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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

The School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a partnership between the Faculties of Applied Science and Medicine, established in 2017. The School is a nucleus for education and training, research, and innovation in biomedical engineering, creating new knowledge, new academic and training programs, and fostering translation and innovation. Its vision is to transform health and healthcare for all, achieved through innovative research and education at the convergence of engineering, medicine and biology. Through collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary approaches and building on UBC’s academic and research excellence, the School of Biomedical Engineering aspires to be a global leader in biomedical engineering research, education and translation. The SBME has two locations on Vancouver’s campus, the Gordon B Shrum building and the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) building. For more information about the School of Biomedical Engineering, please visit https://www.bme.ubc.ca/.

The Partnerships Manager develops and implements SBME's external partnership, innovation and commercialization activities and engagement plans in support of the School's strategic priorities. The position builds sustained relationships with industry, health-care organizations, governments, not-for-profit organizations, funders, investors, incubators and other academic institutions, and converts those relationships into opportunities for SBME faculty, trainees and ventures. The Manager provides operational oversight and coordination for SBME Innovates and supports initiatives that strengthen entrepreneurship, commercialization and knowledge translation across the School. As SBME's primary resource for external engagement, partnership development and ecosystem cultivation, the position advances the School's strategic priorities by strengthening relationships across the health, life sciences and innovation ecosystems; cultivating partnerships that support research excellence, education, translation and societal impact; expanding opportunities for industry, clinical and community engagement; and helping secure the relationships, resources and collaborations needed to enhance SBME's influence and leadership locally, nationally and internationally. Working closely with the Research Manager and Manager, Major Initiatives, the position helps identify, develop and connect strategic partnership opportunities with faculty strengths and School priorities, enabling the successful development and delivery of major collaborative initiatives, innovation programs, translational activities and institutional partnerships.

The position liaises extensively with Innovation UBC, the Vice-President Research and Innovation portfolio, Development and Alumni Engagement, Government Relations, Co-operative Education and other UBC units to advance partnership, innovation, commercialization and institutional engagement objectives.

Organizational Status

Works with considerable latitude under the general direction of the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations and in close consultation with the Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement. The position works closely with the School Director; Director of Research; Research Manager; Manager, Major Initiatives; Manager of Communications, Culture and Engagement; faculty members; and other School leaders to align partnership activities with SBME's strategic priorities and emerging opportunities.

Work Performed

• Develops and implements partnership-development, industry-engagement, innovation and commercialization plans and activities in support of SBME's strategic priorities.
• Cultivates senior-level relationships with industry, health-care organizations, governments, not-for-profit organizations, funders, investors, incubators, accelerators, professional associations and academic partners locally, nationally and internationally.
• Develops and actively manages a partnership pipeline; assesses and prioritizes prospective relationships based on strategic fit, mutual value, readiness and potential impact; and advises School leadership and faculty on cultivation, stewardship and growth of strategically important external relationships.
• Identifies areas of shared interest between external organizations and SBME researchers and leaders; frames partnership opportunities and guides discussions regarding mutual value, strategic alignment and institutional fit.
• Identifies and develops opportunities for strategic collaborations that advance SBME priorities in research, education, innovation, translation, entrepreneurship and societal impact.
• Develops and implements engagement plans for strategic partners, ensuring regular communication, stewardship and progression of opportunities from initial discussion through active collaboration.
• Works closely with the Research Manager to align partnership opportunities with faculty expertise, emerging research priorities, educational programs and strategic institutional objectives.
• Works closely with the Manager, Major Initiatives to transition mature partnership opportunities into formal funding proposals, strategic initiatives, collaborative programs and funded projects; retains primary responsibility for partner cultivation and stewardship while the Manager, Major Initiatives leads proposal development and project implementation, as appropriate.
• Creates presentations, briefing materials, concept notes, partnership proposals and business cases for prospective and current partners.
• Works with Government Relations and School leadership to coordinate engagement with government stakeholders and advance awareness of SBME priorities, initiatives and impact.
• Builds and maintains relationships with life-sciences associations, innovation organizations, hospitals, health authorities, research institutes and strategic alliances, and represents SBME at relevant meetings, conferences and ecosystem events.
• Leads the planning, coordination and continuous development of the annual UBC Vancouver Industry Breakfast and other strategic engagement forums that strengthen connections between SBME and industry, health-care, government and innovation-sector partners.
• Leads the Industry Advisory Board, including membership strategy, recruitment, governance, meeting planning, stakeholder engagement, follow-up activities and implementation of recommendations that advance SBME's partnership, innovation and commercialization objectives.
• Supports the establishment, implementation and ongoing operation of external advisory bodies and stakeholder-engagement mechanisms, including a future Community Stakeholder Board, ensuring meaningful input from patients, communities, health-system partners, not-for-profit organizations and other stakeholders in support of SBME's strategic priorities.
• Develops and convenes strategic roundtables, workshops, networking events and partnership forums that foster collaboration among academia, industry, health-care organizations, governments, community groups and innovation-sector partners.
• Provides operational oversight and coordination for SBME Innovates, including its growth, service model, partnerships, governance processes, operating practices and long-term sustainability.
• Develops and manages SBME's commercialization and venture-development pipeline, from early identification of promising research and technologies through connection to technology transfer, venture development, incubation, mentorship and financing resources.
• Advises prospective and resident ventures and connects founders with Innovation UBC, investors, accelerators, mentors, professional service providers, sponsors and sources of dilutive and non-dilutive funding.
• Identifies, develops and maintains sponsorship, funding and partnership opportunities that support SBME Innovates, strategic hubs, educational initiatives and other School priorities, coordinating with UBC Development and Alumni Engagement where philanthropic activity is involved.
• Develops and delivers education and engagement programs in entrepreneurship, commercialization, company creation, partnership development and knowledge translation for faculty, staff and trainees, including relevant components of SBME Propels and major School events.
• Collaborates with Co-operative Education and other UBC partners to expand experiential learning, internship, exchange, training and employment opportunities for SBME trainees through external partnerships.
• Supports the development and implementation of strategic initiatives involving external stakeholders, including industry, government, health-system and community partners, as assigned by School leadership.
• Collaborates with the Communications team to profile partnership, innovation and commercialization successes and maintain effective partner-facing communications and engagement materials.
• Contributes partnership intelligence, ecosystem insights and external perspectives that inform School planning, priority setting and decision-making.
• Establishes portfolio measures, maintains relationship-management systems, evaluates outcomes and prepares reports, analyses and recommendations for School leadership.
• May supervise staff, students or contractors supporting the partnerships and innovation portfolio.
• Performs other related duties consistent with the scope and classification of the position.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The position represents SBME in high-profile and often confidential discussions. Decisions and recommendations may affect institutional relationships, commercialization pathways, sponsorships, access to opportunities and the reputation of the School and University. Poor judgement, inappropriate disclosure or failure to identify institutional requirements could result in damaged relationships, lost opportunities, financial exposure or reputational harm.

Supervision Received

Works with a high degree of independence under the general direction of the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations and in close consultation with the Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement. Establishes work plans and priorities in alignment with the School's strategic plan. Performance is reviewed against agreed objectives, relationship outcomes and portfolio deliverables.

Supervision Given
May supervise staff, students or contractors and may provide functional direction to project contributors.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of six years related experience in an appropriate business specialization, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree in biomedical engineering, bioengineering, life sciences, health sciences or a related field is an asset.
• Demonstrated success developing complex, mutually beneficial relationships across academic, industry, health-care, government and not-for-profit settings.
• Experience supporting research commercialization, technology translation, venture creation, incubators or accelerators.
• Strong understanding of the life-sciences and biomedical innovation ecosystem, including research, intellectual property, venture financing and non-dilutive funding pathways.
• Strong understanding of the role of the university in the biotech landscape in BC and Canada.
• Outstanding written, oral and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific and technical information for varied audiences.
• Ability to listen closely, identify common interests, navigate competing priorities and build a persuasive case for partnership.
• Experience developing sponsorships, funded partnerships or other revenue-generating relationships.
• Excellent judgement, diplomacy and discretion in handling confidential or commercially sensitive matters.
• Strong planning, negotiation, facilitation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to work independently, travel locally and attend national or international meetings as required.