Business Development Executive

The post holder will be responsible for the development of strategic relationships and partnerships between AMIC and the manufacturing community. The role will take the lead in scoping, developing and authoring commercial proposals with input and guidance from relevant senior and technical staff. The post holder will leverage relevant government support programmes to support client investment commitments, and will play a supporting role in the management of AMIC's membership offer, helping to secure new membership commitments and scoping projects with the existing membership portfolio.

We are seeking a client and revenue focused individual with proven experience of developing innovation partnerships with manufacturing businesses. An exceptional communicator you will identify opportunities and build partnerships for AMIC's advanced manufacturing capabilities to support businesses, grow innovation and solve societal challenges.

• Build AMIC's strategically important relationships to develop and implement strategies for contract and collaborative research, innovation and knowledge transfer.
• Manage a pipeline of commercial opportunities, developing commercial proposals and closing contracts.
• Provide an outward-looking interface for AMIC in its innovation collaborations with industrial partners, working with manufacturing SME partners to provide tactical support and advice.
• Develop opportunities and support collaborative projects to secure funding to deliver outcomes to benefit industry and address societal challenges.
• Coordinate the scoping of major commercial R&D&I projects with industrial partners working with the AMIC team to deliver industry-relevant, sustainable outcomes. This will involve developing project plans, defining deliverables and timelines, managing intellectual property and identifying case studies.
• Harness mechanisms to build collaborative research opportunities between AMIC and the Advanced Manufacturing sector.
• Maintain an up-to-date awareness of business support programmes that are relevant to AMIC (e.g. from INI, Innovate UK, EU) and match these to opportunities and collaborative partners.
• Develop and maintain insight and awareness of the needs of SMEs within the Advanced Manufacturing sector, seeking to identify common business needs and solutions through collaborative R&D&I, specialist support and/ or skills opportunities.
• Support AMIC's wider relationships with businesses, research institutes and Further Education colleges within the region seeking to ensure a coherent and cohesive approach to innovation initiatives.

• Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject area e.g. Engineering, Manufacturing, Engineering/Technology Management, ICT or Physical Sciences / OR minimum HND in a similarly related discipline with extensive recent and relevant experience.
• Significant recent and relevant experience of developing, building and managing commercial relationships leading to income generation.
• An understanding, at a practitioner level, of the processes involved in compiling commercial proposals, grant funding bids or business cases.
• Evidenced experience of working with the business community to deliver successful outcomes to benefit industry and address societal challenges.
• Well-developed analytical skills and ability to analyse complex information to problem solve and inform decision making.
• Ability to work independently with a high level of self motivation, whilst also working in a wider team.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills as well as an ability to influence at all levels.
• High level of attention to detail and ability to deliver effective written reports and presentations to meet audience needs.
• Evidence of strong interpersonal and networking skills with ability to relate to and influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Some working outside of standard working times may be required to meet the responsibilities of the post and needs of stakeholders. It should be possible to plan and schedule for this activity 90% of the time.

This post is available for 3 years. Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.

Beyond a competitive salary, the University offers an attractive benefits package including a holiday entitlement of up to 8.4 weeks a year, pension schemes and development opportunities. We support staff wellbeing with flexible working options, work life balance initiatives and support for physical and mental health. You can find more detail on all of this and more at

Queen's University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI and Athena Swan and have established staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality. For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit