Innovation and Business Engagement Manager: Cardiff University

We are recruiting for two Innovation and Business Engagement Managers to provide experienced business support to develop opportunities, deliver collaborations and productive relationships and partnerships linked to our research and innovation strengths.  Experienced in working effectively with businesses, public sector and regional partners, post holders will ensure our research and innovation agenda is focused on developing excellence, in areas of strength with the strong potential for income generation into, and economic benefit for, Wales (training, job creation and new commercial outcomes). You will do this by generating new collaborative partnerships and will work within multi-disciplinary teams and with senior leaders at the University to develop and implement these opportunities.

A member of the Innovation and Business Partnerships team, you will work in a seamless, integrated manner with all teams across the department and beyond to support the development of one of our Innovation Institutes working in the following strategic priority areas:

Neuroscience and Mental Health; 
Green technologies for net zero and Environment and Climate;
and Data,AI and digital transformation.

You will have a background in one or more of the themes above or be able to demonstrate an interest in and willingness to work in these areas.

You will provide critical, underpinning operational support to ensure that Cardiff’s academic community is fully engaged with opportunities arising from the rapidly evolving research and innovation landscape.

You will be responsible for scoping opportunities, engaging with external partners, developing and supporting strong multi-layered relationships and ensuring the development of effective ecosystems to support the University’s key research entities.   You will  co-develop programmes of activity with business to ensure the diversification of our innovation portfolio and support the development of bids and proposals are aligned to the needs of industry and have industry support (both financial and in-kind) whilst meeting the strategic ambitions of the University.  This will include  engaging strongly in place-based funding opportunities, designed to generate clusters of activity which provide skilled jobs, boost economic productivity and diversify business opportunities along key supply chains, linked to major investments.

Support for partnerships and bid activities will be underpinned by opportunities to access direct investment from the University to deliver business workshops, innovation activities and financial and economic analyses evidencing needs and outcomes.

You should be confident and experienced in working effectively up to senior board level with a range of stakeholders to develop and support cluster activity, including industry, the public and third sectors and regional organisations. This role requires a proactive and ambitious individual with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to forge and maintain mutually beneficial relationships. You will be a strategic thinker who is quick to recognise emerging opportunities and able to manage multiple priorities. You will have the ability to work effectively with others within and exterior to the University, identifying areas of activity which will deliver value for all stakeholders and with the ability to capture these in writing in business cases which are clear and compelling.

Key Duties

• Provide professional advice and guidance on the development of relationships with external organisations, guiding processes and procedures to internal and external customers that will have institution wide impact, and advising on the impact of proposals on strategic developments and plans. This includes the ability to work effectively with businesses and other external partners on bids and other activities. In doing so, to work effectively with senior staff in RIS, the Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise, College Deans of Research & Innovation, Heads of Strategic Entities, a broad range of academic staff and researchers plus professional services colleagues who manage University activities in relevant areas such as strategic partnerships, major bid development, the doctoral academy, strategic planning, skills and employability.
• Work with strategic research entities – in the first instance either in the areas of Neuroscience and Mental Health or Data and Artificial Intelligence – to map existing collaborative activity, identify and scope new opportunities for partnership working and to develop strategy for and provide professional advice and guidance on the development and implementation of these opportunities, including the identification of sources of public funding and supporting collaborative funding bids. Liaise with colleagues in other sections of RIS and the University more widely to ensure that activities are appropriately managed and governed to deliver best value for the University.
• Build a detailed knowledge and understanding of the key stakeholder organisations and their  strategic objectives; Identify and successfully establish relationships with key figures within the organisations who are senior decision-makers; Identify the full range of products, services, opportunities and relationships across the University that may be of interest to the organisation; Develop thematic roadmaps and opportunities for cluster development which position Cardiff University as a leader and authority in these priority areas, for both internal and external stakeholders. For example, the delivery of annual reports.
• Deploy professional customer relationship management principles and practices, including the use of CRM tools to support relationships in an integrated way across the institution.
• Identify organisations which have the potential to develop into strategic partnerships and work with the Strategic Partnerships Managers to progress these opportunities along the pipeline, in line with agreed partnership metrics and other strategic considerations.
• Take responsibility for resolving issues independently within where they fall within set role objectives, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action and ensuring complex and conceptual issues and solutions are understood by the audience
• Plan and deliver projects and activities that have an institution wide impact, managing the operation of project teams as needed, planning, organising, and delegating work, monitoring progress and intervening as required.
• Investigate and analyse specific issues associated with partnership and project development, creating recommendation reports and economic and other assessments supported by evidence as required.
• Ensure that the provision of appropriate metrics for management reporting and up to date pipeline of opportunities and a process for their prioritisation is delivered to the institution, proactively changing the delivery according to customer requirements, contributing to the development of institution wide standards and supporting the development of best practice to inform future activities.

Person Specification

Key Duties continued:

• Establish working relationships with senior staff and all relevant Professional Services departments, academic schools, key research institutes and centres, developing appropriate communication links with these as required.
• Establish working relationships with a wide range of external organisations in the Cardiff Capital Region and beyond, developing appropriate communication links with these as required.
• To attend internal and external functions for the purpose of cultivating networks and opportunities
• To demonstrate a high level of understanding of the University’s Strategic Plan, The Way Forward 2018-2023 and underpinning strategies (including the sub-strategies for Research, Innovation and Civic Mission) and how they should be operationalised.
• To play an active role in applying for funding for collaborative research and development activity from different sources in conjunction with external organisations, including the preparation and delivery of appropriate training to staff. To be informed by attendance at relevant briefing sessions offered by funders and ensuring that Cardiff staff and our external partners have comprehensive knowledge of funding rules and constraints.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the department
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University as required where presentation of ideas and plans are needed.
   

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role

Person Specification

Important note: It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.  Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.

When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for 10470BR.

Additional Information

Person Specification continued:

Essential Criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent.
2. Demonstrable track record in initiating, developing and managing sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships with external organisations in either the Biomedical and Lifesciences or Physical Sciences in order to secure substantial third party funding and investment.
3. Able to demonstrate expert professional knowledge of approaches to prospect development and relationship management, including the use of appropriate supporting tools and the analysis of data.
4. Proven experience in evaluating and improving processes, in developing new processes and procedures to deliver greater levels of success.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the higher education sector, funding for research, development and innovation and relevant Government policy.
6. Ability to communicate both orally and written, conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of individuals at all levels within the organisation and externally. For example, writing and delivering cases for partnership development and for investment.
7. Ability to influence senior decisions from a variety of stakeholders that have a strategic impact; finding a consensus way forward where there is discord.
8. Ability to develop internal and external networks in order to deliver strategic outcomes and sustainable benefit, including supporting effective engagement with funding organisations, academic staff and researchers and a range of third-party stakeholders.
9. Evidence of ability to use initiative in identifying opportunities and to carry out research and solve significant problems independently using initiative and creativity; identify and propose both practical and innovative solutions.
10. Evidence of ability to undertake and deliver projects, establish and lead short term project teams in a professional context, including delivery of tasks to strict deadlines and budgets, and experience of consultation, liaison and negotiation.   

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience and qualifications in formal project management.
2. Experience in setting and managing budgets.
3. Experience in building and managing effective teams and establishing outcome targets.
4. Fluency in Welsh

Research and Innovation Services

Cardiff is an ambitious and innovative university located in a beautiful and thriving capital city. Our world-leading research was ranked 5th for quality amongst UK universities in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and we provide an educationally outstanding experience for our 30,000 students. With an annual budget in excess of £500 million and around 6,000 staff, Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group of the 24 leading UK research-intensive universities. The University has 24 academic schools grouped into three colleges: Biomedical & Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering and Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences.

The University’s ambition is to rank consistently among the top 100 universities in the world. Cardiff is also developing its Innovation System through a focused programme of investment in people and infrastructure.  Research funding secured from competitive, external sources exceeds £100 million annually and the University aims to grow this further through winning grants from a wide range of national and global sources.

Research and Innovation Services, RIS supports the University’s research community in initiating and delivering research and innovation activities. Led by the Director, Dr David Bembo, RIS provides services via over 100 expert staff organised in five specialist teams: Research Grants and Contracts; Research Integrity, Governance and Ethics; Research Development; Research Commercialisation and Impact; and Business Engagement and Partnerships. The Department works closely with academic and professional services staff from all areas of the institution.