Partnerships Manager

This role will manage Northumbria University’s partnership in the Northern Accelerator and SCENE program and directly support IP Commercialisation within the IP Commercialisation team at Northumbria University. Project management for Northern Accelerator and SCENE will involve working with the core team based at the lead institution, Durham University, and Partnership Managers at the four other North East universities. The role will also involve IP commercialisation activity, including managing the University’s patent portfolio and supporting commercialisation projects and managing an innovation portal – the Northumbria Knowledge Bank - that allows external parties to access Northumbria Knowledge-based IP. The role holder will work closely with individual members of the IP Commercialisation Team and get involved in a broad range of commercialisation activity across the campus, developing their experience and knowledge of IP Commercialisation and Knowledge Exchange.

This is a fixed-term position until 30th April 2030.

Since 2018, the five North East universities (Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside) have worked increasingly closely to build a strong collaboration to commercialise our research through the creation of high-growth businesses. Since launching the Northern Accelerator programme, 54 spinouts have been created, catalysing new investment and jobs. Supported by Research England’s CCF-RED fund with £8.9m in funding over a five year period, the Strategic Commercialisation Eco-system North East (SCENE) programme represents an exciting next phase in our regional collaboration with the aim of wrapping new activities around and into Northern Accelerator to strengthen our support for the spin out process, and building new services and activities to extend successful research commercialisation in new areas, such as licensing and commercial partnerships.

Underpinning these propositions is the creation and development of a structured and connected ecosystem around university research commercialisation, drawing together partnerships with business, investors and institutions to drive a sustainable step-change in our impact:

• Strengthen and expand the region’s ecosystem, engaging businesses, sector bodies, Catapults and investors more actively in commercialising university research;
• Expand the pipeline of high-quality, investible new spinouts;
• Support growth for existing spinouts, helping secure them for the long-term;
• Increase adoption of university IP by businesses of all sizes in strategic sectors;
• Attract new UK and international investment into the formation and growth of research-led businesses;
• Enhance structures, systems and leadership to support regional commercialisation ambitions.

SCENE is led by Durham University and involves as key partners the other four North East Higher Education institutions – Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside – who come together through Universities for North East England (UNEE). SCENE is also supported by a number of strategic partners – our two Combined Authorities in the North East and Tees Valley, Catapults, Business Support organisations and key businesses as well as associated universities in York and Cumbria. The Northumbria Partnership Manager will be expected to work closely with the Partnership Managers in each of the 4 other universities.

Northumbria University has a small IP Commercialisation team with a growing pipeline of research commercialisation opportunities. The team supports the translation of research into industry through co-development partnerships and licensing. The team also supports company creation through staff-spinouts as a vehicle to take new products and services to market, based on University research. The team supports commercialisation opportunities from across all faculties; so all areas of technology and SHAPE including non-for-profit spinouts.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Chelsea Brain, IP & Commercialisation Manager.

Join Northumbria University, a research-intensive institution unlocking potential and changing lives locally and globally. With over 37,000 students from 140+ countries, we offer world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and an outstanding student experience. We empower our exceptional staff, promoting a positive work-life balance and offering great benefits, including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, generous holiday entitlement and more. Our Northumbria Values, co-created by our team, define who we are: Academic Excellence, Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Ambition. Our Behaviours shape our work culture: We listen and learn, support one another, respect everyone, trust each other, and are bold. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne and London, we are an on-campus organisation and offer flexible hours and location where the role allows. We pride ourselves on diversity and inclusivity, holding a Silver Athena Swan in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, a bronze Race Equality Charter Award and we are a Disability Confident Leader. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.