Assistant Director, Business Development, Office of

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.

DESIGNATION : Assistant Director, Business Development, Office of Industry Engagement

RESPONSIBILITIES
- 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.
- Set up and manage an industry engagement platform to facilitate and coordinate external partnerships with the University.
- Establish a university-wide key account and database management system through thorough review of the University’s current account management practices while ensuring the requirements and needs of the Office are met.
- 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.
- 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.

QUALIFICATIONS
- At least a Bachelor’s degree; postgraduate degree would be an advantage.
- At least 12 years of relevant work experience required.
- Experience in handling high level business negotiations and engagement.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to network at all levels, across cultures and backgrounds
- A proven track record in operational management and delivery that includes project initiatives, co-ordination and communication of complex information, the development of business proposals and business improvement that support organisational change.
- An understanding of national, and regional research and or business growth funding programmes suitable for regional businesses particularly relating to Industry 4.0.
- Prior experience with industry-university joint initiatives (related to research or education) preferred.
- Familiarity with other dimensions of industrial partnerships including intellectual property and technology transfer, government grants, grant and contract management, and philanthropic development.
- International experience, studying, living or working overseas would be an advantage.
- Outstanding written and communication skills, and a clear thinker and presenter.
- Possess creative problem-solving, multi-tasking and analytical a