Business Development Manager

Overview:
**Term: 2 years.**

The Business Development Manager (BDM) is responsible for developing and managing WIN’s industry and external stakeholders relationship and industrial funding activities. The goal is revenue generation and increasing the number of industrial research partnerships for WIN members. This will include broadening the relationship between industry and Faculties leading to collaborative research projects with the Tri-Councils (NSERC, CIHR & SSHRC), Ontario Centres of Excellence, Mitacs, etc. In parallel, the BDM would continue to foster the existing entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem within WIN, across the university and with international innovation partners. The BDM will visit companies and organize outreach activities through networks, associations and by working with other university departments, specifically with the Faculties of Engineering, Science, Mathematics, and Environment, and the Office of Research Partnerships Group. Also, the individual will work with the Office of Advancement to reach out to Foundations and non-traditional funding sources, including philanthropic donations. The individual will be responsible to organize various industry/innovation/start-up outreach activities, working closely with WIN’s Events and Communication Coordinator. The individual will be responsible to manage the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of all WIN funded programs. The incumbent will work closely with the Executive Director (ED) and WIN’s Assistant Director Research Programs (ADRP).

**Responsibilities**:
Prospect and Manage Industry Partnerships
- Serve as the contact for industry partnership initiatives at WIN
- Build a deep understanding of the research expertise at WIN as it pertains to commercialization and technology transfer development and future industry trends
- 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 Of