Head of Innovation

**Role Type**: Full time permanent position
**Salary**: Competitive salary + superannuation + salary packaging benefits
**The opportunity**:
The Head of Innovation and Commercialisation will be a strategic leader with a proven ability to manage innovation assets from concept to market, build partnerships, attract investment, and elevate MCRI’s visibility and reputation on the national and international stage. This role is focused on ensuring the translation of research into impactful solutions that improve children’s health outcomes globally.
**Your responsibilities will include**:
**Leadership & Strategy**: Lead the Innovation and Commercialisation team in developing and executing MCRI’s strategy for innovation across a range of disciplines. Identify new opportunities and drive a robust pipeline of products and services that address key challenges in children’s health.
**Partnership & Investment**: Identify, attract, and manage key partnerships, ventures, and investments across diverse sectors, including biotechnology, diagnostics, MedTech, and HealthTech. Establish MCRI as a global leader in child health innovation.
**Team Development**: Lead, mentor, and develop a team skilled in business development, intellectual property (IP) management, licensing, and company formation. Foster an innovation culture that continuously generates new opportunities.
**Stakeholder Engagement**: Communicate MCRI’s innovation outcomes to diverse stakeholders, including government, industry, and investors. Elevate MCRI’s profile and drive awareness of the Institute’s impact on child health.
**Financial & Risk Management**: Oversee financial performance, manage portfolio risk, and ensure prudent oversight of IP assets. Approve licensing deals and ensure alignment with MCRI’s strategic priorities.
**Reporting & Compliance**: Provide strategic updates to senior management and the MCRI Board, with responsibility for quarterly reporting to the Innovation Subcommittee. Ensure compliance with statutory requirements and industry standards.
**Key Accountabilities**:
Develop and refine MCRI’s asset strategy in collaboration with research teams and leaders.
Lead business development efforts, securing investment and partnership opportunities.
Drive the commercialisation process, from product identification to market entry.
Maintain seamless coordination with internal teams, including legal, finance, and operations.
Ensure compliance with fiscal accountability, reporting requirements, and legal standards.
**Selection Criteria**:
**Experience**: Proven success in leading commercialisation and translation of life sciences research at a national or international level. Strong track record in taking products from early-stage innovation to commercial success.
**Leadership**: Extensive experience leading high-performing teams, influencing stakeholders, and driving organisational change in complex environments.

**Qualifications**: Tertiary qualifications in health, medicine, or life sciences. An MBA is desirable. Board director or CEO experience in the life sciences sector is highly valued.
**Commercial Acumen**: Exceptional skills in financial management, strategic decision-making, and navigating commercial and legal processes in the life sciences sector.
**Communication & Relationship Building**: Strong communication, relationship management, and influencing skills, with the ability to present effectively to diverse audiences.
**Passion for Impact**: A commitment to improving child and adolescent health outcomes, with a focus on creating social and clinical impact over financial returns.
What’s in it for you?
Benefit from salary packaging, including entertainment and novated leases.
Enjoy a variety of flexible work arrangements.
Lead a dynamic team driving innovation and commercialisation at the forefront of children’s health.
Make a tangible impact by translating cutting-edge research into real-world solutions.
Work with a diverse portfolio spanning biotechnology, MedTech, diagnostics, and social innovation.
Elevate the global visibility and reputation of MCRI within the life sciences and technology sectors.
Shape and implement strategic innovation initiatives to improve children’s health outcomes.
Collaborate with top researchers, legal teams, and financial experts to bring innovations to market.
Gain exposure to the full spectrum of research commercialisation, from ideation to market launch.
Thrive in a purpose-driven environment, focused on making a lasting difference in the lives of children.
Who we are
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute envisions a transformative future for child health. Our institute is a hub of impactful scientific breakthroughs, particularly in early interventions, enhanced diagnosis, prevention, and potential cures. We thrive on collaborative, multidisciplinary problem-solving to address challenging queries in child health. Committed to inclusivity and respect, we foster a positive working environment that values