OceanWorks Senior Business Development & Partnerships Manager

Job Summary

Job Description

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is hiring an  OceanWorks Senior Business Development & Partnerships Manager  to support OceanWorks, WHOI’s hub for innovation, industry engagement, and research translation. This full-time, on-site role is responsible for leading the development, structuring, and advancement of external engagement opportunities that connect WHOI’s scientific capabilities with commercial and industrial partners.

This position plays a central role in growing industry- and commercially funded research, working across WHOI researchers, OceanWorks leadership, and external stakeholders to translate scientific capabilities into fundable collaborations, consortia, and partnership-based initiatives. The Senior Business Development & Partnerships Manager leads complex, multi-stakeholder engagement efforts from early-stage opportunity identification through project formation and launch, while also ensuring effective coordination, continuity, and relationship management across the broader body of associated work.

This role requires extensive engagement with WHOI researchers and research teams to understand their scientific capabilities, interests, and readiness for external collaboration, particularly with commercial and industrial partners. The position also requires sustained external outreach and relationship development with prospective partners and funders. The successful candidate brings relevant domain knowledge and an existing network of relationships that can be leveraged to accelerate partnership development and funding growth.

This role operates with significant independence and is responsible for ensuring that projects, partnerships, and multi-party engagements are well-structured, aligned, and effectively supported over time, particularly in cases involving multiple stakeholders, funders, or interconnected activities.

Reporting to the Chief Innovation Officer, this role works closely with Principal Investigators, OceanWorks staff, Communications, and external partners to expand WHOI’s engagement portfolio and strengthen long-term external relationships.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Business Development & Opportunity Leadership

• Lead the identification, development, and advancement of external engagement opportunities with commercial and industrial partners

• Translate WHOI scientific capabilities into structured partnership opportunities, including sponsored research, pilot projects, technical collaborations, and consortia

• Define opportunity scope, value proposition, engagement approach, and potential deliverables in collaboration with researchers and leadership

• Drive opportunities from initial concept through stakeholder alignment to project formation and launch

• Build and maintain a pipeline of engagement opportunities aligned with OceanWorks priorities

• Serve as the primary point of coordination and accountability for advancing opportunities to funded outcomes

Internal Researcher Engagement & Alignment

• Engage deeply with WHOI researchers and research teams to understand scientific capabilities, research priorities, and interest in commercial or industrial collaboration

• Identify and assess opportunities where research activities align with external partner needs and funding opportunities

• Help researchers articulate externally relevant value propositions and engagement pathways

• Advise on positioning, timing, and structuring of engagements based on researcher readiness and partner expectations

• Facilitate alignment across researchers, OceanWorks leadership, and external stakeholders to ensure opportunities are well-scoped, feasible, and strategically aligned

External Engagement & Relationship Development

• Serve as a key external-facing representative for OceanWorks in interactions with industry and institutional partners

• Conduct sustained, proactive outreach to prospective commercial and industrial partners to identify and develop new engagement opportunities

• Lead engagement discussions, exploratory meetings, and follow-up activities with prospective partners

• Align partner needs with WHOI capabilities, timelines, and engagement models

• Build and maintain a portfolio of external relationships that support long-term partnership development and funding growth

• Leverage existing professional networks and industry knowledge to accelerate opportunity identification and engagement

• Maintain ongoing engagement with partners and prospects to understand evolving needs and identify new collaboration opportunities

Portfolio Coordination & Engagement Oversight

• Provide oversight and coordination across multiple related projects and engagements, ensuring alignment, continuity, and effective execution across the broader body of work

• Support the management of multi-project initiatives and consortia, ensuring clear roles, expectations, timelines, and communication across participating stakeholders

• Identify and manage interdependencies, risks, and stakeholder dynamics across related efforts

• Facilitate alignment between individual project activities and broader engagement objectives, without assuming formal program ownership

• Ensure effective engagement and continuity across funders, researchers, and participating organizations in multi-party initiatives

Funder & Research Relationship Management

• Serve as a central point of coordination to ensure strong, continuous relationships between external funders and WHOI research teams

• Support clear communication, expectation-setting, and follow-through across all phases of engagement

• Ensure that both funder and researcher needs are understood and addressed, helping to maintain alignment and satisfaction

• Coordinate issue resolution, communication flow, and ongoing engagement to support long-term partnership success

• Maintain continuity across project phases to ensure a seamless experience from initial engagement through project delivery

Project Formation & Execution Leadership

• Lead the transition of opportunities into defined projects, including scope development, stakeholder alignment, and execution planning

• Develop and manage project plans for early-stage and active engagements, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables

• Coordinate cross-functional teams including researchers, communications, and administrative partners

• Identify and manage risks, dependencies, and critical issues during project formation and early execution

• Ensure projects are well-structured, feasible, and aligned prior to full technical execution by research teams

CRM, Pipeline, and Engagement Systems

• Lead use and continuous improvement of the OceanWorks Salesforce CRM platform

• Track engagement activity, opportunity development, stakeholder interactions, and project progression

• Develop dashboards and reporting tools to support pipeline visibility, prioritization, and decision-making

• Ensure high-quality data management to support institutional memory and long-term relationship continuity

Market, Scientific & Stakeholder Intelligence

• Maintain awareness of relevant industry sectors, scientific trends, and funding landscapes aligned with WHOI research

• Identify emerging opportunities for engagement and partnership development

• Track stakeholder priorities and evolving needs to inform opportunity development and positioning

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Provide guidance and coordination to project coordinators, analysts, or supporting team members as applicable

• Mentor junior staff and contribute to the development of engagement and project management practices within OceanWorks

• Foster collaboration, accountability, and effective teamwork across internal and external participants

Decision-Making & Problem Solving

• Exercise independent judgment in managing complex stakeholder environments and advancing evolving opportunities

• Identify pathways forward in ambiguous or multi-party engagement scenarios

• Resolve coordination challenges across projects, partners, and internal teams

• Escalate high-risk or institutionally significant issues as appropriate

Required Qualifications and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, environmental studies, business, communications, or a related field, or equivalent experience

• 7–10+ years of experience in business development, stakeholder engagement, project management, or related roles in a scientific, technical, or innovation-driven environment

• Demonstrated experience working closely with scientific or technical teams to develop externally funded projects or partnerships

• Proven success in developing and advancing external relationships, partnerships, and/or funding opportunities

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder efforts spanning internal and external participants

• Strong ability to engage credibly with both scientific and external stakeholder audiences

• Excellent communication, relationship management, and organizational skills

• Ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative and accountability

• Willingness and ability to work on-site at WHOI’s Woods Hole, MA campus

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (science, business, environmental management, or related discipline)

• Experience in research translation, technology transfer, or industry engagement within a scientific or academic environment

• Experience supporting or managing consortia or multi-party collaborations

• Established network of relationships in relevant industry sectors, government, or institutional partners

• Familiarity with ocean science, climate, environmental systems, or related domains relevant to WHOI

• Experience using Salesforce CRM or similar systems for pipeline and relationship management

• Experience managing or contributing to digital platforms or engagement tools (e.g., WordPress or similar CMS tools)

Additional Job Requirements

WHOI accepts applications on a rolling basis - applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure full consideration. While we will continue to review applications until the position is filled, and early applicants may have an advantage in the selection process.

EEO Statement

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.