Innovation Funding Programme Manager
Connected Places Catapult, United Kingdom
Job Description
Location: London or Milton Keynes (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)
Reporting to: SME Innovation Funding Team Lead
Band: 2.3
Salary: 49,000 - 55,000 (depending on location and proven ability)
Working hours: Full time
Contract type/duration: Permanent
Closing date: 25th January 2024 (We reserve the right to close this job advertisement early if a suitable candidate is identified before the scheduled closing date)
This role will play a key part in building the Catapult’s SME community through; its primary purpose is to develop and manage funding programmes that promote the realisation of innovative ideas. The SME Innovation Funding Programme Manager plays a crucial role in collaborating with key stakeholders to develop programme objectives, designing suitable evaluation criteria, and running efficient project proposal assessments, monitoring, and evaluating the progress of funded projects, ensuring compliance with funding rules, and maximizing the impact of the funding programmes. The role is also responsible to develop new approaches to deliver innovation funding programmes to attract a varied community of SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) across our core sectors that drive innovation.
The role requires working with large cohorts of SMEs and is responsible for establishing a close working relationship with a diverse group of organisations. The primary objective is to actively engage with the SMEs that are part of our Innovation Funding Programmes (IFPs), fostering collaboration, and gaining a comprehensive understanding of their unique needs, goals, and aspirations. The Innovation Funding Programme Manager will act as a central point of contact, actively liaising with IFP (Innovation Funding Programme) participants, coordinating meetings, disseminating relevant updates and announcements, and providing guidance and support to facilitate their participation and success in the programmes.
We are looking for a great communicator, highly organised, who is client focused and with a proven track-record of delivering success and the ability to get things done working both independently and within a team.
Key Responsibilities
Delivery of Innovation Funding activities, includes but is not necessarily limited to:
• Managing funding competitions to support Connected Places Catapult’s mission through SME development and support.
• Provide a single point of contact for all SME enquiries and relationships.
• Create, lead, and manage relationships with SMEs engaged in CPC-managed funding competitions responding to a range of propositions and business opportunities, supporting the Catapult’s brand and business development activities in the marketplace.
• Undertake SME development activities individually and with the team, including but not limited to Business Needs Assessments, running events/webinars for the community, project exploration workshops, as well as supporting funded projects that require SME development input.
• Actively engage with external clients who fund CPC-led competitions, ensuring they are kept up to date with progress, can input into the development of the projects and that the Catapult delivers outputs that meet their high expectations.
• Undertake activities individually and with the team, including but not limited to; Business Needs Assessments, running events/webinars for the community, workshops, as well as supporting funded projects across Connected Places Catapult that require SME development input.
• Managing and maintaining the CRM system for the cohort of SMEs you are supporting, ensuring all SME entries are maintained accurately and in a timely manner.
• Convene and lead other team members to achieve a programme’s objectives.
• Work with the marketing and events teams to enhance, develop and promote the Connected Places Catapult’s SME innovation funding programmes.
• Promote the Catapult and its work across a wide range of platforms and events.
• Contribute to the design and delivery of new strategic partnerships and programmes that lead to organisational growth, including novel programmes, responding to the SME community’s needs where there is no precedent for delivery.
• Continually improve the delivery of programmes and services, leveraging internal processes and external knowledge to maximise both efficiency and impact.
• Support new team members during their on-boarding and assist with helping team members develop new skills.
• Work with colleagues across the Catapult to ensure that impact from SME Innovation Funding Programmes is recorded and communicated internally and externally.
• Ensuring an ethos of equity, inclusivity and div