The Company
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is responsible for planning, investing, and overseeing research, development, and extension for the grains sector in Australia. They meet the evolving needs of grain growers with a vision to be regarded as the grower’s “RD&E department.” GRDC believes it should be a valued grower asset that is open, transparent, and trusted - a true research partner who seeks to be agile and business like in their operations and improve productivity and profitability for growers.
The Opportunity
GRDC is seeking a Senior Manager - Business Development & Commercialisation who will lead a small team and support GRDC’s purpose by structuring, delivering and actively managing commercial pathways for GRDC’s investment outputs, including scoping and negotiating complex commercial investment and partnering structures. This key role oversees short, medium and long-term strategies for the commercialisation, utilisation and impact of GRDC investment outputs, including active portfolio management of IP and technology assets, through leveraging internal, national and international capability.
Ultimately you will build credible business cases and translate GRDC investments into scalable, commercially viable outcomes through structured commercialisation pathways and asset management.
You will be working with the greater organisation right from the early stages of identification, development and planning of potential opportunities right through to realisation, including ongoing post-investment management of commercial agreements, IP assets and performance against commercialisation objectives. You and your team will initiate and deliver ongoing management of contractual commitments, with a focus on commercial performance, utilisation and impact of GRDC-funded outputs, including IP and technology pipeline management, contract governance and compliance. This involves:
- Supporting the organisation in scoping, structuring and establishing complex R&D investment arrangements, including multi-party collaborations and non-standard commercial frameworks.
- Leading end-to-end commercialisation and active management of GRDC IP and investment outputs.
- Managing GRDC’s portfolio of commercialisation assets (IP, licences, data and technologies) to maximise utilisation, adoption and impact.
- Identify, structure and execute pathways to market, and oversee their ongoing performance and optimisation.
- Play a central role to analysis and synthesise current and historical commercialisation data to inform commercialisation strategy, portfolio performance and investment decisions.
- Negotiate and implement commercial arrangements that enable delivery, adoption and long-term utilisation of project outputs.
- Managing IP assets such as trademarks, breeder rights and patents, to maximise value, utilisation and industry impact.
- Monitor and report on commercialisation performance, including adoption, revenue, and impact metrics across the portfolio.
About You
To be successful in this influential role you will have:
- Exceptional people leadership skills to maximise retention while ensuring performance output.
- Experience in the agricultural and an awareness of Australia’s RD&E will be seen as highly desirable.
- Demonstrated experience in commercialisation of research and innovation, including ongoing management of commercial agreements, IP and technology assets.
- An understanding of IP management and or IP and company law
- Exceptional negotiation and influencing skills with a depth of interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
- A flexible attitude and approach.
- Strong analytical and strategic planning capability complimented with sound financial and business knowledge.
- Effective skills and experience to work across many different stakeholders in co-design of investments.
- Tertiary qualifications (Bachelor level or equivalent) in Agriculture, Business, Law, Commerce or a related field.
Importantly, GRDC is looking for an individual who has a service mentality to work proactively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure GRDC investments translate into tangible industry outcomes through effective commercialisation and asset management. You will be naturally resilient and proactive in nature and very much a relationship builder to listen to a broad range of views, driving consensus and action, but well positioned to influence and engage a diverse group of stakeholders.
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the future profitability of Australia’s grain industry. GRDC aim to enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability of Australian grain growers and benefit the industry and wider community.
For confidential enquiries and a copy of the Position Description, please phone David Jackson on 1300 380 701 or apply via rimfireresources.com.au.
