Associate Director, Business Development (Office of Industry Engagement)

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Singapore Management University is a place where high-level professionalism blends together with a healthy informality. The 'family-like' atmosphere among the SMU community fosters a culture where employees work, plan, organise and play together building a strong collegiality and morale within the university.

Our commitment to attract and retain talent is ongoing. We offer attractive benefits and welfare, competitive compensation packages, and generous professional development opportunities all to meet the work-life needs of our staff. No wonder, then, that SMU continues to be given numerous awards and recognition for its human resource excellence.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Business Development and Engagement
  • Identify and profile SMU's core competitive strengths and key value propositions to industry through close working relationships with all internal stakeholders from schools through enterprise partners.
  • Develop comprehensive marketing materials that can be used for engagement with different partners.
  • Develop industry engagement channels to facilitate and coordinate external partnerships with the University.
  • Oversee and manage all industry engagement activities across SMU.
  • Conduct industry fore-sighting and competitive landscape analyses to establish industry strategic priorities to recommend markets and sectors of interest to pursue.
  • Formulate business and engagement strategies, to deliver innovative and creative partnership frameworks that broaden and deepen relationships and build strategic alliances that supports the goals of the University.
  • Translate strategic initiatives into business and engagement plans, including schedule of key events.
  • Establish an industry engagement governance framework to support the University's engagements, including but not limited to negotiation guidelines, cost-benefit analyses, engagement checklists, etc.
  • Work with internal administrators such as legal, research and tech transfer office to review and manage partnership and tech commercialisation contracts.
  • Engage internal stakeholders regularly to keep them abreast on the University's industry engagement priorities and developments.
  • Support the Director for annual budget and forecast review of OIE operations.
  • Support the Director in regular reporting to the University's senior management on Industry engagement activities. Management report will include updates, analysis, recommendations, project expectations, roadmaps, key deliverables and quantifiable goals.
• Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives
  • Represent OIE, together or in lieu of the Director in high-level meetings, events and official engagements.
  • Plan and manage marketing and outreach activities to boost the University's profile and brand recall to industry.
  • Organize and lead industry events.
  • Lead and manage key strategic accounts in the University.
  • Integrate business and programme development with Professional Continuing Education units, including fore-sighting new partnership opportunities with industry and government agencies to increase the number of industry projects and deals.
  • Lead regular monitoring and reporting on business and service level goals, key performance indicators, and budget utilisation, with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Responsible for coordination work in with SOCI colleagues, including follow-ups, project management, and results monitoring and governance.

• Minimum Bachelor's degree; postgraduate degree would be an advantage.
• At least 10 years of relevant work experience required.
• Seasoned in business and relationship management with strong experience in handling high level business negotiations and engagement.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to network at all levels, across cultures and backgrounds.
• Leadership experience in leading and managing new offices, initiatives, or programmes.
• Strong knowledge and experience in the higher education industry sector.
• A proven track record in strategic planning and new market development.
• A strong understanding of national, regional and global business growth trends and opportunities.
• Familiarity with other dimensions of industrial partnerships including intellectual property and technology transfer, government grants, grant and contract management, and philanthropic development.
• Outstanding written and communication skills, and a clear thinker and presenter.
• Possess creative problem-solving, multi-tasking and analytical abilities.
• Resourceful, independent worker and a team player, with strong collaborative and influencing skills that enables collaboration with a wide range of partners.

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Candidates who do not possess the stipulated qualifications but have relevant work experience may still apply. Remuneration and appointment terms shall commensurate with qualifications and experience. SMU reserves the right to modify the appointment terms where necessary.