Director of Industry Engagement

Location: EU (remote)

About Constructor University    

Constructor University (formerly Jacobs University) is a private, state-accredited, English-language university in Bremen. We offer Bachelor, Master, and PhD programs in three schools: School of Science, School of Computer Science and Engineering, and School of Business, Social and Decision Sciences. Our principles are first-class teaching and research, international diversity, and transdisciplinary cooperation. According to the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, Constructor University is among the top 25 percent out of more than 1900 universities worldwide and is ranked as the second most international university in the world. As an international university, we attract highly talented and open-minded students from all over the world. Currently, over 1,600 students from 110 nations live and study on our residential campus.  

Position Summary

The Director of Industry Engagement will lead strategic outreach initiatives to foster relationships with industrial partners, drive business opportunities, and promote the university’s research capabilities, and educational services for the industry. This leader will work within the Research and Transfer Office to translate academic innovation into impactful industrial collaborations, generating revenue and enhancing the university’s reputation as a leading research institution.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Business Development:

• Identify and target potential industrial partners for collaborative research, consultancy, and technology transfer opportunities.
• Develop a comprehensive business development strategy to align with the university’s research strengths and market demands.
• Develop and continuously enhance client-specific and revenue-oriented value propositions.

2. Industrial Engagement:

• Establish and maintain long-term relationships with corporate leaders, R&D departments, and other stakeholders in target industries.
• Present the university’s research and educational services, facilities, and expertise to industry partners, showcasing value-added solutions.

3. Revenue Generation:

• Negotiate and secure contracts for funded research, joint projects, and other service agreements.

4. Collaboration and Leadership:

• Collaborate with faculty and research teams to understand and market their expertise to relevant industry sectors.
• Establish, recruit, and manage a team of skilled business developers to facilitate effective collaboration with industry partners, identify and support innovative business ideas within the university ecosystem, and promote these ideas to relevant markets and stakeholders.
• Lead a team of business development professionals within the Research and Transfer Office to achieve revenue and partnership goals.

5. Market Analysis and Reporting:

• Conduct market research to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges in key industries.
• Provide regular reports on business development activities, performance metrics, and strategic initiatives.

6. Brand Promotion:

• Act as a representative of the university at conferences, trade shows, and industry forums to promote research capabilities.

Qualifications

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of business development or industry engagement experience, preferably in a research or academic setting.
• Proven track record in securing high-value partnerships and contracts with industrial clients.
• Experience working with R&D teams or technology transfer offices is highly desirable.
• Background in selling highly customizable products or professional services to enterprise clients is a strong plus.

Skills:

• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong understanding of research commercialization processes and industry engagement strategies.
• Ability to analyze market trends and develop targeted outreach strategies.
• Proven track record of value proposition creation in research-heavy environment.
• Ability to bespoke marketing and selling materials.

Personal Attributes:

• Entrepreneurial mindset with a results-driven approach.
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with academic and industry stakeholders.

Location and Travel Requirements:

• The candidate must be based in Europe.
• Willingness to travel as needed, generally up to 20–25% of the time.