Location: Brisbane, Health & Food Sciences Precinct Coopers Plains
Duration: 3-years, full-time position (+ possible extension)
Objectives:
- Establish a series of Queensland Government research agency led projects with new and existing industry partners within the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).
- Facilitate the participation of new industry partners into the Fight Food Waste CRC.
- Create a pro-active network across tropical/subtropical primary production value chains to reduce and/or transform agricultural waste in Queensland.
Background:
The Fight Food Waste CRC is a $120 million, 10-year organisation that has a vision of an Australia without food waste. We are funded through the Commonwealth Government’s CRC Program, industry participants, state governments and tertiary institutions. The Fight Food Waste CRC conducts dynamic and innovative research to reduce and transform food waste throughout the supply chain to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for Australia.
The Queensland Government has made a significant commitment to contribute cash and in-kind funding to the Fight Food Waste CRC with the expectation of returns in the form of R&D projects. An Innovation Manager is required to drive the setup, establishment and execution of new partnerships and food waste projects to help Fight Food Waste CRC and the Queensland Government achieve the desired investment goals, project outcomes and industry impacts.
The Innovation Manager will perform the following duties:
- Establish significant and impactful new collaborative R&D projects within the Fight Food Waste CRC.
- Create industry relationships across tropical/subtropical regions attracting funding towards the above mentioned R&D projects.
- Establish university relationships and collaborations to engage in R&D projects where possible.
- Engage Indigenous groups/communities to gain traditional knowledge and Care of Country input as and develop pathways for Indigenous business development.
- Establish industry networks and logistic pathways to enable on-processing of product close to harvest location.
- Explore opportunities for total utilisation of harvested products:
- explore additional products and formats for diversification of harvested produce.
- gain understanding of specific tropical/subtropical product attributes to enable identification of optimal processing protocols for products to existing and new markets.
- Conduct and support specific on-ground activities that deliver and demonstrate high quality tropical/subtropical food products to market. This will include a focus on innovative market driven attributes such as sustainable packaging, geographical provenance, and digital traceability.
The qualifications and skills required for the position are:
- Highly developed industry business development skills with demonstrated track record of attracting new participants and funding to projects and working with or within a research environment.
- Exceptional demonstrated leadership skills in leading industry-focussed research, development and commercialisation projects to deliver real impact for industry.
- A proven performer with a history of achievement in the timely delivery of measurable outcomes.
- Capable of both broad strategic thinking and detailed operational analysis.
- Graduate qualifications in food science or chemical engineering or similar. In addition, business and/or management qualifications will be highly regarded.
- Knowledge of the food waste problem globally and in Australia, successful waste reduction initiatives, and food waste valorisation options.
- Exceptional written and/oral communication skills with a high level of comfort working with a diverse array of stakeholders.
- Well-developed administrative skills for tracking performance against project, program and organisational key performance indicators.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the food waste challenge in Australia and play a central role in Australia achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, to halve food waste by 2030.
For further information including the full Position Description please contact Fight Food Waste CRC CEO, Dr Steven Lapidge, on (+61) 0401 990 367 or email enquiries@fightfoodwastecrc.com.au.
APPLY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY NOW!
Please apply through SEEK with a cover letter that specifically addresses the eight qualification and skill requirements above in no more than four pages plus a current concise resume (maximum four pages). Applications that do not address these requirements will not be considered.
Note: only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Applications due Thursday 8 April 2021.
