Business Development Manager (Scientia) at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Business Development Manager within the Mining Cluster in the Advanced Production & Security Division. The incumbent will undertake business development and marketing for the cluster and to secure sales and RDI funding as per cluster business plan targets. This will involve the Mining industry and sector analysis identification of key and strategic clients, building stakeholder relationships and pursuing business opportunities. The role will, furthermore, manage customer satisfaction and represent client interests in specific domains in project delivery. This position is based in Pretoria, but the incumbent will be expected to spend significant time at the CSIR, Mining and other DRI facilities, at client’s sites including undertaking marketing trips.

Key responsibilities:

Business Development Leadership

• In collaboration with the Divisional Business Development & Commercialisation Manager, Cluster Manager and Impact Area Managers, lead the business development strategy for the Mining Cluster illustrating strategic fit to Division and CSIR strategy;
• Support the Business Development and Commercialisation Manager with local and international business development opportunities;
• Demonstrate cross impact Area business development supported by contribution to revenue targets of the cluster;
• Lead technical teams in client interactions and integrate sector knowledge in multi-dimensional research and development;
• Integrate technical teams in client interactions (requirement analysis & solution development and delivery);
• Facilitate and drive regular client stakeholder engagement including post project evaluation with the impact area manager to understand the use of testing and research results for clients’ decision support and value add;
• Manage the scoping, costing of proposals, negotiate terms and conditions including securing orders.

Mining Industry specific market and sector analysis

• Guide the customer/partner definition and specification of capabilities/products/services required within a five to ten years’ horizon;
• Provide impact and value assessments of strategic direction decisions/recommendations/alternatives;
• Capacitate the advancement, packaging and securing of contracts for research, development and innovation opportunities that arise from cluster engagements with mining stakeholders;
• Synthesise industry challenges into the capabilities development areas necessary to formulate and develop solutions in the mining cluster;

Strategic research and development programs

• Support the cluster management team in identifying business-aligned research development and innovation programs
• In collaboration with Cluster Manager, Impact Area Managers as well as Business Development & Commercialisation perform detailed requirement analysis for client solutions;
• Define program, scope and objectives, deliverables, schedule, financial risk, resource, interdependency and integration management;
• Align technology/capability roadmaps to strategic plans;
• Manage key collaborators and align relevant sector/industry players, and other NSI players.

Financial sustainability

• Contribute to securing revenue for the cluster, in collaboration with Cluster Manager, Impact Area Managers as well as Business Development & Commercialisation;
• Oversee program implementation, ensuring programs deliver impact and value to all stakeholder;
• Program oversight in terms of schedule, deliverables, financial, risk and relationship management;
• Anticipate, identify and provide mitigating strategies for business/strategy/technology risks in collaboration with Operations;
• Negotiate terms and conditions of contracts in collaboration with Cluster Manager, Impact Area Managers as well as Business Development & Commercialisation;
• Responsible for the establishment of sufficient cluster capacity for contract R&D;
• Manage the sales register and assessment of the sales position for the cluster;
• Manage the recovery of outstanding Invoices to maintain a healthy cash-flow;
• Diversify income streams of the Impact Area as per agreed targets;
• Drive business development in the private and public sectors, with health pipeline of opportunities.

Performance Management

• Drive overall business development KPIs for the cluster, including overall revenue, sales pipeline, relationships, and contracts secured etc.;
• Implement performance management processes within the cluster executed according to policy planning time lines;
• Drive project management to ensure timely delivery of projects on schedule and budget;
• Responsible for internal and external client satisfaction as per agreed targets;
• Manage the drafting and negotiation of contracts and agreements (IP licensing, revue sharing and contract R&D, etc.) in collaboration with the Commercialisation Manager.
• Develop a robust pipeline of business leads to ensure financial sustainability and growth.

Relationship Management

• Develop and facilitate national and international stakeholder network to broaden and deepen contract R&D program impact opportunity;
• Ensure project delivery to client to client satisfaction;
• Engage stakeholders on a strategic level, understanding their internal and external environments and their strategic response;
• Maintain awareness of business development opportunities for CSIR wide customer base, where relevant refer opportunities to relevant Clusters and Divisions.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering or technology (SET) with at least ten years’ experience in operational mining and/or research, development and/or engineering or technology organisation;
• Masters’ degree in relevant science or engineering domain, MBA or post-graduate business development qualification will be an added advantage;
• Experience in:
  • Contract management
  • Commercialisation
  • Systems engineering
  • Project management
  • Process management
  • Capability development
  • Marketing of capabilities
  • Market analysis
• Demonstrate success in business development and commercialisation of products or innovative solutions
• Evidence of solid domain expertise in:
  • Mining value chain
  • The interfaces of the components which includes (geological surveying)
  • Mining extraction processes (drill, blast & hauling)
  • Beneficiation processes
  • Logistics
  • Distribution including enablers & support services
• Evidence of high level stakeholder management, and industry domain related networks;
• Track record in the formulation and securing of contract R&D contracts to the value of at least R80 to R100 million in the short term and grow sales in line with the cluster’s strategy roadmap;
• Good interpersonal and stakeholder-liaison skills.

Competence in:

• Business acumen
• Financial management
• Enterprise risk management
• Domain technical knowledge and know-how
• Complexity management
• Strategy implementation
• Dealing with abstract concepts.

Closing date: 27 March 2024