Operations and Innovation Partnerships Director

• Industry facing commercial relationship leader for innovation factories
• Operational business management of 'industry first' innovation and R&D hubs

About Our Client

Set in the middle of a thriving and vibrant city, the University of Liverpool continues to attract the best talent available to our world-renowned reputation for research and teaching. We are committed to the career and personal development of our colleagues and are dedicated to equality, diversity and inclusion.

It is an inspiring time to join the Science and Engineering Faculty of the University of Liverpool. A leading Russell group institution, the University of Liverpool has recently integrated business focused innovation centres to provide an 'industry first' approach, to move with the pace and agility commercial research and development demands. The Materials Innovation Factory, Digital Innovation Facility and the Virtual Engineering Centre provides an unrivalled offer of access to world leading academics, leading edge technology and laboratory equipment to support businesses define and implement their innovation projects.

The Digital Innovation Facility is a £12.7million investment co-funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Set to open in 2021, this new facility will open in Liverpool's Knowledge Quarter, providing a new home for world-leading academic research dedicated to maximising the possibilities of emerging technologies.

The Materials Innovation Factory is co-founded by the University of Liverpool and a Plc industrial partner as part of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund initiative, managed by UKRI. This is a flagship strategic initiative built on world-class knowledge leadership in Material Chemistry, Lab Automation and Digital Chemistry with a vision to transform how Chemistry is done.

The University of Liverpool is also a founding partner of the Sir Henry Royce Institute and the Materials Innovation Factory is the National lead for Chemical Materials Design within the partnership. The Science and Engineering Faculty's aim is to develop the leading materials chemistry research hub in the UK for use by universities and industry, through the creation of serviced open-access facilities, accommodating researchers from a number of academic groups and industrial partners, working collaboratively to develop new science across a range of business sectors. The MIF is unique in Europe and will greatly reduce new product and knowledge discovery times to support the UK's international competitiveness.

The Operations and Innovations Partnership Director is a critical position to fully realise the commercial, economic and social impact for the Materials Innovation Factory, Digital Innovation Facility and Virtual Engineering Centre.

Job Description

We are now seeking to appoint an Operations and Innovation Partnership Director who will operate at the highest possible levels to strategically and operationally manage existing and new commercial and research relationships to realise the full potential of the Materials Innovation Factory, Digital Innovation Facility and the Virtual Engineering Centre.

Reporting to the Faculty of Science and Engineering's Director of Operations, the Operations and Innovation Partnership Director will firstly play a pivotal role in obtaining and delivering on externally funded projects and building high-level relationships for strategic innovation partnerships with R&D focused organisations. This will include leading a key relationship with a substantial Plc organisation and overseeing all commercial research bids to secure substantial funding to support the sustainability and growth of the Materials Innovation Factory, Digital Innovation Facility and the Virtual Engineering Centre.

Additionally, the successful candidate will have responsibility for oversight of operational business management of the Materials Innovation Factory, Digital Innovation Facility and the Virtual Engineering Centre.

The Successful Applicant

You will be an excellent communicator with outstanding leadership skills and have the experience and ability to identify and realise partnership opportunities. You will have suitable high-level experience of working at the interface between the Higher Education sector and industry.

Highly credible, able to interact effectively with senior academics and private sector partners, you will also have a successful background in operating in areas of emerging science and/or digital technology. Some experience of working in these areas in the higher education sector is desirable. You will support the industrial and academic aspects of projects, ensuring excellent delivery of research and development facilities and service to all parties. It is expected that candidates will have knowledge or direct experience of the interface between the public, political and business worlds and experience of establishing, maintaining and participating in significant partnerships and collaborations.

Your commercial and strategic development knowledge and background in the delivery of industrially focused R&D and innovation will enable you to bid, negotiate and secure large scale external funding. This experience can be gained from higher education or at a senior level from a large industrial corporation. You will be highly capable and comfortable with presenting and networking at regional and national events.

You will possess the gravitas, emotional intelligence, commerciality, and adaptability to be able to constructively advise the Faculty, managers and their teams. Although a strategic thinker, you'll equally have the 'hands-on' approach and attitude to be able to deliver results by leading from the front and be seeking a highly rewarding senior position in Higher Education.

What's on Offer

Competitive basic salary and package.

Where specific UK qualifications are required we will take into account overseas equivalents. All third party applications will be forwarded to Michael Page.

  Ref Code: MPFEJN0320212551590Z