Strategic Growth Manager

Who we are

UniServices is a wholly owned company of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, that directly supports the University’s ambition to be a global powerhouse of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

We achieve this through:

• Growing Research: We help researchers turn innovative ideas into impactful outcomes by identifying new market opportunities, building partnerships with industry and government, and securing funding opportunities to support the translation of knowledge to impact.
• Investing and Partnering: We manage the University of Auckland Inventors’ Fund, a $40 million pre-seed and seed investment fund that works to transform University research into high-growth global companies.
• Commercialising and protecting ideas: We help researchers disclose and protect their ideas, start companies or license technology. We help fledgling companies refine their business plans, access start-up capital and grow.

Strategic Growth Team

The Business Development team drives growth and commercialisation of research at the University of Auckland, actively supporting the University’s ambition to be a global powerhouse of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The Growth Team, a key part of the Business Development function, develops large-scale, future-focused initiatives to scale revenue and commercialisation in strategic priority areas. Through future focused visioning, market intelligence, and sector-based growth planning, the team builds a strong pipeline of high-impact opportunities aligned with emerging market needs, embracing calculated risks to drive growth and innovation.

This team collaborates closely with the University and the UniServices Partnerships Team and the Investment Team, to identify distinctive research areas with the greatest growth potential for funding and commercialisation. The team is responsible for the development and execution of strategic growth plans that align with the market, the refinement of value proposition to increase investment appeal, strengthening the funding pipelines and securing multi-million-dollar projects that amplify the University’s research impact.

• Profile innovation and secure new research funding
• Infectious Diseases Portfolio
• Develop leads and opportunities that support the translation of innovation to impact

The opportunity

We seek an action-oriented individual for this permanent, full-time role, who brings strong experience in international and domestic business development, the commercialisation of research and has operated in large complex organisations.  The primary focus is to grow consulting, research, training and education opportunities based on the resources of the University of Auckland.  The Strategic Growth Manager will lead the development and execution of the business growth strategy for infectious diseases and build a robust funding pipeline for the portfolio.

This role will cultivate relationships with key stakeholders across industry and government, with a focus on securing partnerships and growing research revenue opportunities.  Expertise in knowledge of Infectious Diseases would be advantageous but not essential, ideally with expertise in the health or pharmaceutical sector.

Key responsibilities:

Connect Internally & Externally:

• Maintain strong relationships with senior level industry and government leaders.
• Recognise how the University of Auckland’s expertise can be applied to emerging opportunities in Infectious Disease.
• Create and plan strategic roadmaps for future growth of the portfolio.
• Develop and execute client plans.

Transform & Accelerate Ideas to Funding:

• Collate sector knowledge and intelligence to inform researchers and develop new opportunities of significant scale to secure funding of strategic impact.
• Develop and articulate value Propositions of University of Auckland projects and engagement to potential partners.

Diversify Funding Sources and Talent:

• Obtain significant funding from diverse external sources. Primarily government, industry and international.

Grow Research Revenue:

• Drive substantial business development projects ($5-10 million annually).

Identify and Pursue New High Growth Areas:

• Work with research leaders to Identify and develop new growth platforms for the University.

Your skills and experience:

This is not an entry-level position. You will:

• Have a proven track record in business development and relationship management and can point to examples of your success at navigating the complexities within the private sector, public sector and ideally academia.
• Together with your commercial acumen, strong stakeholder management and ability to act as a trusted advisor, will put you in good stead for this role.
• Be adept at bringing together multiple stakeholders and unfazed by uncertainties occasionally associated with operating in this sector.

Only applicants with the right to work in New Zealand will be considered.

What we offer:

Great benefits, including 5 weeks annual leave, up to 6.75% company superannuation scheme, eye-testing & glasses subsidies, access to discounts on health insurance & gym memberships, and long-service recognition.  We provide a culturally diverse team and supportive workplace with a blended approach to office and home-based work.  We offer flexible working arrangements and are committed to your ongoing professional development.

PD Strategic Growth Manager Jul 2025 SG.pdf

Please submit your application by 29 July 2025.  Note we may interview prior to the close date.

Honoa te tangata ki te tangata, te tangata ki te taiao, te tangata ki te rangahau, rangahaua ki whai hua.

(Linking people to people, people to the world around us, people to research, research that brings ideas to life.)