The Innovation Manager role builds the Food Agility presence across Australia, managing interactions with an assigned list of partners and helps coordinate activities with other nodes. The Innovation Manager supports the CRC’s three Research Program Leaders. They will work closely with industry partners and researchers across the consortium to provide expertise in project concept development and management, developing collaborations and building partnerships. This role also includes identifying commercialisation opportunities.
The position is one of the commercial faces of Food Agility CRC and will be one of the points of contact for large and small corporate organisations, government agencies and research organisations.
Key Accountabilities
Growing the Food Agility presence:
- Raising awareness about FACRC through domestic and international networks.
- Identifying and promoting opportunities for existing partners and new entities to contribute to, and benefit from FACRC activities.
- Establishing and nurturing relationships within the Agribusiness and AgriTech communities to connect relevant activities.
Stakeholder Engagement with agencies from the state; industry; education; and research sectors:
- Understanding the different industry drivers and needs, and using this knowledge to inform research and development actions and decision making to gain best results i.e. help build better project proposals and adoption pathways.
- Responsible for creating strategic alliances through strategic partnership engagement and networking.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key executive stakeholders and their teams.
Identifying R&D and Innovation opportunities for industry, government, and education organisations and science sectors to contribute to, and benefit from FACRC activities:
- Providing strategic advice to industry and research partners to identify and articulate the path to market for solutions through FACRC projects.
- Facilitating access to FACRC intellectual property and to international experts and technology.
Research Leader Support:
- Lead and facilitate partner engagement activities including facilitating co-design workshops to establish project concepts for CRC partners.
- Manage the FACRC development of proposals to help researchers structure sound research projects.
- Explore new end-user driven projects.
- Manage active projects to fulfil FACRC reporting and project management requirements (to Research Leaders; Portfolio Manager; CEO; Board; Commonwealth; State investors; etc.).
Key link to the CEO on matters of operation and of local issues:
- Assistance with, and monitoring of, the adoption of project outcomes and industry skills capacity building.
Key Selection Criteria
- Demonstrated experience of strategic partner management and business development including extensive experience in building effective networks.
- A strong existing network with Ag Tech industries including technology providers, transport, producers, processors and government agencies.
- Demonstrated high level expertise in the areas of change management, quality management and project management and in particular the management of high-profile projects.
- Knowledge of issues and policies affecting research and the innovation sector.
- Significant leadership skills including the capacity to initiate lead and manage change in a challenging and dynamic environment.
- Demonstrated experience and expertise in the management and delivery of services within a complex organisation or consortia.
- High level interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to lead, direct and influence others, including proven capacity to build and maintain effective and productive relationship with a wide range of stakeholders.
How to Apply
Specific questions and applications (including a current resume and a brief application letter outlining your suitability for the position) are to be forwarded to Clare Rutherford, Portfolio Manager via [email protected].
CLOSING DATE: COB Friday 13 September 2019
Please note that applications from agencies will not be considered at this time.
To be eligible to apply for this role you must be legally permitted to work in Australia on a permanent basis.