Advisory Board Members - Australia's Economic Accelerator

To apply for these positions, you MUST complete the online application form at boardsearch.com.au/aea Applications submitted via SEEK will not be reviewed. For a detailed Role specification, please contact James Murrie at Challis & Company, the consultants advising the Department, on +61 2 8039 2225 or at ***@challis.co. 

The AEA is the Australian Government’s A$1.6 billion investment in the research commercialisation ecosystem. The AEA is the centrepiece key initiative of the Australian Government's Research Translation and Commercialisation Agenda. The Government committed to accelerate reform and capacity-building in the higher education sector for research translation and commercialisation.

The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation’s priority areas (‘Priority Areas’) for each stream are:

• renewables and low emissions technologies;
• medical science;
• transport;
• value-add in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors;
• value-add in resources;
• defence capability, and
• enabling capabilities.

AEA Ignite will provide grants per project of between A$50,000 and A$500,000 with a duration of up to 12 months. Eligible projects must clearly demonstrate the relevant stage of commercial readiness as defined by the Department of Defence’s Technology Readiness Level (‘TRL’). AEA Ignite grants will fund proof of concept research projects corresponding with TRLs 3 to 5 (TRL3: Critical function or proof-of-concept established; TRL4: Lab-testing/validation of Alpha prototype component/process, and TRL 5: Lab-testing of integrated/semi-integrated system).

AEA Innovate will provide grants of up to A$5 million per project and for a duration of up to 24 months. Projects selected will correspond to intermediate levels of commercial development—TRLs 5 to 7 (TRL 6: Prototype system verified; TRL 7: Integrated pilot system demonstrated).

The AEA’s establishment is contained in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (‘HESA’).

S 42.25 of HESA provides that the AEA has an Advisory Board of between six and eight (inclusive) part-time members, including the Chair and Deputy Chair.

The Advisory Board will be supported by a small Secretariat within the Department.

Members will be responsible for:

• advising the Minister for Education (‘Minister’) in relation to translation and commercialisation of university research;
• advising the Minister in relation to the AEA program, including in relation to objectives, conditions of eligibility and conditions of grants;
• overseeing the performance of functions by priority managers engaged under s 42.75 of HESA, and
• preparing and giving to the Minister, for presentation to the Parliament, an annual report on the Advisory Board’s operations during the year, including details of:
• achievements and outcomes in translating and commercialising university research in areas of national priority, and
• regulatory, financial and cultural barriers to translating and commercialising university research in areas of national priority and proposed ways of addressing them.

The Chair

The Chair will lead all Advisory Board meetings and have primary responsibility for ensuring that the Advisory Board and the AEA deliver on their commitments and functions, and provide prudent advice to Government on research priorities, policies and strategies. They will work in consultation with the Secretariat.

The Deputy Chair

The Deputy Chair will be responsible for supporting the Chair in the leadership of the Advisory Board and the AEA, overseeing discrete work and the performance of other duties, where required. They will step-in where the Chair is absent from duty or unable to perform the duties of office.

Term

Each member will be appointed for a five-year term and be eligible for reappointment for two additional terms.

Selection criteria

Each member (including the Chair and Deputy Chair) will bring standing, expertise and experience in one or more of the Priority Areas. Moreover, the Advisory Board as a whole will collectively:

a)      cover as many of the Priority Areas as possible

b)      possess experience and knowledge in research and its translation and commercialisation

c)      represent the sectors of government, industry, business and research

For a detailed Role specification, please contact James Murrie at Challis & Company, the consultants advising the Department, on +61 2 8039 2225 or at ***@challis.co.

To apply for these positions, please complete the online application form at boardsearch.com.au/aea by 10pm AEST (8pm AWST) on Sunday, 7 April 2024, including:

a)        answering questions on how they meet each of the selection criteria;

b)        providing two professional referees;

c)         detailing any conflicts of interest, and

d)        attaching a curriculum vitæ of no more than five pages.

Remuneration

The Remuneration Tribunal has determined the following annual remuneration for the roles:

(a) A$100,720 for the Chair, and

(b) A$50,360 for the Deputy Chair and other members,

together with tier 2 travel.