An exciting opportunity is available for a Head of Commercial Partnerships to join Burnet Institute and play a key leadership role in delivering our commercialisation and growth agenda.

In this senior commercial role, you will lead the development and execution of strategic partnerships and commercial opportunities that maximise the impact, translation and sustainability of Burnet's research and innovation. Working across industry, government, philanthropy and the research sector, you will combine commercial acumen, strategic leadership and relationship-building expertise to identify opportunities, structure and negotiate deals, and drive them through to implementation.

You will also:

- Lead business development and external engagement to source, qualify and progress high-value commercial opportunities.
- Negotiate and close licences, collaborations, research agreements and other complex commercial arrangements.
- Build strategic relationships and networks across industry, investors, clinical partners and the broader innovation ecosystem.
- Assess commercial viability, intellectual property position, market opportunity and appropriate deal structures.
- Lead and develop a small business development team while contributing to pipeline governance, commercialisation strategy and a deal-focused, outcomes-oriented culture.

Refer to the position description link for full details:https://www.burnet.edu.au/PD_Head of Commercial Partnerships_Aug 2026

This is an ongoing, full-time position based at 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Boonwurrung Land, with flexible working arrangements including the opportunity to work from home.

Let's talk about you

The following criteria are essential requirements:

- Demonstrated success with 10+ years of experience in commercialisation, business development, strategic partnerships, technology transfer, or related commercial growth activities.
- A strong track record of working with industry to identify opportunities, negotiate significant deals and close commercial agreements.
- Experience negotiating and managing licences, collaborations, research agreements,



start-up-related transactions or other complex commercial arrangements.
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to navigate competing priorities, complex stakeholder interests and commercial considerations.
- Demonstrated people leadership experience, including mentoring, coaching, workload management and staff development.
- Excellent communication, influencing, stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, with the ability to develop strong networks across industry, investor and innovation ecosystems.
- Experience within life sciences, medtech, biotech, therapeutics or related sectors, with familiarity in intellectual property, patenting, due diligence and deal structuring.

The Burnet experience...

We want you to have a successful and meaningful career at Burnet and are committed to providing a supportive workplace environment for all our people. You will be part of a collaborative culture where progressive leadership, innovation, respect, and excellence are valued. Join a team of talented individuals who are passionate about what they do - achieving a more equitable world through better health.

We offer:

- A monthly accrued day off for full-time staff
- Study leave
- Versatile working arrangements
- Generous salary packaging
- Opportunities for career and professional development

Who are we?

Burnet Institute is a leading Australian, unaligned, not-for-profit, organisation passionate about social justice, equality and evidence-based research.

Burnet Institute brings together a highly diverse skill base, with more than 600 staff and students working across cutting-edge research and projects to address some of the most relevant global health issues.



Institute-wide interdisciplinary health programs Disease Elimination, Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness, and Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health are at the heart of our daily decision making. Harnessing our international and local field presence, our laboratories, and our mixed development and research cultures drives a greater focus on the most relevant health issues and achieves a greater impact as a result.

Whilst our headquarters is in Melbourne, Australia, we also have offices in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Myanmar and are actively involved in research and public health programs throughout Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa. Burnet is the only unaligned organisation in Australia that has dual accreditation with both the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Bring your whole self to work

At Burnet, we foster a diverse and inclusive culture. We want our people to feel like they belong and are free to be themselves at work. We have an active Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (GEDI) Council that works to promote and improve gender equity, diversity and inclusion across the Institute, by developing and implementing strategies informed by both national and international best practice and staff input.

Burnet holds an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award from Science in Gender Equity (SAGE). If you have a reasonable adjustment, support, or access requirement at any stage of the recruitment process, we encourage you to let us know by emailing [email protected] .

As part of our commitment to gender equity, we have included a question in the application process on gender. This will allow us to monitor and report on gender in relation to our recruitment process.

Burnet is committed to providing a child safe environment. The successful applicant will be required to complete a National Police Check, and all applicants must hold current Australian working rights.

Applications close at 11:59pm AEST on Monday, 31 August 2026

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📌 Head of Commercial Partnerships (Melbourne)
🏢 @
📍 Melbourne