Business Development Representative

• Facilitate meaningful interactions and relationships between WIN faculty and industry partners, and fostering new partnerships and managing existing relationships with tact and diplomacy

• Develop and implement an ongoing strategy for the identification, prospecting and stewardship of external industry partners that will lead to research collaboration with the WIN members

• Pro-actively target and approach national and international companies where there is high potential for funded research

• Organize meetings and events to promote WIN research capability and interaction with potential partners

• Respond to requests for information on research capabilities from industry and the university’s network (including co-op, advancement, international etc.) Obtain and Leverage Industry Funding

• Secure industry dollars and in-kind contributions, including necessary overhead • Identify research programs or project opportunities and support the development of funding proposals

• Cultivate an awareness of federal and provincial government granting programs, in particular those that require industry participation

• Coordinate the participation of industry partners in the proposal preparation process, to aid in leveraging industry sponsored funding and helping to cultivate and secure partnership agreements

• Initiate negotiation of the terms and conditions of industrial research grants and contracts

• Work closely with WIN ED and ADRP on strategic initiatives to target national, international and other external funding programs involving commercial partnerships

• Work with Office of Research, research partnership managers to secure Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Sponsored Research Agreements (SRAs) and others Outreach Programs

• Recruit prominent industry speakers for WIN Industry Speaker Series • Recruit prominent speakers from government and funding agencies for WIN’s Innovation Series

• Organize monthly “Pitches & Demos” event by recruiting local industry, startup/innovation ecosystem players, WIN members, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows to have effective networking event

• Promote WIN members’ research interests, from research across campus, to external organizations Support for Entrepreneurship and Start-up Activities

• Work with WIN members and their HQP to support WIN’s Startup Catalyst program

• Work with Velocity to champion and recruit potential students for WIN-Velocity Scholarship Program

• Work with WIN’s International Innovation partners like Landing Pad Tokyo, Brainport Eindhoven, NANOTEC Thailand, and others to provide opportunities for WIN members to connect with the international innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem

• Organize strategic mission to partner countries targeting innovation opportunities

• Work with Canadian innovation funding agencies and other funding bodies like BDC Canada and others to leverage existing funding opportunities for WIN members and their startups Managing KPIs for WIN funded activities

• Work closely with WIN’s ADRP to curate and monitor the various KPIs that are set for WIN funded programs

• Work closely with Finance Officer at the Office of Research to pull out bi-annual report on the use of funds by WIN members that are funded by WIN programs, flag any discrepancy between fund usage and the award conditions, work with different involved parties to resolve any challenges Connectivity to local and global community

• Responsible for managing all industry and external stakeholder contacts via WIN’s LinkedIn account

• Responsible for curating WIN Nano Fellows as WIN alumni and remain connected with them via WIN’s LinkedIn account

• Able to tweet relevant events and activities within BDM portfolio by using WIN’s Twitter account Reporting and Communications

• Assess and report on current and projected future directions in industry trends as pertaining to academic and research focus in nanotechnology

• Provide information and regular reports to UW and external stakeholders, such as Annual and term-reports, newsletters and web-based content

• Work closely with communications team to develop website, social medial, and other external communications material to promote research and commercialization activities at WIN

• Participate in conferences, symposia and meetings pertaining to nanotechnology research and relevance to marketplace demands • Assist in other duties for WIN research programs, operations, events and communications as assigned Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Business, Science or Engineering Marketing or equivalent combination of education and experience; a graduate degree in STEM is preferred

• 5+ years of experience in business development or technology management, in a private or public organization

• Direct experience in a university technology transfer or industry liaison role would be an asset

• Experience and knowledge related to sales, professional account management would be an asset

• Experience in sourcing, researching and analyzing corporate mandates to assess a company’s suitability as a research partner Knowledge of federal and provincial R&D funding agency programs and policies

• Proven ability to negotiate contracts and agreements

• Familiarity with an academic or corporate research environment would be an asset • Demonstrated leadership skills, strong project- and time-management skills, attention-to-detail, and problem-solving skills are required

• Ability to manage relationships and complex negotiations, especially when faced with challenging situations or personalities

• Outstanding oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent presentation skills and the ability to be an articulate advocate for WIN and the University in research promotion and external relations

• Ability to follow technical discussions related to research, and to identify appropriate faculty members in respect of industry interests

• Excellent negotiation and customer relations skills, and the ability to adapt to the complex and changing University, Industry and Government environments

• Ability to work with confidential information • Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment

• The capacity to work effectively and efficiently in a complex, fast-paced and changing environment with numerous hard deadlines and priorities

• Strong analytical skills, accurate data interpretation capability and the ability to integrate report data from various sources

• Domestic travel is required and occasionally, international travel. Equity Statement The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within our Office of Indigenous Relations. The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources.