The Made Smarter team within The Growth Company (GC) has an exciting new opportunity for a Business Engagement Manager to work with Marketing and lead on the identification and onboarding of new client registrations.

This will include leading on the establishment and development of the Made Smarter Northwest Programme's long-term strategic operational relationships with key stakeholders (regional and national), partners and intermediaries, not limited to those strategic partners listed below.

Fundamental to this role is the ability to co-ordinate plans and activities across the Made Smarter NW team and ensure strategies and activities are aligned to achieving our increased registrations target. The Business Engagement Manager (BEM) will operate across the five northwest Business Boards (BB) (formerly LEP) areas. The BEM will work remotely but be able to base themselves within Growth Hubs, and other locations offered by various delivery partners as required.

Made Smarter leads the UK's ambitions to grow manufacturing industries through digitalisation, upskilling and innovation to make a difference to business. It was created following an industry-led review of how UK manufacturing industries can prosper through digital tools and innovation. GC delivers the Northwest England Made Smarter programme, working with a range of delivery partners, strategic partners, professional networks, and business support bodies, to reach as many local manufacturing businesses as possible and support their growth.

Key Responsibilities:

* Identify and evaluate influential contacts in new or existing partners to facilitate referrals.

* Develop a stakeholder map for the Made Smarter Northwest programme, identifying stakeholder levels and develop a stakeholder management and communications plan.

* In conjunction with the team's Technology Adoption Specialist (TAS) advisors and Organisational & Workforce Development (OWD) advisers, help map out the local business support landscape across the five northwest BBs to facilitate referrals into and out of partner and intermediary organisations.

* Coordinate stakeholder requests for meetings, connections, and involvement in the programme with the Made Smarter team. Working closely with the Marketing Team and programme management, ensure that the relevant staff members and/or partners (BBs/Growth Hubs) are engaged depending on the representation required.

* Develop market awareness of the Made Smarter Programme amongst local partners, and potential business partners to engage manufacturing SMEs. This will also include presenting at conferences and events, regionally and nationally.

* Inform partners, suppliers, and sponsors about the wider regional portfolio of business support services, products, and programmes, including new offers, events, workshops, and networking opportunities to achieve increased awareness and referrals.

* Provide effective, timely and expert support by developing long-term partner strategies that will enable current and future collaborations aligned to the development of Made Smarter programme.

* Facilitate the connection of Made Smarter activities across regional BB/Growth Hubs, national programmes to improve external and internal communication and collaboration.

* Acquire market intelligence from stakeholders and other partners about the suitability and impact of the Made Smarter Programme, its communication tools, and the effectiveness of the relationship for partners to better inform internal decision making and future service development.

* Lead local events and offer support and guidance to the Adviser teams in support of wider local client acquisition plans and activities.

* Work closely with the marketing team to co-ordinate plans, events, and activities in support of their marketing and lead generation activities.

About you:

* Be passionate about economic development & delivering services that have a real economic impact.

* Have 3 to 5 years practical experience in a similar role, operating as a credible ambassador on a sub-regional, regional, and national platform communicating with a range of audiences.

* Practical delivery of relationship building and stakeholder management.

* Stakeholder mapping and communication plan development experience.

* Understanding of digital technologies (Industry 4.0) and how they can improve productivity.

Skills Required:

* Ability to establish, develop and maintain relationships with relevant private and public sector organisations.

* Work effectively with senior private and public sector contacts, to influence and to secure buy-in.

* Knowledge of national and local economic development strategy.

* Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

* Confidence and ability to deal effectively with people at all levels.

* Committed to continuing own development & keeping up to date with latest developments in the field.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone including vulnerable adults and young people, we expect all staff to share this commitment. All appointments will be subject to Safer Recruitment Procedures which include a DBS check. This will be conducted by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd) on behalf of GC. Please note that the successful candidate will not be required to pay for this.

If you are on the Barred List, it is against the law to apply and to be hired for a role that includes regulated activity with the concerned group.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce, we provide a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential requirements for a role. This commitment applies to candidates who have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.

As part of our application process, you can ask to be considered under this scheme if you are from an ethnic community or have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. Providing that you meet the essential criteria for the role, you will then be invited for an interview. Your guaranteed interview application will only be shared with the Hiring Manager and our Internal Recruitment Team.

We are a member of the national campaign Ban the Box; this campaign aims to open opportunities for people with convictions to compete for jobs. We're supporting the campaign by removing conviction questions at the applications stage.

GC aims to promote a culture of flexibility and agile working. Going forward we will be transitioning to a culture where full agile working will be a feature of many of our roles. We also recognise that there may be a need for more permanent flexibility in your working arrangements and in such cases, we encourage you to have these discussions at the interview stage, to enable your flexible working request to be considered as early as possible