Chapel Hill, NC

Industry Relations Officer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Organization

Since the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill‘s founding in 1789 as the nation’s first public university, Carolina has been a place where students, faculty, staff and members of the larger community have stretched their potential and helped make the world around them a better place.

Position Summary:

The role of the Industry Relations Officer is to create, plan, develop, and facilitate productive and growing relationships between UNC Chapel Hill and corporate and industry organizations within the U.S. and internationally.  The Industry Relations officer will develop and manage a collection of prospective partner companies and be responsible for executing partnerships that increase the total size of the partnered-program portfolio. To do so will require the Officer identify prospects and create new partnerships between them and the university by developing an understanding of the strategic technology and business challenges of the companies and by maintaining in-depth knowledge of UNC Chapel Hill scholarship and research, activities, and resources, and accurately matching them to the interests of the companies. The officer will maintain productive relationships and encourage collaboration with UNC Chapel Hill departments, laboratories, and faculty and identify new opportunities for company-UNC interaction and collaboration. When there are specific or broad areas of potential interaction the Officer will plan and execute a series of company-specific meetings and events with UNC faculty and will proactively identify and bring science and technology developments and opportunities of potential value to the attention of prospective partner companies.  The officer will develop and nurture strategic communication with other UNC administrative units and also participate in office-wide programs, conference development, and faculty liaison activities.

Principal Functions:

·         75%        Identify, cultivate, and solicit prospective corporate and industry partners.  The Industry Relations officer will develop and  manage a portfolio of companies and be responsible for growing the total size of the portfolio by identifying prospects and creating new partnerships between them and the university; develop an understanding of the strategic technology and business challenges of portfolio companies; maintain knowledge of UNC Chapel Hill scholarship and research, activities, and resources and accurately match them to the needs of the portfolio companies; maintain productive relationships and encourage collaboration with UNC Chapel Hill departments, laboratories, and faculty; identify new opportunities for company-UNC interaction and collaboration; plan and execute a series of company-specific meetings and events with UNC faculty; and proactively identify and bring developments and opportunities of potential value to the attention of portfolio companies.

·         15%        Will develop and nurture strategic communication with other UNC administrative units and also participate in office-wide programs, conference development, faculty liaison activities, and faculty travel planning.

·         10%        Perform other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Corporate and Foundation Relations and Talent Management.

Education Requirement:  Bachelor’s degree.  An advanced degree, masters or PhD preferred. Advanced degree in science or health related field preferred.

Qualification and Experience Requirements:

Three to five years of experience in corporate and industry relations or related industry/academy experience.  Demonstrated success in setting and achieving portfolio development goals.  Exceptional written and oral communication skills.  Mastery of the basic principles and techniques of successful relationship building as they pertain to the identification, solicitation and support of corporate partners in an academic setting.  Ability to interact effectively in a comprehensive, research university setting.  Ability to work effectively with faculty researchers and teams, administrators, and volunteers.  Willingness to do extensive travel.  A strong drive to be successful.  A high energy level.  Integrity/sincerity.

Position Overview

The role of the Industry Relations Officer is to create, plan, develop, and facilitate productive and growing relationships between UNC Chapel Hill and corporate and industry organizations within the U.S. and internationally.  The Industry Relations officer will develop and manage a collection of prospective partner companies and be responsible for executing partnerships that increase the total size of the partnered-program portfolio. To do so will require the Officer identify prospects and create new partnerships between them and the university by developing an understanding of the strategic technology and business challenges of the companies and by maintaining in-depth knowledge of UNC Chapel Hill scholarship and research, activities, and resources, and accurately matching them to the interests of the companies. The officer will maintain productive relationships and encourage collaboration with UNC Chapel Hill departments, laboratories, and faculty and identify new opportunities for company-UNC interaction and collaboration. When there are specific or broad areas of potential interaction the Officer will plan and execute a series of company-specific meetings and events with UNC faculty and will proactively identify and bring science and technology developments and opportunities of potential value to the attention of prospective partner companies.  The officer will develop and nurture strategic communication with other UNC administrative units and also participate in office-wide programs, conference development, and faculty liaison activities.

Principal Functions:

·         75%        Identify, cultivate, and solicit prospective corporate and industry partners.  The Industry Relations officer will develop and  manage a portfolio of companies and be responsible for growing the total size of the portfolio by identifying prospects and creating new partnerships between them and the university; develop an understanding of the strategic technology and business challenges of portfolio companies; maintain knowledge of UNC Chapel Hill scholarship and research, activities, and resources and accurately match them to the needs of the portfolio companies; maintain productive relationships and encourage collaboration with UNC Chapel Hill departments, laboratories, and faculty; identify new opportunities for company-UNC interaction and collaboration; plan and execute a series of company-specific meetings and events with UNC faculty; and proactively identify and bring developments and opportunities of potential value to the attention of portfolio companies.

·         15%        Will develop and nurture strategic communication with other UNC administrative units and also participate in office-wide programs, conference development, faculty liaison activities, and faculty travel planning.

·         10%        Perform other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Corporate and Foundation Relations and Talent Management.

Education Requirement:  Bachelor’s degree.  An advanced degree, masters or PhD preferred. Advanced degree in science or health related field preferred.

Qualification and Experience Requirements:

Three to five years of experience in corporate and industry relations or related industry/academy experience.  Demonstrated success in setting and achieving portfolio development goals.  Exceptional written and oral communication skills.  Mastery of the basic principles and techniques of successful relationship building as they pertain to the identification, solicitation and support of corporate partners in an academic setting.  Ability to interact effectively in a comprehensive, research university setting.  Ability to work effectively with faculty researchers and teams, administrators, and volunteers.  Willingness to do extensive travel.  A strong drive to be successful.  A high energy level.  Integrity/sincerity.

How To Apply

Sign up