Careers at Virginia Tech

LINK, part of Virginia Tech’s Innovation and Partnerships team, seeks an Associate Director of Business Development to strengthen and expand strategic industry partnerships. LINK connects organizations to university talent, research, and resources across a $500+ million research enterprise—advancing innovation, economic development, and human impact for Virginia Tech, the Commonwealth, and beyond.

Based in Northern Virginia, the Associate Director will be the primary liaison for a portfolio of industry partners—particularly in engineering and national security—and will align corporate interests with university priorities, including faculty research, student talent, and institutional initiatives.

Reporting to the Executive Director of LINK and working in a collaborative, matrixed team, the Associate Director will:
- Lead a client-centered, portfolio-based approach to industry engagement, supporting collaborations in research, talent recruitment, philanthropy, sponsorship, and experiential learning.
- Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships with corporate executives, serving as the university’s primary point of contact.
- Collaborate with faculty, researchers, and Advancement professionals to align university capabilities with industry needs.
- Develop expertise in Virginia Tech’s research strengths and connect them to market opportunities.
- Facilitate working sessions, co-creation activities, and campus visits that generate impactful outcomes.
- Apply market and technical insight to identify high-value partnership opportunities.
- Support the development of proposals, white papers, grant applications, and stewardship materials.
- Assist with strategy development, contract/gift review, and agreement execution.
- Contribute to marketing, communications, and partner recognition efforts.
- Serve as liaison to specific colleges and research units, ensuring integrated engagement.
- Monitor industry trends and university capabilities to drive timely, relevant collaborations.

This position plays a key role in advancing Virginia Tech’s mission as a leading land-grant institution that delivers innovative, real-world solutions to global challenges through deep and sustained industry partnerships.

Master's degree or Bachelor's degree with experience equating to an advanced degree.

Experience in consultative or technical sales/marketing, business development, client management, business/research strategy, and/or innovation/partnerships function.

Track record of professionalism, with strong communication skills (both written and oral) and ability to work with and support a wide range of constituents, e.g., clients, customers, teams, donors, and volunteers.

Ability to analyze data (e.g., market, technical, customer) and lend technical expertise to establish priorities and develop and implement strategies with increasing complexity.

A self-starter who can work independently, as well as be a team contributor in a complex and fast paced organization.

Willingness to travel on a frequent basis.

Technical or industry background, including engineering, data sciences, cybersecurity, defense, physical sciences, life sciences, information technology, and related domains.

Evidence of business/revenue growth and/or partnership development in a technical sales/marketing capacity.

Evidence of productive relationships and facilitation with administrators, key business leaders, faculty, staff, institutional boards, volunteers, and/or donors.

Previous business development/strategy experience developing progressively complex strategies and using data analytics, technical/domain knowledge and information, and competitive/market intelligence to guide decision making.

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Regular

$120,000 to $135,000

40+

October 19, 2025

Safe driving record.

Unable to Sponsor Work Visas.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Regional and national travel is required for the purposes of conducting field research, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, which may include overnights and weekends.

Must have the ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation.

The ability to work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when possible is necessary.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.