Ecosystem Manager, On Innovation Program

**Acknowledgement of Country**

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation.

**Role highlights**
- **Drive research impact by connecting CSIRO with universities, institutes, mentors, and investors.**:

- **Support research translation by equipping teams with skills and networks.**:

- **Strengthen CSIRO’s ON Program through strategic engagement and leadership.**

**About CSIRO**

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

**The opportunity**

The ON Innovation Program accelerates Australia’s most promising research breakthroughs from mind to market. Through flagship initiatives like ON Prime and ON Accelerate, the program supports over 100 research teams each year, building entrepreneurial capability, exploring commercialisation pathways, and equipping researchers with the skills, confidence, and networks to create real-world impact.

We have multiple opportunities for Innovation Ecosystem Managers to join the team, each focused on either leading the ON Mentor Program or driving Investor Engagement. In these roles, you will engage key stakeholders across universities, publicly funded research agencies, and medical research institutes, building strong, strategic relationships to drive participation in ON programs and foster long-term collaboration.

You will also contribute to broader ecosystem engagement through events, alumni connections, and communications, while supporting the systems, policies, and processes that enable CSIRO’s ON Program to achieve its strategic objectives. These roles require autonomy, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and a passion for research translation and innovation, helping strengthen CSIRO’s ON Program and maximise its impact.

**Your high-level duties will include**:

- Build and maintain strategic relationships with universities, PFROs, MRIs, industry, investors, and mentors.
- Identify, map, and manage partnership opportunities and stakeholder engagement records.
- Lead either the ON Mentor Program or ON Investor Program, managing end-to-end engagement.
- Develop and deliver engagement strategies, events, and alumni/mentor connections.
- Represent CSIRO externally and internally, communicating effectively and influencing outcomes.

For the entire list of duties please refer to the position description

**Role particulars**

**Location and office arrangements**:
Sydney (Gadigal), Brisbane (Meanjin) or Adelaide (Tarntanya) other locations may be considered.

Hybrid working available up to 4 days. Flexible work options available.

**Salary**: AU$114k - AU$123k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation

**Tenure & work schedule**:
Indefinite Full time

**Reference**:100955

**Essential criteria**
- Relevant trade certificate/diploma/bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant work experience in event and project management, communications, community management, research and innovation programs.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive relationships with diverse stakeholders across the research and innovation ecosystem, such as Technology Transfer Offices, startup innovation hubs, mentors, and investors, and converting those relationships into meaningful engagements.
- Demonstrated understanding and experience in the following areas:

- Stakeholder mapping
- Persuading others and building strong interpersonal networks
- Translating conceptual thinking into practical initiatives
- Experience working autonomously and remotely, including a demonstrated ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements & self-prioritise multiple tasks
- Demonstrated interest in science and innovation, with the ability to engage with emerging trends, support the development of innovative ideas, and contribute to initiatives that enable research translation and technological advancement
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and can adapt to changing circumstances and to operate well with situations that lack clarity to achieve team objectives.

**Desirable**
- Tertiary qualifications in a relevant business, arts, science or engineering discipline will be highly regarded.
- Previous working experience in a development or partner relationship role in an accelerator or the innovation and research sectors.
- Demonstrated understanding of the Venture Capital landscape, deep tech commercialisation, and the role of external partners, industry and mentors play in supporting research translation. principles and integration of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements throughout the development process.

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