Executive Director, Collaboration and Commercialisation

• Drive defence science and commercialisation agenda
• Collaborate widely with industry and academic partners
• Key leadership role

This key, senior executive role in defence research and development will make a difference to Australia’s defence science and commercialisation agendas. The Executive Director Collaboration and Commercialisation (Industry Policy and Program Director) leads a high performing multidisciplinary and distributed team with expertise in partnerships, collaboration, intellectual property management, and commercialisation to provide a coordinated, focused approach to collaboration and commercialisation; and an interface between DST and the defence industry, academic and research sectors.
The Executive Director provides high level advice and support to the Chief Science Partnerships and Engagement, working closely with key executives in other Commonwealth and State government agencies, including the Defence Innovation Hub and Centre for Defence Industry Capability. The Executive Director will chart future strategic directions of DST’s partnership program and foster cultural change; engaging with academic and industry stakeholders, establishing close working relationships with many leaders in the Defence sector and its stakeholders in Australia.
The role requires a strategic, innovative and self-motivated person with exceptional influencing and relationship management skills, and drive and initiative to make a difference. The ideal candidate will be confident, adaptable to change, have strong leadership and people skills, and the demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive working relationships to achieve outcomes for DST which impact across Defence and broader government. The Executive Director will have a proven ability to work successfully with senior executives and key senior stakeholders in government and the Australian innovation ecosystem. High level strategic thinking and planning skills, combined with strong representational, verbal and written communication skills are essential.
The Executive Director will be pragmatic, confident and consultative in approach, with ability to foster key relationships and a high standard of professional and personal integrity. Experience in leading and managing significant change agendas and operating effectively in a dynamic and quickly changing environment will be essential.
The role requires demonstrated ability to build organisational capability, innovate, anticipate future needs and respond. A strategic thinker with the flexibility, motivation and desire to make a difference in delivering against DST’s strategy, the appointee will bring high functioning conceptual, analytical, negotiation and representational skills.
With a degree or higher level qualification in science, technology and/or engineering, together with an MBA or equivalent experience, the successful candidate will bring an outstanding track record of achievement in industry collaboration, commercialisation and intellectual property management at senior management level in a research organisation or industry.’
For further information regarding this opportunity please contact Mira Bacelj of Fisher Leadership for a confidential discussion on +61 1300 347 437.
To apply: Please note, all applications must be submitted directly to the Department of Defence via this link. Applications not submitted via this website will not be considered.
Applications close: 11.30pm EST, Friday 8th March 2019.