Executive Director, Industry Engagement

SHK; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

SHK Asia Pacific is seeking an Executive Director, Industry Engagement to establish, scale and lead a new enterprise-level function that connects industry and government with the university. You will align with the university's engagement strategy to enable a coordinated, one-university approach to partnerships and mutual value creation across sectors.

You will build and lead high-performing teams, negotiate large-scale commercial deals, and position the institution as a trusted partner in local

Qualifications

• Senior executive with experience leading B2B and/or B2G industry engagement and growth functions.
• Track record of originating and closing large, complex enterprise deals.
• Experience spanning higher education, government innovation ecosystems, and STEM industries.

Responsibilities

• Establish, scale and lead a newly created industry engagement function.
• Align with the university’s engagement strategy, priorities and education ambitions.
• Foster a one-university mindset and build credible relationships with corporate and government partners.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Business development

CRM adoption

Negotiation

Job description

• Leading Australian university, global footprint
• Build new B2B enterprise-wide industry engagement function
• Connect industry and government with research, education and innovation

About the organisation

This large Australian university has a global footprint and long-standing reputation for excellence in education, research and industry engagement. With multiple campuses, and an established international presence, it is committed to creating transformative experiences for students and making a meaningful impact through research, innovation and engagement. The university is now creating a dedicated and coordinated enterprise-level industry engagement function, aiming to invest in mutually beneficial collaborations, diversify revenue, give industry partners a coordinated and clear way into the institution, and support its long-term strategic objectives.

About the role

Reporting to the Vice-President, Engagement, the Executive Director, Industry Engagement will establish, scale and lead a newly created industry engagement function, aligned with the university's broader engagement strategy, research priorities and education ambitions. The role will drive a coordinated effort for identified priority areas and sectors to enable a more connected approach to industry engagement across the university. Establishing clear ownership of key relationships and enabling industry partners to navigate the university more easily, the appointee will foster a collaborative and a one-university mindset for industry engagement, balanced with faculty and portfolio objectives. They will position the university as a trusted partner for corporates, government, industry associations and professional bodies, across local and international markets by identifying, developing and managing relationships that create mutual value and commercial outcomes, through research collaboration, workforce development, innovation, philanthropy and graduate employability.

About you

You are a senior executive who has built and led B2B and/or B2G industry engagement, business development, sales or growth functions, within the higher education and commercial sectors ideally. Your experience may also span the government innovation ecosystem and STEM industries, and you have originated and closed large, complex commercial deals at scale enterprise wide. You think broadly across all partnership, growth and revenue opportunities, building credible relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. You can bring independent-minded senior leaders and academics together around large and complex shared opportunities and keep them aligned through to delivery. Analytical and commercially focused, you use data and market insight to build pipeline and prioritise effort, and you have championed CRM adoption across complex stakeholder groups. You have designed operating models and built high-performing teams in complex organisations, can negotiate with skill, and have represented an institution confidently in public and international forums. Experience in South-East Asian and European markets, and a commitment to both vocational and higher education, will be well regarded.