Head of Innovation Partnerships

**Job Purpose**
To lead and develop a professional Innovation Partnerships Team supporting delivery of the University’s strategic ambition for Innovation and Economic Development and enhancement of the University’s external profile for innovation and impact.
Responsible for enabling and supporting commercial partnerships linking academic skills, innovation and infrastructure with a wide range of external clients including industry, NHS, professional services companies and public bodies, government and third sector entities.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**:
**Manage the development of business partnerships with academics.**
- In close consultation with the Executive Director of Innovation, Enterprise and Economic Development, the VP for Economic Development & Innovation, and working in partnership with the University’s Colleges, define and lead a team that supports the delivery of local priorities and institutional strategic objectives for commercial partnerships.
- Develop and implement the operational plan which drives the Innovation Partnership team and determines its success.
- Develop the capability of the Innovation Partnerships Team providing leadership to a team capable of sustaining and growing the service.
- Responsible for setting quality and professional standards for service delivery making business engagement an easy and streamlined option that encourages our academic staff to participate.
- Work with the IP & Commercialisation team, the Academic Consultancy team and the Economic Development team in the Directorate to (i) integrate the respective service models providing a seamless support for academic staff who engage in innovation activity and (ii) manage delivery of the University’s longer-term strategic objectives for innovation and impact.
- Promote our University as a world leader in the provision of innovation partnerships to a broad range of clients in Scotland, the UK and globally. Develop the University’s capacity to engage in business relationships with external entities leading to increased collaborations with both multi-national corporations and SME industry clients, Charities and government agencies.
- Continuously communicate to our academic staff the potential to generate positive economic and social impact from business activity and demonstrate how partnering can enhance the reputation of both the individual academic and broader University as a globally leading institution.
- Develop the capability of the Innovation Partnership Team providing leadership and management of the team, ensuring structures are fit for purpose. Motivating and mentoring staff to meet current and future requirements and supporting them to succeed and thrive in their roles.
- Work closely with the Executive Director of Innovation, Enterprise and Economic Development with financial planning to implement a business model which achieves a step change in the number and quality of contracted engagements with external partners. Targeting income on annual basis building to circa £20M in 3-5 years.

**Service delivery**
- Work closely with the University legal team to ensure that the terms and conditions of every contract have been adequately risk assessed.
- Develop and shape a high quality portfolio of training workshops, information sessions and one-to-one meetings at School and College levels to raise awareness and engagement amongst the academic community.
- Strengthen and develop relationships with external entities and networks, leading to an increased number of research collaborations, licencing, internships, executive education programme participation and industry recruitment of our students.
- Represent and promote the University of Glasgow and its world leading academics, its Research Centres and Institutes by establishing new relations and programmes with key external partners.
- Provide strategic advice and guidance to academics on planning and financing for engagement projects.

**Management reporting**
- Develop and lead on provision of regular progress reports, analyses and insights to the Executive Director of Innovation & Enterprise, Research Services Impact Team, Colleges and Senior Management Group identifying trends, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats against delivery of the University’s targets for innovation partnerships.
- Evaluate and strive to continuously improve mechanisms for academic/client feedback, data quality, analysis and management reporting.
- Play a key role in contributing to the production and development of novel methods of high-level, evidence-based management progress reports, ensuring that senior colleagues in the University understand and are committed to external partnership targets.
- Provide updates of key trends and developments within the sector.
- Champion Innovation Partnering as a strategic delivery route to impact

**General**
- Actively engage in sector wide discussion/support networks and fora to ensure continuous improvemen