Requisition Number: S_260329

Department: NE Manufacturing Exten Partnership-9028

Description of Work:

• Engage manufacturing owners, CEOs, and presidents through direct outreach to identify business needs and demonstrate the return on investment of operational and strategic improvements.
• Assess complex strategic, operational, managerial, and technical challenges within manufacturing companies and develop solutions to improve business performance. · Develop and present client proposals, negotiate scope and fees, and coordinate service delivery with University partners and service providers.
• Manage client relationships, revenue development pipeline, and fee-for-service projects and awarded grants.
• Serve as a statewide manufacturing industry expert and maintain partnerships with businesses, economic development organizations, state agencies, and industry associations.
• Lead workshops, events, and training sessions on manufacturing best practices, industry trends, and business improvement strategies.
• Develop strategies, programs, and service offerings to improve the performance and growth of the manufacturing sector across the state.
• Build partnerships and lead collaborative teams of University staff, partners, and industry professionals to deliver solutions to manufacturers.
• Mentor staff and support project managers and specialists to ensure successful service delivery and client outcomes.

• Generous paid time off including vacation, sick leave, parental leave, and holidays
• Comprehensive insurance options including medical, dental, vision, and life coverage
• Employee and dependent scholarship programs to pursue higher education
• Retirement plans with university match

Minimum Required Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in engineering, manufacturing/industrial technology, business/management, supply chain/operations, or a closely related field plus five (5) years of experience in one or more of the following within a manufacturing context:
  • Manufacturing support, leadership or consulting, continuous improvement, advanced manufacturing, quality/lean, technology adoption or implementation experience or manufacturing business development or account management.

• Demonstrated ability to diagnose multidisciplinary problems (strategy, operations, technical) and translate findings into data driven recommendations and ROI/impact cases.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to engage owners/executive leadership, present proposals, and negotiate statements of work.
• Ability to track record leading across functional teams.
• Valid driver's license with ability to meet University driver eligibility requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Eight (8) years progressive experience in manufacturing strategy/operations (e.g., lean/continuous improvement, quality systems, advanced automation, Industry 4.0/IIoT, supply chain, workforce, or commercialization).
• Specialized experience in one or more of the following relevant manufacturing domains:
  • Growth & Market Expansion (marketing strategy, digital marketing, government contraction, exporting),
  • Leadership & Business Systems (strategy, supply chain, organizational culture, management systems),
  • Productivity & Operational Excellence (lean/continuous improvement, quality systems, process improvement), or
  • Technology & Innovation (Industry 4.0, automation, engineering, testing).

• Experience owning a CRM (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics) to build/maintain a revenue development pipeline, drive follow-ups, and report of KPIs.
• Experience with grant funded projects, university partnerships, applied research environments, or collaborative extension/outreach models.

Posted Salary: $89,800/year minimum

Job Type: Full-Time

About University of Nebraska Lincoln

With over 25,000 students, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a diverse educational insitution with international stature. The intellectual center for the state of Nebraska and beyond, we are a land-grant, top tier national research-extensive insitution. Part of the Big Ten conference, Big Ten Academic Alliance, our mission includes growing relationships and resources that enable the University of Nebraska to change lives.

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