRI leaders, faculty, researchers, and staff to ensure integrated engagement. • Monitor industry and government trends and university capabilities in health and biomedical sciences to drive timely, relevant collaborations. This position plays a key role in advancing Virginia Tech’s mission as a leading land-grant institution that delivers innovative, real-world solutions to global challenges through deep and sustained collaborations and partnerships.

Requirements

Advanced degree or Bachelor’s degree and relevant equivalent industry experience.
Experience in business development, alliance management, corporate partnerships, client management, and/or innovation/partnerships function in the life sciences and biomedical fields.
Previous experience in developing strategies using data analytics, technical/domain knowledge, and/or competitive/market intelligence to guide decision making.
Track record of professionalism, with strong communication skills (both written and oral) and ability to work with and support a wide range of constituents, e.g., clients, customers, teams, donors, and volunteers.
Ability to analyze data (e.g., market, technical, customer) and lend technical expertise to establish priorities, and develop and implement strategies with increasing complexity.
Evidence as a self-starter who can work independently, as well as be a team contributor in a complex and fast-paced organization.
Willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

Engage industry, supporting collaborations in research, sponsorship, and experiential learning.
Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships with corporate and biotech executives, serving as a point of contact for FBRI and HS&T.
Work closely with HS&T and FBRI faculty, executive leadership, Advancement, and Office of Research and Innovation colleagues in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and the greater Washington D.C. metro area to engage external partners and create links between university capabilities with market needs.
Develop expertise in HS&T’s research strengths and connect them to market opportunities.
Facilitate working sessions, co-creation activities, and campus visits that generate impactful outcomes.
Apply market and technical insight to identify high-value partnership opportunities.
Support the development of proposals, white papers, grant applications, and stewardship materials.
Assist with strategy development and strategic projects, from inception through agreement execution.
Contribute to marketing and communications.
Serve as liaison to HS&T/FBRI leaders, faculty, researchers, and staff to ensure integrated engagement.
Monitor industry and government trends and university capabilities in health and biomedical sciences to drive timely, relevant collaborations.