Heriot-Watt University
Head of Business Development
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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.
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This role moves beyond transactional business development to strategic partnership creation, operating at system, sector and mission level.
Essential & Desirable Criteria
Essential
- Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
- Significant senior experience in business development, partnerships or commercial leadership within a university, RTO, research, innovation or knowledge-intensive environment.
- Experience working with mission-led or challenge-driven research and innovation programmes.
- Proven track record of creating and closing complex, high-value partnerships and income-generating propositions.
- Strong understanding of knowledge exchange, research commercialisation and innovation funding landscapes.
- Demonstrable leadership experience, including building and managing high-performing teams.
- Ability to work confidently with senior academics, industry leaders and public-sector stakeholders.
- Highly developed influencing, negotiation and communication skills.
Desirable
- Experience of leading or coordinating KEIF or similar public innovation funding.
- Understanding of Global Research Institutes or equivalent interdisciplinary models.
- Experience operating in an international or multi-campus context.
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How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to 23:55 (UK time) on Thursday 20th of August 2026.
Please submit your CV and covering letter describing your suitability for the role via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
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