Senior Advisor, Academic-Industry Partnerships

Jobtailor; Kelowna; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Mitacs seeks a regional Partnerships Manager to develop and manage a portfolio of academic, industry, not-for-profit, and community relationships across the Central Okanagan. You will engage universities like UBC Okanagan, TRU and Okanagan College to translate partner needs into research and talent opportunities.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, represent Mitacs regionally, and lead end-to-end partnership development and project design efforts.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree; PhD preferred or equivalent
• 3-5 years building productive relationships across academia, industry, government, community or not-for-profit environments
• 3-5 years managing a complex portfolio of external relationships and advancing multiple opportunities independently
• Ability to translate organizational and sector needs into collaborative research, innovation or talent-development opportunities
• Knowledge of post-secondary research and innovation environments
• Strong consultative, relationship-management, facilitation and opportunity-development skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent presentation and public-engagement skills
• Sound judgment and strategic thinking
• Ability to work independently across a geographically distributed region and contribute to a national team
• Adaptability, curiosity, initiative, and a practical approach to partnerships
• Written and spoken English is required
• Ideal candidate resides in Kelowna and has access to an automobile

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a regional portfolio of academic, industry, not-for-profit, community, and economic development relationships
• Build relations with regional post-secondary institutions including UBC Okanagan, Thompson Rivers University and Okanagan College
• Engage industry and not-for-profit organizations to understand research, innovation, talent, and organizational challenges
• Identify, shape and advance opportunities connecting partner needs with academic expertise and Mitacs programs
• Advise partners on partnership development, project design and Mitacs pathways
• Develop relationships with economic development organizations and innovation ecosystem partners
• Represent Mitacs at regional meetings, events and sector forums
• Guide prospective partnerships through project and application development
• Develop regional engagement plans and prioritize opportunities across a distributed portfolio
• Monitor regional trends, emerging sectors, and partner needs
• Collaborate with Mitacs Business Development, Research, Programs and other teams
• Maintain accurate portfolio, opportunity and relationship information in Mitacs systems

Skills

Relationship management

Strategic engagement

Excellent communication

Public engagement

Independent regional work

Education

PhD or equivalent advanced degree

Tools

Mitacs Systems

Job description

• Develop and manage a regional portfolio of academic, industry, not-for-profit, community, and economic development relationships
• Build and advance institution-level relationships with regional post-secondary institutions, including UBC Okanagan, Thompson Rivers University, and Okanagan College
• Engage industry and not-for-profit organizations to understand research, innovation, talent, and organizational challenges
• Identify, shape, and advance opportunities connecting partner needs with academic expertise, student and postdoctoral talent, and Mitacs programs
• Advise partners on partnership development, project design, and Mitacs pathways
• Develop relationships with economic development organizations and innovation ecosystem partners
• Represent Mitacs at regional meetings, events, and sector-focused forums
• Guide prospective partnerships through project and application development
• Develop regional engagement plans and prioritize opportunities across a geographically distributed portfolio
• Monitor regional trends, emerging sectors, institutional priorities, and partner needs
• Collaborate with Mitacs Business Development, Research, Programs, and other teams
• Maintain accurate portfolio, opportunity, and relationship information in Mitacs systems

Requirements

• An advanced degree, with a PhD preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in research, innovation, partnership development, economic development, business development, or a related field
• 3-5 years of demonstrated experience building productive relationships across academic, industry, government, community, or not-for-profit environments
• 3-5 years of experience managing a complex portfolio of external relationships and advancing multiple opportunities independently
• Ability to translate organizational and sector needs into collaborative research, innovation, or talent-development opportunities
• Knowledge of post-secondary research and innovation environments
• Strong consultative, relationship-management, facilitation, and opportunity-development skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent presentation and public-engagement skills
• Sound judgment and strategic thinking
• Ability to work independently across a geographically distributed region and contribute to a collaborative national team
• Adaptability, curiosity, initiative, and a practical approach to developing relationships and partnership opportunities
• Written and spoken English is required
• Ideal candidate will reside in Kelowna and have access to an automobile

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in partnership development, relationship management, and strategic engagement within academic and industry sectors. Proficient in translating organizational needs into collaborative research and innovation opportunities while managing a complex portfolio of external relationships.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• PhD Or Equivalent Advanced Degree
• 3-5 Years Experience In Partnership Development
• Strong Relationship-Management Skills
• Excellent Written And Verbal Communication Skills
• Knowledge Of Post-Secondary Research And Innovation Environments

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Partnership Development
• Project Design
• Opportunity Development
• Portfolio Management
• Research And Innovation
• Economic Development
• Business Development

Soft Skills

• Consultative Skills
• Facilitation Skills
• Strategic Thinking
• Adaptability
• Curiosity

Industry Keywords

• Academic Relationships
• Industry Engagement
• Not-For-Profit Organizations
• Community Development
• Economic Development Organizations

Tools & Technologies

• Mitacs Systems