Job Opportunity: Director of AgTechUCD with UCD Nova DAC

Job Opportunity: Director of AgTechUCD with UCD Nova DAC

UCD Nova DAC is looking to appoint a Director for AgTechUCD.  This is an exciting opportunity for a charismatic leader with strong commercial and technical agri-food experience to lead the development of the new AgTechUCD Innovation Centre and associated programmes. 

AgTechUCD promotes and accelerates early-stage startups and SMEs in the AgTech, AgriFood, Veterinary and Equine sectors in Ireland and abroad.  The Director will manage a new state-of-the art Innovation Centre to be launched later this year at UCD Lyons farm and will lead a team of professionals to deliver a suite of programmes and tailored supports including:

  • Innovation Days -generating solutions for the agricultural industry.

  • Agcellerators - helping startups get customer and investor-ready, to scale globally.

  • On farm testing, incubation lab and workspaces

  • Exhibit and conference space for highlighting the AgTech innovations.

The new AgTechUCD Innovation Centre will be a focal point for the AgTech innovation ecosystem and an innovation showcase for the best that Ireland has to offer the world in AgTech.    AgTechUCD is a collaboration between NovaUCD, AIB, Kildare County Council, and Kildare LEO and is funded by Enterprise Ireland and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. It includes support from agri-companies such as; Devenish, Dairymaster, and Glanbia; investors such as; The Yield Lab, Finistere and Atlantic Bridge, along with leading AgTech researchers and innovators at UCD, Teagasc and Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands. 

 

About the role:

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and leading the new centre and its associated programmes. They will run a nationwide AgTechUCD Innovation Challenge programme to stimulate and support innovation in AgTech in Ireland. They will recruit start-ups and established companies to engage in on farm testing and to benefit from use of the incubation and lab facilities. They will mentor start-ups and run programmes and show case events to support companies attract investors and clients. They will also lead the annual planning process with stakeholders on the Centre Advisory Board to ensure that the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre is on track supporting AgTech companies to launch, grow and scale.

Other areas of responsibility are:

  • Manage the new AgTechUCD Innovation Centre facility to ensure that it meets current and future client and staff requirements and is self-sustainable.

  • Lead interdisciplinary flagship programmes and initiatives to attract external funding and gain international recognition.

  • Manage and develop the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre staff and subcontractors and provide effective structures for overall management and engagement with clients, collaborators and the advisory board.

  • Promote a culture of excellence in supporting clients and in partnering with investors, corporate sponsors, national and international agri-food accelerators and incubators and appropriate state agencies.

  • Promote the profile of UCD and the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre through effective PR management, communication and marketing.

  • Understand the investment community needs and promote the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre portfolio of investable ventures to angel investors, venture capital firms and corporate venture capital programmes to secure investments.

  • Devise appropriate actions to boost the availability of early stage finance for new ventures.

  • Establish strong relationships with the Advisory Board, Enterprise Ireland, AgTechUCD Innovation Centre partners; venture capitalists, angel investors and other incubator and accelerators to enhance supports for new ventures.

  • Perform other roles and duties as directed by the Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation UCD, and Chair of the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre Advisory Board.

This role is a 3-year Fixed Term contract.

 

About you:

As Director of AgTechUCD you will be an ambitious self-starter and creative thinker, who understands market trends and has a passion for advancing companies in the high growth agri-food and veterinary science sectors. You will be expected to provide leadership to the development of the strategic and operational plans for the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre and its portfolio of programmes so that the centre becomes self-sustainable.

We expect that your background and skills will bring a minimum of 8 years’ experience of management in fields such as enterprise development, innovation management, research, in agriculture/food/veterinary science sector and that you will have a relevant third-level qualification.

  •  You will have significant experience of leading innovation-focused projects in a multi-partner environment and experience of working with early stage companies.

  • You will have gained experience of managing the finances of an incubator or equivalent operation and will have proven capability of building rapport with founders, thinking creatively, appraising ideas, and delivering critical feedback.

  • Your experience of formulating early stage investable business plans for technology opportunities, and engaging angels, corporate and venture capital firms to secure investments will be very important in this role.

  • You will leverage your experience of securing public funding and support services available nationally and internationally for early stage high growth companies.

  • We expect that you will have a high degree of familiarity with good governance structures and procedures and be experienced in managing professional teams to achieve significant results.

  • It will be important for you to be experienced in running events and communicating successes, have good organisational and management skills and have a proven ability to work independently and to manage a large, diverse set of tasks and projects.

  • Flexibility (in working hours and tasks) and excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as a willingness to travel as needed and a full driving licence will all be essential for this position.

The following is a list of the desirable skills and capabilities:

  • A higher degree in Business or Management (e.g. MBA).

  • Strong understanding of the trends and market opportunities and a passion and understanding of agri-food technology advancements across a wide range of disciplines. 

  • Experienced in securing and/or providing advice to companies to secure, angel, corporate or venture investments.

  • Experience in developing and delivering successful new programmes for entrepreneurship and new venture support.  

  • Extensive and strong relationships in the agri-food business community as well as the venture capital and wider investment community in Ireland and abroad.

The selection criteria for this role, will be based on the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the position.  Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

For further information about NovaUCD or this position, please contact info@voltedge.ie.

Apply for this position here.

Salary for the position is negotiable but in the range of €100k plus up to €20k bonus.

Closing date for applications is 31st August 2023.