Executive Director of Intellectual Property Solutions

Strategic IP Leader

This leadership position will oversee the strategic direction, technical oversight, and business leadership of a Search & Licensing vertical. The successful candidate will ensure the overall performance, profitability, and growth of this business unit.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversight of the strategic roadmap for the Search & Licensing business unit.
• Alignment of the vertical's offerings with market needs and evolving IP trends.
• Annual goal setting, budget forecasting, and investment planning for the BU.

Revenue Generation & P&L Ownership:

• P&L ownership of the vertical, ensuring revenue targets are met or exceeded.
• Development of pricing strategies, resource allocation, and service optimization plans to maximize profitability.
• Project pipeline tracking, billing, and receivable coordination with the Finance Team.

Service Delivery & Quality Assurance:

• Supervision of end-to-end execution of all IP Search and Analytics services.
• Patentability/ Novelty Searches.
• Freedom To Operate (FTO) Searches.
• Invalidity/ Validity Searches.
• Patent Landscaping/ Technology Scouting.
• Rigorous quality control protocols implementation and timely delivery assurance.

IP Monetization & Licensing:

• Design and execution of IP monetization strategies.
• Client support in identifying licensing opportunities, negotiating deals, and executing transactions.
• Partner/ licensee ecosystem development across industries.

Client Engagement & Satisfaction:

• Strategic advisory role to clients, offering insight-driven IP solutions.
• Proactive communication and consistent service quality to ensure client satisfaction and retention.

Team Leadership & Performance Management:

• Leadership of analysts, senior searchers, and licensing professionals.
• Culture creation of high performance, continuous learning, and accountability.
• Performance monitoring and regular feedback and appraisal sessions.

Staffing Strategy & Hiring:

• Manpower needs planning and forecasting in alignment with project pipelines and growth targets.
• HR collaboration in talent attraction, interview, and onboarding.
• Skill gap identification and upskilling plan development.

Capability Building & Leadership Development:

• Mentorship and grooming of high-potential team members into future leadership roles.
• Regular training sessions on search techniques, licensing frameworks, and communication.

Process Excellence & Technology Adoption:

• Creation and maintenance of SOPs, templates, and checklists to standardize quality and efficiency.
• Cutting-edge patent databases and AI/ analytics tools evaluation and adoption for better output.

Business Development & Thought Leadership:

• Support to business development efforts in pitching Search & Licensing services to new and existing clients and participating in client meetings, RFP responses, and solutioning.
• Representation at industry forums, IP events, and publications to build thought leadership.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering/ technology on any discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification in Intellectual Property (preferred).

Experience:

• 10 to 15 years of experience in IP services, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in managing patent search, analytics, and/ or licensing projects.
• Global client experience across domains such as Engineering, ICT, Pharma, Life Sciences, etc.

Work Environment:

• Dynamic, client-driven, and innovation-focused.
• Collaboration across IP attorneys, analysts, BD, and tech teams.
• On-site hybrid arrangement (4-day WFO & 1-day WFH).

Growth Opportunities:

This role offers a pathway to higher strategic roles, with exposure to international clients, business growth, and high-value IP transactions.

Hourglass provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by central, state, or local laws.