Business Champion
- Recruiter
- SQW Group
- Location
- Bracknell, Berkshire
- Salary
- Up to £21,000 pa (£42,000 FTE) plus benefits
- Posted
- 10 Jul 2018
- Closes
- 31 Jul 2018
- Ref
- OIS-068
- Sectors
- Business Opportunities
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Flexible Hours, Part Time
Oxford Innovation Services (OIS), is recognised as one of the UK’s leading business support providers, with over 30 years’ track record of success in helping high growth innovative businesses thrive. OIS has taken over the management of the Thames Valley Berkshire Growth Hub that provides business support to companies to enhance and accelerate their performance.
The Growth Hub provides a first stop shop for business support in Thames Valley Berkshire with a focus on enhancing and accelerating business performance, helping more businesses to take advantage of national and local support programmes, increasing jobs, raising levels of exporting, and contributing to delivery of the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan for the sub-region.
We are now seeking a Business Champion with first class business coaching and account management abilities. You will be working 2.5 days per week, meeting a minimum of 6 Berkshire based businesses. We typically work with businesses that have less than 10 employees, so it is essential you have experience of coaching small business owners who have an ambition for growth. You will need to have extensive knowledge of business planning, strategy, access to finance, sales & marketing, legal and HR issues relevant to this sector. Ideally you will have a coaching qualification and/or may have run your own business in the past.
Areas of Responsibility
Coaching delivery
- Manage coaching delivery activities and schedules to ensure complete client satisfaction
- Identify strengths, weaknesses and priorities for support using suitable diagnostic tools
- Design and deliver a bespoke programme for each client
- Identify appropriate referral routes for on-going support at the end of the programme
Account management:
- Establish and maintain effective relations with key individuals, organisations and facilities to promote the Growth Hub Service and develop a pipeline of high quality referrals
- Ensure each beneficiary complies with the programme eligibility rules and assess their growth potential
- Monitor impacts and collect outputs throughout the programme
- Achieve internal targets related to outcomes and client volumes
Person Specification
The successful candidate will have business support knowledge with an awareness and understanding of SME business challenges and of coaching principles. You will be a highly credible business growth expert with an excellent understanding of High Growth businesses and how they scale. Well-developed networking, business development, influencing and selling skills is essential for this role.
You will have strong communication, coaching and account management skills with attention to detail. Travel across the region will be required for this role.
An appropriate business related degree/qualification or equivalent commercial experience is essential. Project Management and/or Coaching qualifications (e.g. APM, PRINCE, ILM), or equivalent experience, are desirable.
OIS is a dynamic and fast growing company where a culture of constant innovation and mutual respect delivers bottom line results from within a stimulating and challenging working environment. Part of SQW Group, our sister divisions provide flexible office space for start-up and growing technology companies and public policy and economic development consultancy services in the UK, Europe and Asia. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
This role is funded from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
Closing date: 31st July 2018