Knowledge
Transfer
Partnerships
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Number:
Department:
Research Development & Support Office
Section:
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Office
Job Title:
KTP Programme Manager
Reports To:
Head of KTP
Main Purpose of Job:
To sell, create and manage mutually beneficial interactions with industry, commerce and
the public sector, for the University of Bath, primarily through the TSB’s Knowledge
Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) scheme. KTPs bring an income of over £1,000,000 per
annum to the University and lead the knowledge transfer effort in bringing business
contacts to Bath. The KTP Programme Manager will be part of a successful professional
KTP team responsible for about one third of this activity.
Main Responsibilities and Duties
Programmes
To promote the opportunities of KTP to academics, companies, local
government and other organisations.
To develop and maintain long-term and relevant industry and academic links,
as the client manager for the University.
To assess and select potential company partners for KTPs, with regard to
their commercial, technical, and organisational suitability.
To identify the nature of the company’s KT need, and to advise and assist
their management to arrive at a suitable project concept for a KTP or redirect
them to other forms of co-operation with the University.
To prepare, or bring about the preparation of, KTP proposal documentation,
suitable to TSB requirements, to be responsible for its submission.
To set-up, manage and maintain awarded KTPs for the University benefit,
taking responsibility for the successful discharge of all aspects of the project.
To bring about and write proposal amendments as required by the TSB. To
manage problems in partnerships, to devise solutions and write proposals for
restarts and extensions when required.
To manage the detail of individual partnerships in relation to all aspects of
administration and finance, responding to a wide variability of demands for
different partnerships.
To maintain control of and manage individual KTP budgets, and other specific
budgets from time to time, as required, and keep each partnership committee
appraised of their financial position and provide advice to them on KTP
financial practice.
To maintain positive relationships and identify other potential university
interactions when KTP is not appropriate.
Associates Work
To promote University charged-out services for recruitment. To actively take
part in the screening of applicants for KTP Associate posts according to
% of Time
University HR policy and the KTP guidelines, and advise partnership
committees on recruitment.
To support, advise and assist the KTP Associates, within University HR
guidelines, on any required aspect of their task or development.
To maintain and record relevant direct costs such as advertising and tuition
fees for billing to client companies.
To visit client locations on an ongoing basis to maintain links with Associates
and the client companies, and where necessary to provide secretarial services
to the Local Management Committee (LMC) for each partnership, and to
foster a continuing relationship with a view to further future co-operation.
Client Management
To seek opportunities to extend University interaction with client companies
and assist in developing additional links such as student projects, placement,
consultancy, technical services and funded research. (Particular value may
be derived from links involving intellectual property outcomes,
academic/business personnel exchange, industrial CASE, LINK etc.)
To collaborate with other bodies to promote KTPs, particularly south-west
universities, SETT2 and similar collaborations, trade associations (e.g.
WEAF), professional bodies (e.g. IEE).
To provide supervision, advice and support to the other KTP staff in the team.
To manage the running of 1 or 2 specific events per year in support of KTP
activity.
To support other KTP related tasks including: Events, Marketing, Consultancy
and Business strategy and planning etc.
Facts and Figures:
KTPs play a significant role within the University of Bath and are an important means of
engaging with business and industry. Building on the past successes the University now
seeks to expand the resource in this area by recruiting a further KTP Programme Manager
to complete the existing team of 2 plus support.
Bath has about 20 active KTPs today and plans to increase this to over 30. The
Programme Manager is responsible for winning and maintaining ten programmes or more
per annum.
A watching brief and facilitation activity on about 50 clients prospects for future or further
business. Active contacts, ranging in complexity from Large to SME and across all
sectors, meetings and face-to-face engagement with many each year.
Each of Bath’s own programmes generates an income of £60,000 p.a. for the University,
which the post holder is responsible for managing.
Additional income can be recovered for the University in areas other than the KTP Office
for recruitment advertising, degrees, placements and intellectual property (IP). A basic
minimum per partnership would be £1,000, but IP income cannot be predicted. The
Programme Manager must also identify partnerships where there are substantial IP
potential and alert appropriate KT colleagues.
Responsibility to monitor, overview, report and advise on budget aspects of all above
incomes, responsibility variously to the KTP Manager, the TSB, the client companies and
the partnership management committees.
SUPPORTING PROCESSES
Problem Solving and Creativity:
Marketing and advertising requires creative flair to target and identify KTP opportunities
and bring these to success.
Clients, University and Associate benefits need to be balanced to maintain risk free
programmes where the objectives can change rapidly and this can require flair and
initiative to successfully manage complex relationships at multiple levels.
Creativity in taking the needs of client companies and matching them to appropriate
academics or sometimes teams of academics across more than one department, or even
teams linking Bath to other institutions.
Creativity in translating clients’ needs into proposal formats likely to attract TSB support.
Managing and resolving personality related issues in the complex relationships of a KTP.
Creativity to discover ways of solving problems in partnerships, e.g. devise novel ways of
redirecting resource to cover the loss of personnel from partnerships and create proposals
and achieve funding to cover such ideas.
Decision Making:
Decide on which potential client companies would make suitable partners for the
University and would qualify for KTPs or other co-operative work, based on judging
financial, organisational, business activity and company culture. Likewise deciding when
KTP is not appropriate.
The KTP programme manager decides/negotiates individual term for each KTP on behalf
of the University.
Deciding how to approach, advise and influence client company directors or managers to
successfully bring them into mutually beneficial relationships with the University.
The KTP programme manager identifies partnerships where there is substantial
intellectual property potential and must take action to ensure that the University achieves
the income.
Informing decisions on which academics would be suitable for each potential partnership.
Deciding the viable structure for success in a potential partnership. Deciding on the
programme scope and content, including the number of associates, the organisation of the
work package and, frequently, the technical package.
Monitoring the state of individual partnerships, and deciding their ongoing needs to
achieve a successful outcome, and devising and taking appropriate action in a timely
manner to ensure their success.
Reporting to the KTP Manager, which programmes are at risk and jointly agreeing suitable
strategies for the University benefit.
Physical Effort and Working Conditions:
Normally working in an office environment, PC based for much of the working day, but with
a wide range of necessary meetings.
Substantial travel primarily in visiting client companies’ premises, mainly in the region,
perhaps up to several times per week.
Some unsociable working hours both through travel and in attending/running/supporting
events at early hours or in the evening.
Contacts and Relationships:
Regular working with the Head of KTP, providing information and advice as directed.
Working with other Programme Managers, specialist KTP staff for recruitment and finance,
providing and receiving information and advice, sometimes directing their work.
Regular interaction with other Knowledge Transfer Service staff, as necessary. Providing
expert information and advice for the KTP area.
Contact with many University service departments, some on a day-to-day basis, including;
HR, Grants and Contracts, Finance, Department Administrators, etc., to advise, monitor,
negotiate and influence them as appropriate in support of the KTP role.
Contact with AEA Technology Ltd (The current TSB management agent for KTP
programmes) personnel, all specialist staff and levels, including directors, as required. To
advise, influence and negotiate to support the KTP role. In particular, a close and effective
working relationship is required with the KTP Advisers.
Contact with Clients, as the client manager for the University, normally at Managing
Director or Director level, but also often including contact with other managerial, secretarial
and finance personnel. Selling, informing, advising, influencing and motivating.
Contact and working with academics in all departments, including Heads of Departments
and all other academic levels. Selling, informing, advising, influencing and motivating.
Contacts with multipliers including Business Links, Chambers, Professional Institutions
etc. to sell in the broad sense and provide an expert information source.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
Extensive business experience with specialist knowledge in the area of Marketing with
both knowledge of KTP and a wide range of industries.
A well developed ability to deal effectively with people in industry and academia, at all
levels and in any discipline, to develop their trust and co-operation to achieve successful
partnerships.
Relevant management experience over a number of sectors, ideally some experience at a
senior management level, qualified to Degree level or higher.
A sound awareness and practical ability in financial and project management.
Good written communications, presentation and negotiating skills and an advanced ability
to exercise influence over partners having identified some need for action.
Familiarity with University or academic engagement.
A practical awareness of IP issues as they relate to KTP.
Person Specification
Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Assessed by
A/F
I/T
R
Qualifications
Numerate Science or Technical Degree
Particularly good written & some IT skills
Experience/Knowledge
Extensive business experience in a wide
range of industries.
At least 5 years management experience
over a number of sectors,
Some experience at a senior
management level.
Familiarity
with University
or academic
A sound awareness
and practical
ability
engagement.
in financial and project management.
Some specialist knowledge of marketing
or KTP processes
Skills
Good written communications,
presentation and negotiating skills
advanced
ability toability
exercise
influence
A well developed
to deal
effectively
over people
partners having identified some
with
need for action.
Negotiation skills relating to IP and
adding value
Able to develop trust and co-operation to
achieve successful partnerships.
Strong administrative skills
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Attributes
Comfortable with financial accounts and
general management
Interests in staying up to date with
science and technology
Able to work with young graduates
Well presented and professional manner
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Code: A/F – Application form, I/T – Interview/Test, R - References
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