The Role's Purpose
The Innovation Programme Lead will work collaboratively with the Innovation Services team to design, curate and deliver high impact innovation programmes that provide startup innovators with access to world-class insight and expertise. The role is busy, fast-paced, complex, and will require a highly- organised approach to manage the multiple tasks simultaneously.
What You'll Do
Designing and delivering innovation programmes, such as startup accelerators, bootcamps, hackathons
Facilitating innovation workshops
Managing the team (virtually and in-person) delivering the programmes
Providing business support and mentoring entrepreneurs
Engaging and managing senior stakeholders (clients, delivery partners)
Managing programme schedules and deliveries to agreed workplan
Managing financials to meet or beat budget performance
Focus on ensuring high-quality standards of delivery to delight customers and partners
Identifying new ideas and themes from market intelligence and developing potential follow-on or new innovation programmes
Coordinating regional activation activity, including events, roundtables, employer engagement sessions, insight gathering, referral pathways and partnership development.
Translating local ecosystem intelligence into programme design, delivery decisions and continuous improvement, ensuring national programmes are adapted appropriately to regional strengths and sector clusters.
Due to the nature of this position, our work, and our client engagements, you must be willing and eligible to achieve a minimum of SC clearance. To qualify for SC clearance, you must be a British Citizen or have resided in the UK for the last 5 years with no extensive periods outside of the UK. Pre-existing SC welcome. For more information about clearance eligibility, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/united-kingdom-security-vetting
Your Skills
A deep understanding of product development processes, commercialisation, startup growth strategies and technology incubation
Excellent communication skills, including excellent workshop facilitation skills
Problem solving skills that can quickly identify issues and find solutions, often in high-pressure situations
Able to be flexible and open to change of direction and thinking on your feet effectively
Advanced knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint and Word
Relationship building skills, with the ability to build and engage networks to deliver business outcomes
Skilled in identifying emerging themes and working to create market facing solutions to meet the demands
Your Experience
Proven experience working with or in a technology, innovation, venture or startup environment
Previous experience of mentoring startups and innovators
Programme management expertise , with solid organisational skills and a structured approach to delivery
Experience of managing programme budgets, suppliers and other third-party relationships
Experience with managing complex relationships and stakeholders
Why us?
As a start-up, we thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment dedicated to empowering innovators. We embrace individuals who leverage technology and creativity to tackle our greatest challenges head-on. We strongly advocate for maintaining a harmonious work-life balance, our goal is to ensure every member of our team can authentically be themselves and live their best lives. We firmly believe that innovation and creativity flourish when we cultivate a diverse workforce, comprising highly skilled individuals with a wide range of perspectives to contribute. In return we will offer you:
Salary: £65,000 - £80,000 depending on skills and experience
Annual bonus scheme
A generous pension scheme (with a company contribution of up to 10%)
Private healthcare, life assurance and critical illness cover
25 days holiday plus bank holidays
Volunteering day
Plexal is an equal opportunities employer and we actively encourage applicants from individuals from all backgrounds. We are a Disability Committed employer and are willing to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.