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Director, Intellectual Property and Licensing
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Position Number: 5364903
Location: Albany, NY
Position Type: Business - Business Law

Director, Intellectual Property and Licensing

Category: Administrative and Professional
Department:Industry & External Affairs
Locations: Albany, NY
Posted: Jun 27, 2024
Closes: Open Until Filled
Type: Exempt
Position ID: 178145

About The Research Foundation for SUNY:
The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF) is the largest comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country.

Our mission is to provide talent, services, and technology that empower SUNY to research, innovate, and transfer discoveries that transform the world's knowledge economy.

Our vision is to make SUNY the best place for faculty, students, and staff to research, innovate and solve the world's most pressing problems.

The RF serves SUNY by providing essential administrative services that enable faculty to focus their efforts on educating students and performing life-changing research across a wide range of disciplines including Artificial Intelligence, Clean Energy, Biotechnology, Longevity, Substance Addiction, Nextgen Quantum Computing, Environmental Health, and Resiliency. We work with the academic and business leadership of SUNY campuses to facilitate research and discovery by administering sponsored projects and delivering intellectual property and technology transfer services that fuel innovation and move ideas and inventions to the marketplace.

The RF is committed to diversity, inclusion, and a working environment that enhances productivity creates personal and professional opportunities, unleashes everyone's full potential, and fuels innovation. We hold the organization and each other to the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and ethical behavior.

Visit www.rfsuny.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Learn about SUNY at www.suny.edu.

Job Description:
FUNCTION & SCOPE

The RF's Office of Industry and External Affairs ("I&EA") is the nexus of RF technology transfer, industrial engagement, business development, new ventures, entrepreneurship, and strategic alliances across the SUNY research enterprise. Within I&EA, the Director of Intellectual Property and Licensing will lead the growth of RF intellectual property, licensing, and technology transfer activity across the enterprise, including the development, implementation, and management of programs and services that will grow SUNY's research base and expand its economic impact in a streamlined, efficient, and cost-effective manner. Reporting to the Vice President of I&EA, the Director of Intellectual Property and Licensing will have both internally and externally facing responsibilities, including customer relationship management, project management, business development, resource management, intellectual property management, external affairs and engagements, technology transfer, and licensing. The Director of Intellectual Property and Licensing will partner closely with the Vice President of I&EA to ensure that the RF infrastructure and shared service model supports and enables SUNY's research growth agenda to make SUNY an intellectual property powerhouse.

This leader requires a skill set capable of identifying strategy gaps and nimbly implementing initiatives, processes, and technology systems to address them; developing and executing plans to support the implementation, coordination, tracking and reporting of activities and outcomes; and assembling strong advisors to inform the planning process and key resources to execute plans.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leads the pursuit of new high-growth opportunities and their development, buy-in, funding, and implementation. This includes identifying opportunities to fund the expansion of SUNY intellectual property, technology transfer, and licensing; recognizing assets and aligning stakeholders; understanding and addressing the diverse needs of campus academic and business leadership; leading the development of major proposals, whether solicited or freeform; implementing supported programs; ensuring the prudent and responsible stewardship of awarded funds and broad dissemination of results.
Directly responsible for strategy and execution of RF's comprehensive portfolio of activities around intellectual property, technology transfer, licensing, and business development, including disclosures; patents; options; licenses; material transfer agreements; non-disclosure and other confidentiality agreements; cooperative research and development agreements; joint development agreements.
Leads an experienced team of business development, licensing, and intellectual property management professionals that work with researchers, inventors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and affiliated startups across the SUNY enterprise on everything from initial intake and invention disclosure through intellectual property management, patent filings, license agreements, and business development activities.
Oversees the operations of and plan for the future expansion of RF's integrated service model to streamline centralized technology transfer operations across the enterprise by working cross-functionally to deploy resources and build new functions that will enable the provision of services that are efficient and effective. This includes the planning, resourcing, and optimization of a shared service model for patent prosecution, intellectual property management, and technology licensing.
Serves as Technology Transfer Director ("TTD") for 28 RF operating locations (including SUNY System Administration, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, NY CREATES, Downstate Health Sciences University, and
Upstate Medical University) and leads and manages the engagement of RF's four campus-based TTDs, which includes working collaboratively to set enterprise priorities and manage the scheduled interactions in which the broader TTD team works through projects (e.g., monthly calls and quarterly, in-person working meeting agendas and deliverables, applying the RF project methodology, identifying strategies, creating action items and assigning them to team members across the enterprise).
Manages the operations of, and serves as the Managing Director of SUNY's Technology Accelerator Fund program, which includes deploying up to $500,000 annually across the enterprise to invest in proof-of-concept projects and startup companies to catalyze commercialization; managing a portfolio of 65 awards that have resulted in follow-on funding of over $16.5 million; monitoring grants and performance; negotiating agreements; securing capital to support the program; attracting and maintaining a strong advisory board; managing the proposal submission, assessment, award administration, and reporting processes; and ensuring the broad promotion of the program's activities and impacts.
Partners collaboratively with the Director of New Ventures to provide complimentary support and operate relevant programs that comprise SUNY's enterprise-wide technology to market strategy and possesses a team-oriented and visionary mindset to start thinking about what is next.
Leads all of RF's intellectual property, licensing, business development, and technology transfer functions, including lifecycle planning; resource alignment; disclosure management, evaluation and market opportunity analysis, intellectual property protection, partnering relationships, royalty returns management, business development, licensing, marketing, and related events; and the supervision, coaching, and mentorship of RF's Intellectual Property and Licensing team, and other relevant staff to ensure the delivery of outstanding service to customers and colleagues.
Oversees the development, implementation, and management of enterprise-wide technology, business solutions, and programs to mitigate risk to RF and serve the needs of SUNY academic and business leadership involved in securing intellectual property and managing licensing activities across the enterprise.
Leads the development of policies, procedures, and guidelines to continuously improve the enterprise-wide internal control environment applicable to technology transfer, intellectual property, and licensing. This includes proactive leadership and collaboration across organizational boundaries to perform effective risk assessments, taking action to mitigate significant risk to RF, and responding effectively to internal and external audits.
Represents the RF at internal and external meetings of Technology Transfer Directors, Operations Managers, Sponsored Programs Management Council, University College Research Council, Association of University Technology Managers, Licensing Executives Society, and other meetings of RF central and campus constituencies, and other external professional events.
Serves on planning and policy-making bodies that relate to the transfer of technology, intellectual property, and licensing from academia to industry, and RF business generally.
Leads the development of the Intellectual Property and Licensing team's planning and resource alignment and collaborates with senior management on the creation of the annual RF operating plan.

Requirements:
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree and at least ten years of progressively more complex technical and managerial experience in intellectual property management, technology transfer, commercialization, business development, and innovation and strategic alliances. Or equivalent combination of education and experience.
All applicants will be required to submit a comprehensive deal sheet.
An advanced degree in business administration, operations, technology transfer, licensing, and extensive knowledge of working in academia and the related federal policies and regulations is required.
Superior leadership skills, the ability to communicate well within a highly complex environment, the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously, and the ability to work independently under general direction are all required to be successful in this position.
Compensation for this position: The compensation for this role is between $160,000 to $180,000. The pay will depend on a variety of factors that may include but are not limited to experience, education, training, and certifications.

Additional Information:
As an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer, The Research Foundation for SUNY will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy-related conditions, reproductive health decisions, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, familial status, citizenship, physical and mental disability, prior arrest or conviction record, genetic characteristics/genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, military status or service, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under federal, state or local law. The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

The Research Foundation for the State University of New York is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation for the State University of New York are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. The Research Foundation for the State University of New York operates under a contract with The State University of New York and receives no directly appropriated state funding.

Application Instructions:
Applicants interested in applying MUST submit the following documents:

1. Resume/Cv
2. Cover Letter

After submitting your resume/CV, the subsequent pages enable you to upload your cover letter and additional documents.

Returning Applicants - Login to your RF SUNY Careers Account to review your application.

To apply, visit https://rfsuny.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=178145