IP Commercialisation Associate Director: Coventry University
Coventry University has been ranked joint first amongst Modern Universities in England for career prospects and we are in the top 6 universities for student experience. Our commitment to providing the best for our students doesn’t stop with them, it starts with our people. Without our dedicated teams, we wouldn’t be ranked so highly or have won any of our numerous awards.
Are you passionate about the commercialisation of new ideas? Are you interested in supporting our staff, students and alumni to raise investment, create new companies, negotiate deals, license Intellectual Property (IP), and expand our IP portfolio?
The newly formed Enterprise & Innovation Organisation (EIO) brings together knowledge exchange, innovation, and commercial activity into one organisation at the heart of Coventry University Group’s strategic ambitions. Driven by innovation and motivated by change, this sector-leading group is growing and challenging accepted practices, and are looking to recruit people with expertise, ambition, and a passion for the difference education and research can make to society.
We are currently looking to establish a new IP Team, as part of the new Enterprise & Innovation Organisation – an Associate Director, two Commercialisation Executives, and an IP & Knowledge Exchange Coordinator. The IP Team work in collaboration across the University Group; including all Faculties, Research Centres, and Professional Service departments, together with staff in the wholly or majority-owned subsidiary operations. On a day-day basis, the IP Team work to secure investment (proof of concept, seed funding, grant funding, venture capital), and support the exploitation of IP through licensing, spin-out, and joint venture activity.
People are taking notice of Coventry University. We have rapidly moved up the league tables and grown to become one of the UK’s biggest, most dynamic, and enterprising higher education institutions. Coventry University is an organisation that’s going places. Cultural diversity in our teams bring insights to, and broad experience of, multiple business cultures. It is part of our DNA and we seek it out. We want to discover what you can bring to the EIO through your personal experience, background, and identity as much as through your professional expertise
Person Specification
Reporting to the Director of Innovation, the Associate Director, IP Commercialisation is responsible for the overall management and strategy of the Intellectual Property (IP) Team and securing significant levels of external funding/investment to meet a number of key metrics. The IP Team work in collaboration across the University Group; including all Faculties, Research Centres, and Professional Service departments, together with staff in the wholly or majority-owned subsidiary operations.
As part of the Innovation Ecosystem Pillar within the Enterprise & Innovation Organisation, the Intellectual Property (IP) Commercialisation Team are primarily responsible for the registration, management and commercialisation of University Group IP. The IP Team work directly with staff to secure investment (proof of concept, seed funding, grant funding, venture capital), and support the exploitation of IP through licensing, spin-out, and joint venture activity. IP commercialisation is an important component of research impact, and the IP Team therefore perform a key role in supporting the Research Excellence Framework (REF).
Exemplar Responsibilities:
- Overall responsibility for the management of ideas from concept to commercialisation. This includes the support for all staff in creating new companies, negotiating and licensing IP, and raising internal awareness of University IP policy and available funding.
- Manage the University Group’s current IP portfolio and implement appropriate commercialisation strategies.
- Advise on systems for dealing with royalty payments and grant income. Responsible for sourcing, developing and securing funding that enables the University Group to operate IP support schemes with external partners.
- Have responsibility for ensuring appropriate protection of Intellectual Property (IP) Rights through external patent attorneys.
- Have overall responsibility for identification of opportunities
- Write and continuously amend/improve University Group policies with respect to IP commercialisation and enterprise activity to ensure legal compliance.
Key Skills and Experience
- Detailed knowledge directly related to Intellectual Property (IP) exploitation.
- Experience of managing the exploitation of the different forms of IP
- Experience of securing IP income and invesment
- Experience of successfully managing an IP portfolio budget
- Good communication and negotiation skills
- Direct line management experience or a good understanding of matrix management
- Willingness to frequently travel within the UK and occasional travel overseas
Benefits
Coventry University will provide support to you in your career and working environment. Whether you're relocating to work with us, looking for support as an academic or just want to speak to other like-minded people, we've developed a support network for you.
As well as a competitive salary we have a range of impressive benefits some of which are; pension schemes, generous holiday allowances, flexible working, a childcare vouchers scheme, personal and professional development, employee networks and discounted membership to the University's bespoke £4m sport and recreation centre where the University offers a physiotherapy service for all staff.