Strategic Partnerships Officer: Cardiff University

Strategic Partnerships Officer

The University is recruiting a Strategic Partnership Officer.  The Strategic Partnership Officer role will support the Strategic Partnership team to develop, secure, and nurture the University’s relationships with external organisations from the private, public and third sectors. Your work will directly contribute to the University’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to establish and grow ten strategic partnerships to support its ambitious research and innovation objectives.  You will work with a range of external entities, many of which will have existing relationships with the institution, to build a pipeline of prospects leading to strategic, collaborative partnership status.

Reporting to the Lead Strategic Partnership Manager, your home department will be Research and Innovation Services. You will work as part of a team alongside colleagues who are already supporting established and emerging partnerships in building a portfolio of prospects at various stages of maturity. You will work collaboratively with senior leaders at the University including members of the University Executive Board, as well as directly with academics and researchers.

You should be confident and experienced in working effectively with businesses, the public and third sectors and regional partners. This role requires a proactive and dynamic individual with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to forge and maintain mutually beneficial relationships. You will be strategic and methodical in your approach, able to recognise opportunities and manage multiple priorities. You will have the ability to work effectively with others within and exterior to the University, undertaking analysis and interpreting information to suggest best way forward to deliver value for all stakeholders, using your excellent communication skills to appropriately convey this information clearly.

These posts are full-time, fixed term until the 31 July 2023.

Salary:  £34,304 – £40,927 per annum (Grade 6)

Date advert posted: Wednesday, 2 February 2022

Closing date: Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Description

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.
• In doing so, to work effectively with the Strategic Partnership Managers and other senior staff in RIS, and a broad range of academic staff and researchers plus professional services colleagues who manage University activities in relevant areas, including skills and employability and civic mission.
• Effectively manage allocated strategic partnership accounts using professional customer relationship management principles and practices, including the use of CRM tools and an inclusive culture, to support relationships in an integrated way across the institution. 

– In the case of organisations which are moving towards strategic partner status: Undertake mapping exercises to build a detailed knowledge and understanding of the organisation and its strategic objectives identifying key figures within the organisation who are senior decision-makers and work with the account team to build successful relationships; Support the work to identify the full range of products, services, opportunities and relationships across the University that may be of interest to the organisation; Work with the strategic partnership managers to develop business case and partnership proposals which outline key opportunities to secure internal and external buy-in for a partnership development and management approach; Support the development of the value proposition for the strategic partnership in line with agreed partnership metrics and other strategic considerations.

– In the case of organisations which have strategic partner status: manage the operational delivery of the agreed partnership plan working closely with the lead academic(s) and management team, provide secretariat support to the respective partnership boards including the most senior representation from both organisations and maintain effective reporting of activities against agreed KPIs.

• Take responsibility for resolving issues independently 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 specific projects and activities that have a positive impact on University wide partnerships, creating, co-ordinating and supervising project teams as required.
• Investigate and analyse specific issues associated with partnership development, creating recommendation reports and economic and other assessments supported by evidence as required.
• Ensure that the University business engagement and partnership development function is delivered at the highest standard, proactively changing the delivery according to customer requirements. 
• Establish working relationships with key contacts, including senior academics and professional service colleagues across the institution and key decision makers in partner, funder and policy organisations developing appropriate communication links as required.
• To attend and support internal and external functions for the purpose of cultivating networks and prospects.
• Develop and deliver training related to partnership development to encourage a professional, inclusive and consistent approach across the University.
• To demonstrate a high level of understanding of the University’s Strategic Plan The Way Forward 2018-2023 and underpinning strategies (including, in particular, the sub-strategies for Research, Innovation and Civic Mission) and RWIF strategy how the strategic partnership agenda can support delivery of these.

Person Specification

Key Duties continued:

• To play an active role in engaging partners and key stakeholders in supporting University led strategic projects and initiatives including large scale place based initiatives, working with colleagues in RIS and across the University.
• 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

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 13473BR.

Essential Criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent.
2. Demonstrable track record in initiating, developing, and managing relationships which are sustainable, and which benefit all partners. Working with external organisations in order to deliver activities at a strategic level.
3. Able to demonstrate professional knowledge of approaches to prospect development and relationship management, including the use of appropriate supporting tools.
4. Proven experience in developing new processes and procedures in order to deliver greater levels of success.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the higher education sector, and the funding and opportunities available to support academia and business relationships.
6. Ability to communicate both orally and written, conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of individuals. For example, researching and compiling documents to highlight partnership potential, developing materials to support partner engagement on projects and proposals, or compiling briefing notes for senior colleagues ahead of key meetings or events.
7. Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered
8. Proven ability to develop internal and external networks in order to contribute to long term developments
9. Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose both practical and innovative solutions
10. Evidence of ability to undertake and deliver specific projects and supervise short term project teams

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience of working in a business development or partnership role in Higher Education environment
2. Fluency in Welsh

Additional Information

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.