Executive Director of Research, Innovation and Business Engagement

Location: Stirling Campus

Contract type: Open ended

The Post

The Executive Director of Research, Innovation and Business Engagement (RIBE) at the University of Stirling will provide transformational leadership that will contribute to advancing the University's research and innovation ambitions, driving excellence across the institution. This pivotal role will spearhead the delivery of the University's Research and Innovation Strategy, whilst ensuring exceptional performance in REF2029 and maximising research and innovation impact. Our ambitions are to accelerate our recently designed multidisciplinary missions-oriented-research foundations, striving for an annual £40M R&I income and encouraging an innovative culture.  

Working in close partnership with the Deputy Principal Research and Innovation (DPR&I), the role holder will deliver robust frameworks to enhance research quality, secure strategic partnerships, and create sustainable pathways for innovation and knowledge exchange which are evidence-based and data-informed. The position offers an outstanding opportunity to shape Stirling's research ecosystem and accelerate its trajectory as a research-intensive institution.

The Executive Director of RIBE leads the RIBE directorate, playing a vital role in enabling institutional objectives and ambitions. As well as providing strategic direction by developing a compelling vision for the function, the role holder will be expected to foster an enabling service culture underpinned by an effective business partnering approach.

The Executive Director of RIBE reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary and is a member of the Professional Services Leadership Team (PSLT).

Description of Duties

• Inform the development of the University’s strategic objectives, contributing to the delivery of the enabling plans, with particular focus on embedding the new Research and Innovation Strategy
• Provide visionary leadership to the RIBE directorate, fostering a high-performance culture focused on enabling research excellence and innovation that is objective and KPI-driven
• Work with the DPR&I to lead the development and implementation of an ambitious research strategy aligned with REF2029, including establishing systematic preparation processes, output optimisation frameworks, and impact case development
• Establish new mechanisms to dramatically enhance knowledge exchange, including contemporary and efficient approaches to industry collaboration, IP commercialisation, licensing and startup creation
• Foster strategic partnerships with industry, government, and international collaborators to enhance research capabilities and create new opportunities for knowledge exchange and innovation

Essential Criteria

• Degree and equivalent professional experience
• Substantial strategic leadership experience in research and innovation management within higher education or industry
• Demonstrable track record of enabling research excellence and REF performance improvement
• Proven experience in developing and implementing successful innovation and impact strategies

For further information, including a full description of duties, essential criteria and details on how to apply, please see Vacancy details | University of Stirling

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