Business Development Manager

Job Description

Business Development Manager – Energy Research

High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult

• £45,585 - £54,395 p.a.
• 30 Days Holidays + Christmas Closure + Bank Holidays
• Excellent Pension
• Hybrid Working
• Excellent learning and development opportunities
• Working at the forefront of Energy Research

We have an exciting opportunity for a talented and driven individual to join the world-renowned Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick as Business Development Manager – Energy. This directorate covers, but is not limited to, principal areas of Battery Systems Engineering, Electrochemical Materials, Energy Applications, and Power Electronics, Machines & Drives (PEMD) Research.

WMG was created to work with and for industry and is a leading international example of how academia works successfully with the private and public sectors, and this applied approach and understanding will form a critical aspect of this role.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an individual to work and operate at the forefront of WMG’s vision and objectives to deliver the technologies, knowledge, and growth to the industries of tomorrow.

Business Development Managers Role:

Reporting to and working closely with WMG’s Head of Business Development - Research, as well as working constructively with the Business Development Managers in other research disciplines, as well as those in the SME group and across Education. The role will be responsible for the delivery of business development for Energy Directorate working closely with research teams to identify and secure industrial engagement opportunities for the group, as well as WMG’s multi-million-pound HVM Catapult. Identifying and developing strategic and tactical prospects that strongly align with WMG’s overall vision.

This is a both a technical and management role, with an ability to be responsible for all aspects of business development with multiple stakeholders, as well as the management and delivery of agreed objectives multi-sector across a diversity of research teams.

• To develop new relationships and industrial engagement from first contact, creating new business opportunities and identifying potential new growth areas for the Energy Directorate (as well as augmenting existing), delivering for core WMG, as well as WMG HVM Catapult, commercial income targets, and joining up activities with the SME group and Education as appropriate to maximise opportunity.
• The role will also help to generate potential public funding / collaborative research and development (CR&D) funding proposals and partners for the Energy Directorate’s research areas, as well as helping to contribute to the wider WMG centre High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult remit.
• Manage key relationships and communications, including proposal writing, with current and potential clients, and project manage opportunities to achieve their timely and successful completion as proposals, working in conjunction with WMG’s technical / academic teams, Finance, Legal and Research Impact Services. Oversee projects through to launch until a project manager is assigned, maintaining a good working relationship with external partners, and ensuring that project activities get off to a good start with respect to time, cost and quality objectives.
• Develop relationships and information sources from a wide network multi-sector to maintain awareness of industry and market developments. To communicate with a diverse range of stakeholders both internally and externally, from researchers and project managers to industry engineers and senior decision makers, combining technical understanding alongside business administration of the industrial engagement, with excellent client management and interpersonal skills.
• Work with data / management information systems to support the industrial engagement and client management activities, to evaluate priority opportunities, and to implement monitoring and tracking processes to understand and illustrate progress, as well as report on relevant KPIs. Work closely with the research teams to augment / create best practice for data management and determine / expedite process for industrial engagement.
• To identify and support marketing and promotional activities, working closely with the Head of Business Development - Research and the Marketing team, to increase WMG brand equity, and greater interaction between WMG and industry, as well as for the wider Catapult objectives. Helping to robustly maximise profile, visibility and impact for the Energy Directorate as well as the wider WMG.
• Understand and have robust experience in the UK and international funding landscape to help generate potential new CR&D proposals and partners within the Energy arena, as well as ensuring cross-development with the wider WMG, SME, Education and WMG centre HVM Catapult research areas where relevant.
• To be an ambassador across the Energy research teams, both internally and externally, as well as for the wider WMG, with a confidence to deliver presentations to customers and stakeholders, and to support the Head of Business Development - Research as required.

Requirements & Experience

• You will be able to demonstrate success in the securing of significant new business together with the ability to establish personal credibility with a broad range of management and technical practitioners.
• Have a good understanding of the funding landscape
• A demonstrable track record of successful commercial management and achievement of challenging revenue targets within a technical or research environment.
• 2.1 honours degree or equivalent in an engineering or scientific discipline
• MBA or equivalent postgraduate management qualification or a professional qualification (Desired)
• A good understanding of Energy research, especially in the areas of Automotive / Transportation or Aerospace.
• A capacity to master new areas of knowledge and skills rapidly, with the ability to understand, work with and promote a diversity of technical / academic personnel and capability
• Ability to establish personal credibility with a broad range of management practitioners, including directors, budget holders and programme participants with major corporate organisations.
• Proven skills in negotiation and influencing, including the ability to direct resources appropriately to pursue new bids or opportunities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• A recent background of operating within a research biased industry sector.

For more information, please contact Pete.Hampshire@warwick.ac.uk

WEG Technology Recruitment is owned by the University of Warwick and is acting as an internal recruitment agency for WMG.

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