Faamatai Toailoa
42 Apia Lane, Apia, Samoa
+685 24156789 | faamatai.toailoa@email.com | linkedin.com/in/faamatai-toailoa

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Program Director - Research Business Development
Pacific Innovation Research Group, Boston, Massachusetts
January 2020 – Present

• Lead strategic business development initiatives for research programs, securing over $45M in external funding through partnerships with industry, government agencies, and academic institutions
• Direct portfolio of 12+ cross-functional research programs, optimizing resource allocation and risk management to achieve 95% on-time delivery and 30% improvement in ROI
• Develop and execute comprehensive business strategies for commercialization of research innovations, resulting in 8 successful technology transfers and 3 startup spin-offs
• Negotiate complex contracts and partnership agreements with Fortune 500 companies, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and intellectual property protection
• Provide strategic leadership and mentoring to team of 15 research scientists and business development professionals, fostering innovation and career development

Senior Research Program Manager
Catalyst Advanced Technologies, Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 2016 – December 2019

• Managed $25M research portfolio across multiple technical domains, implementing risk and portfolio optimization strategies that improved program efficiency by 40%
• Conducted competitive intelligence and market research analysis to identify emerging opportunities and inform strategic investment decisions
• Led business case development for new research initiatives, presenting recommendations to executive leadership and securing approval for 85% of proposed programs
• Established client engagement frameworks and stakeholder management processes, increasing customer satisfaction scores by 35%
• Coordinated cross-functional teams of up to 50 researchers, engineers, and support staff to deliver complex R&D projects

Business Development Manager - Research Services
Molecular Science Solutions, San Francisco, California
June 2012 – February 2016

• Developed and implemented business development strategy for research services division, generating $18M in new revenue over 3-year period
• Conducted industry research and attribution analysis to identify target markets and develop customized service offerings
• Built and maintained relationships with key clients in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and chemical industries
• Created marketing materials and proposals for research capabilities, achieving 60% win rate on competitive bids
• Collaborated with technical leadership to align service offerings with market demands and emerging technologies

Research Scientist - Catalysis
Applied Materials Research Institute, Princeton, New Jersey
August 2008 – May 2012

• Conducted fundamental and applied research in heterogeneous catalysis, contributing to 12 peer-reviewed publications and 4 patent applications
• Led technical aspects of industry-sponsored research projects valued at $3M, ensuring deliverables met client specifications and timelines
• Mentored junior scientists and graduate students, providing technical guidance and career counseling
• Collaborated with applications engineering teams to translate research findings into commercial products
• Presented research results at national conferences and client meetings

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Graduated: May 2008

Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
Graduated: December 2014

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemistry
University of California, Berkeley, California
Graduated: May 2004

CERTIFICATIONS

Project Management Professional (PMP)
Issued: 2015

SKILLS

Business Development | Program Management | Research and Development | Strategic Planning | Business Strategy | Portfolio Management | Risk and Portfolio Optimization | Contract Negotiation | Funding Acquisition | Commercialization | Innovation Management | Project Leadership | Technical Leadership | Business Case Development | Competitive Intelligence | Industry Research | Client Engagement | Stakeholder Management | Regulatory Compliance | Research Analysis | Mentoring | Leadership | Catalysis | Applications Engineering

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals
• Member, American Chemical Society
• Speaker at industry conferences on research commercialization and technology transfer