Description:
Reporting to the Senior Business Development Manager, Research & Innovation, the Manager, Industry Liaison and Business Development, Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt) identifies and secures externally funded applied research work and ensures and facilitates the successful delivery of applied research projects and related technical services for FIRSt.
- Develops opportunities for collaborative applied research projects with small-and medium-sized private enterprises (SME), industry, community, and government partners.
- Identifies prospective industry, community and government partners with innovation needs that align with the capabilities of FIRSt and the College and cultivates and maintains relationships with appropriate stakeholders within these organizations.
- Monitors opportunities for collaboration with industry and community partners with relevant sectors.
- Identifies research and technical services opportunities which will contribute to financial investment in FIRSt.
- Facilitates relationships with funders, government agencies and industry and community partners.
- Works collaboratively with the Research Office’s communications person and the College’s marketing department to develop and maintain marketing materials including FIRSt’s web site and social media.
- Engages in outreach to industry through events, speaking engagements, and other promotional activities.
- Communicates with industry liaison officers from other colleges, universities, research institutes and research consortia.
- Works with the Senior Manager of FIRSt to establish and maintain strong relationships with local, regional and national food industry networks such as Food and Beverage Ontario, Restaurants Canada, Ontario and GTA food clusters, Food Health and Consumer Products of Canada and other food development centres.
- Gathers project requirements from potential partners including understanding their business, R&D needs, and budget constraints.
- Develops project briefs and budgets for potential partners with input from the FIRSt technical and project management teams.
- Works collaboratively with partners and FIRSt staff to develop funding proposals and introduces industry partners to appropriate partners within the local innovation system, such as IRAP or a Regional Innovation Centre.
- Estimates, tracks, and develops sales plans for FIRSt services to private and public sector stakeholders.
- Provides client relationship management services and engages in client project evaluation.
- Monitors opportunities in the external environment to identify trends, applied research interests and needs and informs the FIRSt, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts and Research & Innovation senior management of opportunities.
- Liaises with College academic chairs, staff, and faculty to develop and formalize multi-year plans for partner and project onboarding.
- Participates in annual FIRSt and Research & Innovation business planning processes.
- Other related duties as assigned.