Job Description
Job Role: Deputy Director – Co E Industry Engagement & Co-Branding
- Applies to all Co Es across domains (Business studies, Engineering, Law and Public Policy, Liberal arts and Sciences)
- Establishes industry engagement playbooks for all Co Es
- Works in close alignment with Directors of Co E, Director – Centre for Research, and CIO
- Acts as a central enabler for industry partnerships without owning academic scope or corporate relations
Role Purpose
The Deputy Director – Co E Industry Engagement & Co-Branding is responsible for enabling, coordinating, and integrating Centres of Excellence (Co Es) through structured industry engagement frameworks, co-branding initiatives, and partnership activation mechanisms.
This role functions in close alignment with the Directors of Co E, the Director – Centre for Research, and the Chief Industry Officer (CIO) and does not assume academic or industry ownership.
The role is designed to augment the existing Co E structure and serve as the institutional execution arm for the CIO’s mandate to build a University-wide partner ecosystem. The Deputy Director ensures Co Es become industry engageable and externally visible through playbooks, packaging, coordination, and governance-compliant implementation.
This role is not a general corporate relations position; it exists specifically to operationalize and scale Co E-linked industry partnerships and co-branding.
Role Mandate
This role succeeds when:
- Industry engagement becomes systematic rather than individualdependent
- All Co Es have partner-ready engagement models
- Relationships convert into Co E-linked partnerships and funding
Key Result Areas (KRAs)
KRA 1: Co E Industry Engagement Playbook & Operating Model
Purpose
Develop and institutionalise a structured playbook for Co E-industry engagement across all domains.
Key Responsibilities
Design a University Co E Industry Engagement Playbook in alignment
with:
- CIO (industry strategy + priority partners)
- Director – Centre for Research (research governance & compliance)
- Directors of Co E (capability and academic scope)
Establish standard Industry engagement pathways for diverse Co Es, such as:
- Engineering and Science Co Es: pilots, prototypes, sponsored labs, R&D projects
- Business studies and Law & Public Policy: impact studies, analytics, consulting, ESG, CSR partnerships
- Liberal Arts: impact studies, analytics, sponsorships, cultural partnerships, residencies, festivals, productions
Key Measures
- Co E engagement playbook created, approved, and operationalised
- Percentage of Co Es onboarded onto playbook processes
- Reduction in ad-hoc/unstructured industry engagements
- The playbook structures Industry engagement; it does not determine Co E academic priorities
KRA 2: Industry Partnership Enablement & Conversion for Co Es
Purpose
Convert CIO-led initiative on partner ecosystem building into specific Co E-linked partnerships.
Key Responsibilities
Maintain a structured Co E partnership pipeline sourced from:
- CIO’s strategic partner outreach
- Alliance university Alumni network
- AU – CAN office
- Industry inbound requests
- Outbound through active networking
- Co E leadership leads routed through the playbook
Facilitate conversion of opportunities into:
- Sponsored research and problem statements (where applicable)
- Co-branded labs and platforms
- Industry-funded projects and pilots
- Partner-funded chairs/fellowships
- CSR/ESG and policy partnerships
Ensure engagements are appropriately routed to relevant Co Es based on capability and readiness and Director – CFR.
Key Measures
- Number of Co E-linked partnerships activated annually
- Value of partnership pipeline (Rs. / year)
- Lead-to-engagement conversion rate and cycle time
- Diversity of partners across sectors and Co E domains
- CIO owns strategic partner relationships; Co E leaders own academic execution.
KRA 3: Co-Branding Framework & Execution for Co Es
Purpose
Build and manage co-branding initiatives that strengthen Co E credibility and AU’s reputation
Key Responsibilities
Develop a Co E co-branding framework including:
- Co-branding levels (lab, Skill Development centre’s, chair, fellowship, Joint certification programs, WILPs etc)
- Ensure all Deliverables are clearly stated in the Mo U and are realized and fulfilled Yo Y, through systematic review involving CIO and CFR
Ensure co-branding is backed by:
- Clear partner commitments
- Documented deliverables
- Risk review and compliance checks
Key Measures
- Number of co-branded Co E initiatives launched per year
- Compliance score (zero brand/protocol violations)
- Co E visibility uplift through partners and media
KRA 4: Industry Engagement Eventization & External Partner Experience
Purpose
Position Co Es as active public platforms for industry collaboration and ecosystem
participation.
Key Responsibilities
Plan and execute structured partner experiences such as:
- Co E showcase days (multi-domain)
- Sector-themed partner roundtables
- Demo days for technology Co Es
- Policy dialogue forums for public policy/economics Co Es
- Cultural partnership showcases for arts Co Es
Build “partner journeys” and ensure follow-up conversions
Key Measures
- Number of partner engagement events hosted (by Co E/cluster)
- Quality of industry participation (strategic partners vs transactional)
- Post-event engagement conversion rate
KRA 5: Partnership Intelligence, Dashboards & Institutional Reporting
Purpose
Provide decision-grade visibility to CIO and alignment visibility to Co E Directors
and the Director – Centre for Research.
Key Responsibilities
Maintain a Co E partnership dashboard with:
- Active partners
- Engagement status
- Funding value
- Co-branding initiatives
- Pipeline and conversion progress
Present quarterly status insights to CIO
Provide summary updates to the Director – Centre for Research and Directors of Co E for alignment
Key Measures
- On-time dashboard submission (quarterly)
- Accuracy and adoption of reporting in decision-making
- Evidence of course correction/improvement based on insights
- Does not duplicate DCR research output dashboards; focuses on Co E partner engagement ecosystem.
- Applies to all Co Es across domains (Business studies, Engineering, Law and Public Policy, Liberal arts and Sciences)
- Establishes industry engagement playbooks for all Co Es
- Works in close alignment with Directors of Co E, Director – Centre for Research, and CIO
- Acts as a central enabler for industry partnerships without owning academic scope or corporate relations
Role Purpose
The Deputy Director – Co E Industry Engagement & Co-Branding is responsible for enabling, coordinating, and integrating Centres of Excellence (Co Es) through structured industry engagement frameworks, co-branding initiatives, and partnership activation mechanisms.
This role functions in close alignment with the Directors of Co E, the Director – Centre for Research, and the Chief Industry Officer (CIO) and does not assume academic or industry ownership.
The role is designed to augment the existing Co E structure and serve as the institutional execution arm for the CIO’s mandate to build a University-wide partner ecosystem. The Deputy Director ensures Co Es become industry engageable and externally visible through playbooks, packaging, coordination, and governance-compliant implementation.
This role is not a general corporate relations position; it exists specifically to operationalize and scale Co E-linked industry partnerships and co-branding.
Role Mandate
This role succeeds when:
- Industry engagement becomes systematic rather than individualdependent
- All Co Es have partner-ready engagement models
- Relationships convert into Co E-linked partnerships and funding
Key Result Areas (KRAs)
KRA 1: Co E Industry Engagement Playbook & Operating Model
Purpose
Develop and institutionalise a structured playbook for Co E-industry engagement across all domains.
Key Responsibilities
Design a University Co E Industry Engagement Playbook in alignment
with:
- CIO (industry strategy + priority partners)
- Director – Centre for Research (research governance & compliance)
- Directors of Co E (capability and academic scope)
Establish standard Industry engagement pathways for diverse Co Es, such as:
- Engineering and Science Co Es: pilots, prototypes, sponsored labs, R&D projects
- Business studies and Law & Public Policy: impact studies, analytics, consulting, ESG, CSR partnerships
- Liberal Arts: impact studies, analytics, sponsorships, cultural partnerships, residencies, festivals, productions
Key Measures
- Co E engagement playbook created, approved, and operationalised
- Percentage of Co Es onboarded onto playbook processes
- Reduction in ad-hoc/unstructured industry engagements
- The playbook structures Industry engagement; it does not determine Co E academic priorities
KRA 2: Industry Partnership Enablement & Conversion for Co Es
Purpose
Convert CIO-led initiative on partner ecosystem building into specific Co E-linked partnerships.
Key Responsibilities
Maintain a structured Co E partnership pipeline sourced from:
- CIO’s strategic partner outreach
- Alliance university Alumni network
- AU – CAN office
- Industry inbound requests
- Outbound through active networking
- Co E leadership leads routed through the playbook
Facilitate conversion of opportunities into:
- Sponsored research and problem statements (where applicable)
- Co-branded labs and platforms
- Industry-funded projects and pilots
- Partner-funded chairs/fellowships
- CSR/ESG and policy partnerships
Ensure engagements are appropriately routed to relevant Co Es based on capability and readiness and Director – CFR.
Key Measures
- Number of Co E-linked partnerships activated annually
- Value of partnership pipeline (Rs. / year)
- Lead-to-engagement conversion rate and cycle time
- Diversity of partners across sectors and Co E domains
- CIO owns strategic partner relationships; Co E leaders own academic execution.
KRA 3: Co-Branding Framework & Execution for Co Es
Purpose
Build and manage co-branding initiatives that strengthen Co E credibility and AU’s reputation
Key Responsibilities
Develop a Co E co-branding framework including:
- Co-branding levels (lab, Skill Development centre’s, chair, fellowship, Joint certification programs, WILPs etc)
- Ensure all Deliverables are clearly stated in the Mo U and are realized and fulfilled Yo Y, through systematic review involving CIO and CFR
Ensure co-branding is backed by:
- Clear partner commitments
- Documented deliverables
- Risk review and compliance checks
Key Measures
- Number of co-branded Co E initiatives launched per year
- Compliance score (zero brand/protocol violations)
- Co E visibility uplift through partners and media
KRA 4: Industry Engagement Eventization & External Partner Experience
Purpose
Position Co Es as active public platforms for industry collaboration and ecosystem
participation.
Key Responsibilities
Plan and execute structured partner experiences such as:
- Co E showcase days (multi-domain)
- Sector-themed partner roundtables
- Demo days for technology Co Es
- Policy dialogue forums for public policy/economics Co Es
- Cultural partnership showcases for arts Co Es
Build “partner journeys” and ensure follow-up conversions
Key Measures
- Number of partner engagement events hosted (by Co E/cluster)
- Quality of industry participation (strategic partners vs transactional)
- Post-event engagement conversion rate
KRA 5: Partnership Intelligence, Dashboards & Institutional Reporting
Purpose
Provide decision-grade visibility to CIO and alignment visibility to Co E Directors
and the Director – Centre for Research.
Key Responsibilities
Maintain a Co E partnership dashboard with:
- Active partners
- Engagement status
- Funding value
- Co-branding initiatives
- Pipeline and conversion progress
Present quarterly status insights to CIO
Provide summary updates to the Director – Centre for Research and Directors of Co E for alignment
Key Measures
- On-time dashboard submission (quarterly)
- Accuracy and adoption of reporting in decision-making
- Evidence of course correction/improvement based on insights
- Does not duplicate DCR research output dashboards; focuses on Co E partner engagement ecosystem.
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