Associate Dean for Business Intelligence and Industry Research

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University – International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)

POSITION OVERVIEW

Academic Leadership Role: Associate Dean for Business Intelligence and Industry Research

Role Terms: Three years in a term, Renewable subject to satisfactory review, Total Two Terms

Preferred Academic Qualification: Senior Associate Professor / Professor

Contract Type: Fixed-term, Renewable subject to satisfactory review; 3rd contract is open-ended

Reporting to: Dean, IBSS

ABOUT XJTLU

In 2006 Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) was created by the University of Liverpool and Xi’an Jiaotong University – a top ten university in China. Offering a unique international education experience, XJTLU brings together excellent research practice and expertise from both institutions and gives students the skills and knowledge they need to secure careers in a global marketplace. XJTLU now has over 25,000 enrolled students in both Suzhou and Liverpool in the UK, with plans to grow to about 28,000 students by 2025. There are currently about 2,000 staff, among which about 1,000 academic staff, with an almost even split between citizens of the People’s Republic of China and international passport holders. XJTLU offers our undergraduates and postgraduates over 100 programmes with a diverse spectrum of courses.

XJTLU is entering a new and exciting phase of its development as part of its strategic priorities for the next ten years. Adopting a new higher education model based on the concept of Syntegrative Education (SE), XJTLU is currently opening a new Entrepreneurial Education site in Taicang, part of wider Suzhou, where the Entrepreneur College (Taicang) is located. The Taicang site will be a pioneer of, and educational model for, the future campus in addressing challenges arising from the 4th Industrial Revolution. Other new initiatives include new working partnerships with Xi’an Jiaotong University, the continued development of the four new Academies, and exploration of further potential locations to develop the SE model.

With a focus on innovative learning and teaching, and research, XJTLU draws on the strengths of its parent universities, and plays a pivotal role in facilitating access to China for UK and other institutional partners. At same time, XJTLU is exploring future education by blending the educational theory, best practice and culture from west and east.

For detailed information about the university, please visit www.xjtlu.edu.cn.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL SUZHOU (IBSS)

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is growing in size and influence in pursuit of its vision to be a leading international business school. The school is based on strong principles of internationalism, innovation, inspiration and integrity, which together ensure that we have a positive impact on society through our teaching, research and business engagement. In that pursuit, IBSS became the youngest business school to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in 2016, and again, the youngest School to receive EQUIS accreditation in 2018. Receiving joint accreditation of AMBA and BGA in 2020, IBSS became the world’s 103rd triple accredited business school.

The five departments of IBSS are Accounting, Economics, Finance, Intelligent Operations and Marketing, and Strategic Management and Organizations with over 170 faculty members and more than 6,000 students from over 60 different countries. IBSS delivers a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, PhD and Executive Education programmes across all major business disciplines.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Associate Dean for Business Intelligence and Industry Research (ADBIR) plays a central role in positioning IBSS as a recognised producer of market-relevant insight and applied business research. This role aligns with the School’s ongoing transformation into XJTLU’s Business Intelligence Hub and is designed to support the generation, curation, and strategic dissemination of outputs that speak directly to business, government, and public audiences.

The Associate Dean will lead the School’s business intelligence agenda by coordinating the production of sector reports, strategic briefings, and public-facing content that reflects faculty expertise and responds to current business and policy challenges. These outputs will be curated to ensure their visibility, impact, and contribution to the School’s external profile—both in China and globally.

In parallel, the ADBIR will provide academic and strategic oversight for the development of new industry-focused research initiatives. These may take the form of thematic, externally engaged research platforms provisionally referred to as Industry Research Units (IRUs), designed to support consulting-style outputs, commissioned studies, or interdisciplinary project work. While still in development, these platforms will serve as vehicles for industry collaboration, thought leadership, and knowledge translation.

A further aspect of the role involves external engagement and visibility-building. The ADBIR will represent IBSS in dialogues with industry, government stakeholders, and the media; help identify opportunities for faculty to contribute to public discourse; and oversee mechanisms for amplifying the reach and relevance of the School’s applied research portfolio.

The position includes clear KPIs linked to external visibility, thought leadership, and income generation through business-facing research activities. As a member of the business school senior management team, the ADBIR works in close collaboration with the Dean, Deputy Dean, and other Associate Deans to ensure that business intelligence is embedded across teaching, research, and external engagement activities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Leadership of Business Intelligence and Insight Outputs

• Oversee the development and delivery of sectoral reports, policy briefs, datasets, and strategic commentary aligned with the School’s identity as a Business Intelligence Hub.
• Coordinate research translation activities across departments and research clusters to enhance visibility and external relevance.
• Ensure quality control, relevance, and consistent branding across all published outputs.

2. Oversight of Industry Research Platforms

• Provide academic and strategic leadership in the design and operation of externally engaged, industry-focused research initiatives.
• Support the development of project teams or thematic platforms—provisionally referred to as Industry Research Units—that connect faculty expertise with real-world business challenges.
• Ensure alignment of these platforms with the School’s strategic goals and track their contributions to visibility, relevance, and external income.

3. Industry and Media Engagement

• Actively represent the School to external stakeholders in business, government, and media settings.
• Cultivate relationships with industry partners to identify emerging intelligence needs and generate commissioned project pipelines.
• Collaborate with internal marketing and communications teams to amplify the reach and impact of business intelligence outputs.

4. Institutional Integration and Strategic Alignment

• Work with other Associate Deans to embed business intelligence into teaching, research, and student engagement.
• Track performance metrics and contribute to annual planning, reporting, and impact documentation.
• Provide thought leadership on how the School interprets and communicates market trends, industry challenges, and societal needs.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

Essential:

• PhD in a business-related or adjacent discipline.
• Academic credentials commensurate with appointment at Senior Associate Professor or Professor level.
• Experience producing or managing applied research with public, business, or policy relevance.
• Demonstrated success in cross-sector engagement, consulting, or externally funded research projects.
• A strong track record of publication, authorship, or contribution to business-facing outputs.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with the media landscape and public communication of research.
• Experience building client-facing research initiatives, consulting offers, or research translation units.
• Background in strategic foresight, policy research, or market intelligence preferred.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strategic thinking and agility in turning academic expertise into market-relevant content.
• Strong project management and coordination capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills tailored to non-academic audiences.
• Ability to broker and sustain relationships across business, government, and public sectors.
• Collaborative leadership style suited to interdisciplinary and cross-functional teams.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

XJTLU offers:

• Clear career development path with annual review, and
• Professional development trainings.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Associate Deans receives an administrative duty allowance.

SALARY: The salary is competitive and determined by academic rank.

BENEFITS:

1. Allowance: XJTLU provide various monthly/annual/one-off allowances, such as 

• Housing allowance
• Travel allowance
• Relocation allowance
• Education allowance for children

2. Commercial insurance: international insurance plans customized for XJTLU staff and family members. (Details refer to the University Policy)

3. Paid holidays: 

• Statutory Holidays (11 days)
• Annual Leave (36 days)
• Family Matters Leave
• Paid Sick Leave
• Marriage Leave
• Paternity Leave
• Parental leave
• Etc. 

4. Working visa and residence permit in China: XJTLU sponsors the working visa and residence permit in China.

RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT

The university provides every new faculty member with a Research Development Fund to initiate research projects and a Research Engagement Fund to support their continuous research activities. School level research funding is also available as are various external corporate and government research grants.

Examples of government sponsored grants and programmes are:

Talent/Research Program/Fund

Outstanding Youth Science Foundation Project (Overseas): RMB 1-3 Million

Innovation Leading Talent: up to RMB 2 Million

Outstanding Leading Talent of International Discipline: 50% of Annual Package

Young Leading Talent of International Discipline: 50% of Annual Package

CITIZENSHIP AND VISA REGULATIONS

Employment at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is regulated by Chinese Labour Laws, and must comply with the regulations of the provincial government. These regulations stipulate who is eligible for legal employment with regard to obtaining work permits and visas. Please be advised candidates over 65 may be not eligible for a work visa in the P.R. China.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application on our university website via the ‘Apply’ button above.

Applications must be submitted in a single pdf file that includes 3 parts in the order of:

• A cover letter
• A current CV, including country of citizenship, and highest degree level
• Contact Details for Three References

Informal enquiries may be addressed to the HRBP Ms. Ye (Gloria) Lan at ye.lan@xjtlu.edu.cn.