Regional Seafood Market & Cluster Development Manager - South Wales

Regional Seafood Market & Cluster Development Manager - South Wales

Introduction - Welsh Seafood Market Development and Growth & Cywain Projects

The Regional Seafood Market & Cluster Development Manager will work across two of our support projects namely Seafood Market Development and Cywain, providing targeted support to develop new and existing markets for seafood businesses.      

Welsh Seafood Market Development and Growth Project

The Welsh Seafood Market Development and Growth Project is an initiative developed in partnership between Menter a Busnes and Seafish and is funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and Welsh Government. 

Welsh Seafood Market Development and Growth Project will offer support through the following three strands:

Strand 1. Direct Marketing

• Business to Business Marketing
• Business to Consumer Marketing

Strand 2. Marketing Support

• Welsh Seafood Brand Values
• Bespoke Market and Consumer Research
• Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS)
• Marketing Toolkits to Facilitate Marketing
• Workshops and Online Resources to Facilitate Marketing
• Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Strand 3. Seafood Festivals and Events

• Financial support for Welsh Seafood Festivals
• Marketing and Educational Resources

Cywain

The Cywain project is delivered by Menter a Busnes and is a model providing targeted support to micro and SME businesses operating in the Welsh food and drink sector. We are now entering a new stage and have received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 to provide a revised service until October 2022. 

The service supports businesses to increase their capacity and capability, facilitate knowledge transfer and industry intelligence as well as strengthening supply chain integration. Delivery is pan Wales with an emphasis on collaboration through clustering, adding value, market development for growth and job creation. Cywain has developed a wide network of stakeholders and integral to the client development is a coherent approach with other delivery partners.

There are three strands to the project:

• Support for start-up and micro businesses
• Diagnostic support available to all businesses
• Clustering and collaboration between businesses to promote business growth and efficiency

A cluster is essentially business led where a group of firms operating in the same sector and in a close geographical proximity identify common issues and opportunities. The focus is on increasing competitiveness of Welsh food and drink companies to help them develop and grow, and members of a cluster group will come together to collaborate on a specific project. The projects they work on are varied from addressing existing business issues affecting competitiveness or growth, to accessing new markets and growing existing markets.

The clustering methodology has been piloted by Menter a Busnes since 2015, in partnership with Welsh Government Food Division. We are currently supporting the Fine Food Cluster and Seafood cluster. The Welsh Seafood Cluster brings together a range of fishermen, fishmongers, processors and aquaculture businesses who have high quality products with an ambition to grow. The Cluster provides a platform for joint action to solve common industry issues, along with adding value to fish and shellfish caught or farmed in Wales. The Seafood Cluster currently engages with seafood businesses across Wales and links in to Food and Drink Wales trade and consumer events.

Aim of the Role

The Regional Seafood Market & Cluster Development Manager is responsible for the delivery of regional market development and seafood cluster activities across South Wales. This role is key to ensuring that both projects deliver on their objectives by co-ordinating industry activities, attending meetings and managing events. Along with instigating the cluster development process and ensuring, over the long term, that the initiative continues to be developed. Key objectives include:  

• Managing a range of business development and seafood marketing projects for businesses & cluster members.
• Act as the main point of contact on a day to day basis for members of the seafood cluster. 
• Manage projects in line with guidance from the Project Manager.
• Operate projects within both programmes and work as part of a team to achieve specific commercial contracts.
• Ensure that cluster budgets are spent effectively.
• Monitor and evaluate all projects and ensure compliance with audit requirements

Main Responsibilities

• Actively promote and recruit individuals and groups to engage with both projects, fostering a close relationship with the fishermen, fishmongers, processors and aquaculture businesses.
• Ensure the provision of project services to businesses and cluster members, as well as facilitating cluster meetings.
• Manage stakeholders and develop communication links with individuals, businesses and other organisations involved with the project in your region.
• Create links with individuals, businesses and other bodies involved with business support, innovation, product development, research, new market development as well as buyers to ensure cohesive provision. 
• Foster close relationships with producers, processors and cluster members to ensure that any growth needs are identified and relevant support is provided as well as referrals to other sources of business services in the public and private sectors.
• Prepare an action plan for the year and manage resources within both project’s budget as set by the Project Manager, ensuring value for money and cohesive provision where possible.
• Continue to develop information and knowledge of other specialist areas, ensuring a holistic provision for the customer; committing to complete any necessary research, learning and development in order to fulfil these needs.
• Ensure the effective monitoring and evaluation of aspects of the scheme in line with Welsh Government requirements.
• Attend exhibitions, trade shows and industry events.
• Explore cooperation opportunities in commercial activities – export and trade, linking into Food and Drink Wales events.
• Co-ordinate activity and share information resulting from cluster activities.
• Encourage ownership of the cluster and its development throughout the support process by the members.
• Work closely with businesses and cluster members to plan, manage and implement a portfolio of activities such as events/exhibitions, study tours, workshops etc in a professional manner, both locally and nationally, ensuring relevant and attractive contents.
• Ensure that the activities of the cluster take place in a timely manner and that members develop relevant activities that meet the needs of their business.
• Represent the Seafood Cluster at Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) meetings.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Ensure that accurate and relevant reports are provided throughout the life of the project and that outcomes are accurately monitored, reviewed and reported to the Project Manager and Welsh Government in line with contract requirements, and in order to satisfy relevant audit needs.
• Keep detailed records of cluster activities and paperwork in order to monitor and achieve project targets to comply with Welsh Government monitoring and reporting systems.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that all documentation for the work completed is up to date and in line with scheme requirements.
• Provide an input into any evaluation reports - performance and customer satisfaction.

Market Intelligence and Routes to Market

• Identify, research and aim to access market intelligence data relevant to the requirements of target beneficiaries in a proactive manner.
• Develop and transfer knowledge involving market intelligence to the target audience across Wales.
• Develop and provide educational events based on workshops relating to route to market solutions in order to facilitate business growth.
• Provide follow up support for businesses and facilitate business solutions.
• Ensure the provision of an integrated service by working closely with the Clusters and Project Manager.

Other

• Ensure standards for quality, customer service, equality and diversity, health and safety and biosecurity are met.
• Accept other reasonable duties and responsibilities as required.
• Represent Menter a Busnes at events as and when required.

Skills and Experience Essential

• Educated to degree level, or equivalent, or above in a relevant subject, and demonstrable experience in a similar field.
• Demonstrable experience of client management and engaging with clients/ businesses either face to face, email or via telephone.
• Co-ordination and organisation skills of the highest standard.
• Experience of arranging events, meetings and workshops.
• Able to assess and clearly understand the needs of businesses.
• Skills and experience of developing excellent networks on different levels (e.g. formal and informal contacts) of prospective beneficiaries to professional people in partner organisations.
• A self-motivator, accepting responsibility for setting and reviewing priorities for achieving own work and objectives, taking account of customer needs.
• Able to analyse and use evidence; thinks laterally, expressing the pros, cons and risks of options.
• Experience of working towards targets, with a clear focus on quality.
• Ability to be proactive and with the drive to move matters forward effectively.
• Ability to work independently or as a member of a team.
• IT skills including; Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Social Media.
• Full driving license and the use of a car – the role involves travel and occasional overnight stays.
• Available to work during evenings and weekends occasionally.

Desirable

• Geographical knowledge of the Welsh coast and its ports.
• Knowledge and understanding of the fisheries sector in Wales.
• Oral and written (Welsh/English) communication skills, including presentation skills.

Interviews

Interviews will be held for this post at Menter a Busnes’ office in Aberystwyth on Wednesday, 28 November 2018. If this date is inconvenient, please note on your application form.

The closing date for applications is: 22 November 2018 at 10:00

Equality and Diversity Policy

Our Equality and Diversity Policy can be found in the document below.