Industry Manager

Position Summary:

The Industry Manager is responsible for growing the advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, and IT, and Life Sciences sectors for SCRA and aligning with state initiatives in these sectors. The Industry Manager is responsible for leveraging established connections and developing new partnerships to identify and facilitate new business opportunities that accelerate innovation, technology commercialization and adoption. The Industry Manager will collaborate across SCRA Programs, industry and academic partners, and public/private entities on established and new initiatives. Success in this role is forming partnerships between industry and entrepreneurial companies and/or the state’s academic institutions leading to growth of technology jobs, increased research capacity, and technology commercialization.

Essential Functions:

• Facilitates and manages relationships between companies, entrepreneurs, and academic institutions that spur company growth and commercialization of use inspired research.
• Identifies opportunities and collaborates to develop new partnerships, projects, products, services, and business opportunities of strategic value in the SCRA technology sectors.
• Applies an understanding of leading-edge technologies and applications to quickly identify use cases and communicate the value proposition to gain corporate partner commitment.
• Conducts technology business development and technology scouting to facilitate project development between industry partners and entrepreneurial companies or academic institutions.
• Works collaboratively across SCRA programs to accomplish objectives, develop key capabilities, and facilitate technology transfer from academic institutions or entrepreneurial companies to industry partners.
• Responsible for meeting and reporting Industry Solutions program objectives and monitoring SCRA grant recipient milestones and project outcomes.
• Represents SCRA in contract development and negotiations and operates at the highest level of ethical conduct.
• Represents SCRA externally and provides thought leadership in public forums, conferences, presentations, committees, and boards.
• Other duties as requested by Director Industry Solutions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related technical field, MBA, or Master’s in technical field preferred.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in technical business development, technology scouting, or partnering with industry and a proven track record of originating and/or coordinating major business deals.
• Demonstrates an understanding of current industry trends in SCRA sectors, including corporate needs, leading-edge technology solutions, and the competitive landscape.
• Must have established relationships with industry partners and knowledge of current industry trends and product adoption processes.
• Competence in managing complex technical programs and/or projects. Accepts accountability for individual goals, as well as shared outcomes. Adheres to schedules and deadlines.
• Ability to quickly understand new technical and business knowledge and handle confidential information.
• Ability to clearly communicate orally and in writing and prepare and deliver presentations.
• Ability to use computer applications including MS Office Suite and MS Dynamics.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred experience facilitating technology transfer from academic institutions, national labs, and/or entrepreneurial companies to industry and knowledge of corporate innovation and product adoption processes.