Head of Business Development

Role:
Head of Business Development Grade and Salary:
Grade 9 (58,225 - 69,488)
FTE and working pattern:
Full-time (35 hours per week), Open Ended Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)
Purpose of Role Heriot-Watt University is entering a critical transition period as Strategy 2025 concludes and Strategy 2035 is implemented. Strategy 2035 positions Heriot-Watt as a mission-led, partnership-powered, globally connected university, with growth driven through:
An intentional and transformed approach to partnerships Mission-based research and innovation anchored in Global Research Institutes Scaled knowledge exchange, commercialisation and income diversification The Heriot-Watt Virtual Campus and lifelong learning Knowledge Exchange and Innovation (KE&I) is central to this ambition. The University’s KEIF Strategy (2025–2030) commits to a step-change in industry partnerships, consultancy, commercialisation, and entrepreneurial outcomes, with KEIF acting as a core institutional enabler.

The Head of Business Development will lead the University’s institutional approach to industry and public-sector partnerships, major mission-led propositions, and income-generating knowledge exchange activity. The role holder will:
Lead the delivery of the KEIF KPIs and SFC expectations.

Create, shape and close large, multi-partner, mission-driven propositions aligned to Strategy 2035 and the Global Research Institutes Drive significant growth in industry research, consultancy, contract research, licensing and collaborative programmes Lead and develop a high-performing business development and partnerships team Act as a senior strategic partner to academic leaders, translating research excellence into scalable impact and income This role moves beyond transactional business development to strategic partnership creation, operating at system, sector and mission level.

Key

Duties & Responsibilities
1. Strategic Partnerships & Mission-led Growth Lead the development and execution of an institution-wide partnerships strategy aligned to Strategy 2035 and the University’s partnership taxonomy (Anchor, Cluster, Strategic Alliance & Growth Partnerships) Design and deliver large-scale, mission-driven partnership propositions aligned to priority challenge areas (e.g. Net Zero, Health & Care Technologies, Robotics & AI, Earth & Marine Science, Quantum & Photonics) Build long-term, high-value relationships with global industry, public sector, government and civic partners, operating at C-suite and system-leader level Position Heriot-Watt as a partner of choice for complex, multi-disciplinary and multi-partner initiatives
2. Institutional Leadership of KEIF Translate the approved KEIF strategy into operational plans, pipelines and delivery mechanisms Ensure delivery against KEIF KPIs across research income, consultancy, commercialisation, entrepreneurship and impact Coordinate KEIF-funded activity across Business & Enterprise, Global Research Institutes, Schools and professional services Support institutional reporting, governance and assurance relating to KEIF
3. Income Growth & Commercial Performance Deliver sustained growth in:
Industry-funded research and collaborative R&D Consultancy and contract research Strategic partnership income streams Build and manage a robust institutional sales and opportunity pipeline, with clear prioritisation aligned to strategic missions Work with academic leaders to improve commercial readiness, proposition design, pricing and costing Contribute to broader income diversification and financial sustainability objectives
4. Leadership & Team Development Provide strategic leadership to the Business Development team, creating a high-performance, commercially astute culture Set clear priorities, targets and expectations aligned to Strategy 2035 and KEIF outcomes Coach and develop staff to operate confidently with senior external partners and academic leaders Embed consistent approaches to account management, opportunity development and deal closure
5. Institutional Influence & Collaboration Contribute to shaping policy,…