Chief Executive Officer

• Executive leadership: bring together your skills in science, IP and commercial analysis to formulate, critically assess and progress commercialisation strategies
• Build strong partnerships across a complex stakeholder environment to deliver greater commercialisation outcomes
• Work closely with a highly skilled and technical board

The Position

Agriculture Victoria Services Pty Ltd (AVS) is a specialist, professional company responsible for protecting and commercialising novel technologies created by the Agriculture Victoria Research branch (AVR) of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

Reporting to the Chair and working closely with the Board of AVS, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will lead the organisation and contribute to strategic planning and risk management, as new commercialisation opportunities are explored, evaluated and implemented. The CEO will review current activities and lead the development of a focused pipeline of commercialisation, that delivers impact for the sector and a revenue stream for future investment. They will lead the AVS team in building strategies to support research outcomes that include characterisation of AVR and AVS assets, identification of potential partners and local and international route-to-market pathways, and the diversification of investment to enhance commercialisation outcomes.

The CEO will be visionary and future-focused, with a collaborative and empowering style.  Building trusted relationships with AVR and driving a close working relationship between both organisations at all levels, the CEO will bring a well-honed technical and commercialisation lens to the benefit of this critical relationship. In addition, the CEO will build mutually beneficial relationships across the agriculture sector including with DEECA, other state and federal government agencies, co-investors, technology licensees/licensors and research collaborators.

The successful candidate will have experience navigating and building strong partnerships/relationships across a complex stakeholder environment at the CEO level.  Ideally the incoming CEO will bring expertise in leading a science-based commercialisation organisation and have strong financial acumen to support future investment decisions.  An understanding of the requirements of IP management will be highly regarded, as will demonstrated ability to work in partnership with key stakeholders on the commercialisation of large, integrated projects, and platform technologies. Tertiary qualifications in agriculture or scientific field, translatable to agriculture, will be essential.  Additional qualifications in Business, Law, Intellectual Property Management, or related field will be well regarded.

The Organisation

Agriculture Victoria Services maximises the commercial value and impact of Agriculture Victoria’s research & innovation, so that Victorian agriculture and related industries are strong, innovative, and sustainable.

The Victorian Government looks to AVS to work with AVR to ensure the output of its’ research are optimised, where appropriate, by commercialisation of IP and scientific capabilities. In this way AVS helps the government to meet its objectives – by providing expert IP management and commercialisation services; commercial research and innovation collaboration services; and technology investment services that maximise the adoption and impact of AVR research outputs and capability. AVS provides an impartial commercial interface with the private sector to enhance and expedite route-to-impact for the research outputs of AVR, for the benefit of Victorian agriculture and related local industries.

To apply – please click on ‘APPLY NOW’ and using reference AVSceo0723, address your cover letter and resume to Sandra Kerr, of Fisher Leadership, or call 1300 347 437 for further information.