The South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy by accelerating technology-enabled growth in academia, entrepreneurship, and industry.

Position Description

The Customer Solutions Manager is responsible for growing opportunities in SCRA sectors of focus in Advanced Manufacturing/Advanced Materials, IT, Life Sciences, and Clean Tech/Energy and aligning with state initiatives in these sectors. The Customer Solutions Manager is responsible for leveraging established connections and developing new partnerships to identify and facilitate new business opportunities for SCRA entrepreneurial companies that accelerate company growth, innovation, technology commercialization and market adoption. The Customer Solutions Manager will collaborate with SCRA colleagues, industry and academic partners, and public/private entities on established and new initiatives.

Essential Functions

• Identifies new partnerships, projects, products, services, and business opportunities of strategic value in the SCRA technology sectors.
• Applies an understanding of leading-edge technologies and applications to quickly identify use cases and communicate the value proposition to gain industry commitment to partner with SCRA entrepreneurial companies.
• Conducts technology business development to identify industry needs, align business interests, and facilitate new business opportunities, product development, and pilot projects between industry partners and SCRA entrepreneurial companies that spur company growth, commercialization, and revenue.
• Works collaboratively across SCRA to accomplish objectives, develop key capabilities, and facilitate technology transfer from entrepreneurial companies to industry.?
• Develop and facilitate SCRA entrepreneurial Cohorts by industry sector, a structured program for advanced, scalable startups (TRL6+) to identify customer targets, validate technology solutions with potential customers, and accelerate market adoption.
• Create and execute new business opportunities for SCRA entrepreneurial companies with industry partners through introductions to prospective customers, B2B Technology Matchmakers, Technology Demos, Tech Talks and other mechanisms to advance commercialization and provide new sources of revenue.
• Coordinates and facilitates SCRA microgrant, demonstration grant, and relocation grant projects to support SCRA entrepreneurial companies’ successful completion of project milestones and outcomes.
• Responsible for meeting and reporting Customer Solutions objectives and monitoring SCRA grant recipient milestones and project outcomes.
• Represents SCRA in contract development and negotiations and operates at the highest level of ethical conduct.
• Represents SCRA externally and provides thought leadership in public forums, conferences, presentations, committees, and boards.
• Other duties as requested by Director Customer Solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related technical field, MBA, or Master’s in technical field preferred.
• Minimum ten years’ experience in technical business development, technology scouting, or partnering with industry and a proven track record of originating and/or coordinating major business deals.
• Demonstrates an understanding of current industry trends in SCRA sectors, including corporate needs, leading-edge technology solutions, and the competitive landscape.
• Must have established relationships with industry partners and knowledge of current industry trends and product adoption processes.
• Competence in managing complex technical programs and/or projects. Accepts accountability for individual goals, as well as shared outcomes. Adheres to schedules and deadlines.
• Ability to quickly understand new technical and business knowledge and manage confidential information.
• Ability to clearly communicate orally and in writing and prepare and deliver presentations.
• Ability to use computer applications including MS Office Suite and MS Dynamics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred experience facilitating technology transfer from academic institutions, national labs, and/or entrepreneurial companies to industry and knowledge of corporate innovation and product adoption processes.