Innovate UK has the following secondment opportunity available for employees of Innovate UK Business Connect: Applications must be submitted by 13-01-2025 Vacancy for Investment specialist The investor partnership team is looking to build on the success of previous investor partnership programmes. With almost 150 investor partners we have been successful in leveraging circa £1.3billion of private investment alongside and following our grant funding into over 350 businesses. We promise a dynamic role liaising with ambitious companies and investors. Please note this advert will close on 23.59 on the 12/01/25 Watch our video “Why Join Innovate UK?” here. Title: Investor specialist Band: Innovate UK Band 3 (UKRI Ts & Cs) Salary: From £47,000 gross per annum Reports to: Senior investment specialist Location: Field based Contract: Permanent This post also includes up to 10% Performance Related Pay per annum Subject to UKRI Pay & Reward Policy Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements. Context: Innovate UK’s product offer extends across business support, grant funding and innovation finance, including innovation loans and investor partnerships. The last of these is targeted at businesses undertaking innovation activity at the same time as raising investment capital from selected investor partners. Investor partnerships enable investors to act at an earlier stage or in technology areas which are new to them, bringing forward and expanding the use of private sector investment in the markets of the future. To date, over £140m in grants for R&D projects have been committed to over 300 businesses, who have raised over £400m in aligned investment from our investor partners and who have gone on to raise over £900m in further follow-on investment. The role holder will operate within the Innovate UK Investor Partnerships Team which is part of the Investment Directorate. We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role. Job Purpose: To deliver the investor partnership programme. To promote the value of engaging with investors across Innovate UK and the innovation eco-system. To promote the value of Innovate UK and the innovation eco-system to investors. You will be part of a team with responsibility for driving the adoption and delivery of the investor partnerships model to meet the objectives of Innovate UK described in our Plan for Action. You will have responsibility for delivering existing and developing new investor partnership activities through partnerships with a pool of investors and delivery of funding competitions to provide grant funding aligned with investment led by our investor partners. The role includes responsibility for working with relevant Innovate UK Future Economy, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Operations and Finance teams to ensure that programmes meet our objective of supporting SME growth at scale. This position will require time spent in London and Swindon, as well as travel across the whole of the UK representing Innovate UK at events and visiting investors and businesses. Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities: To lead the development and delivery of a portfolio of Innovate UK’s investor partnership activities: Identifying, developing and delivering strategic new opportunities for investor partnership programmes that leverage InnovateUK competition processes to enable investors to invest in innovative SMEs at an earlier stage or in technology areas which are new to them, bringing forward and expanding the use of private sector investment in the markets of the future Presenting and making recommendations to Investor Selection Panels for new investors to join the investor partnership ‘pool’ Delivering investor partnership programmes, recommending new commitments at Funders’ Panels for programmes within Future Economy and other budget areas Engaging directly with investors and with applicant businesses, developing balanced commercial relationships with seniorinvestors in venture capital, corporate venturing and angel groups and senior leaders in SMEs Working with Innovate UK’s Future Economy, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Operations and Finance groups to ensure that existing and new investor partnership opportunities are developed and delivered to meet the growth at scale and future economy objectives in the Innovate UK Plan for Action within resource and budgetary constraints on Innovate UK Building effective working relationships within the Innovate UK family (including Innovate UK Business connect, Innovate UK Business growth and Catapults) and with key investment groups (including the British Business Bank, UKBAA and BVCA) in order to drive engagement in investor partnership programmes Delivering an existing portfolio of investor partnership programmes for funding and connecting UK businesses through grant funding for innovation projects together with aligned investment from or led by selected investor partners As part of the Investment Directorate and in line with Innovate UK policy, providing visibility and insight into Innovate UK’s investor partnership activities in both public and government forums Becoming a focal point within Innovate UK on investor partnerships Supporting with ad-hoc investment-related project work as directed by senior management In agreement with the Senior Investment specialist identifying and implementing plans for your own personal learning and development, evolving the role over time to meet the needs of the organisation This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training. Person Specification: (S) – Assessed at shortlisting (I) – Assessed at interview (S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview Qualifications: The candidate will have specialist knowledge and relevant experience in early stage investment for innovative, technology-led businesses. This may have been gained in a public or private sector investment, banking or alternative finance environment or in a leadership role in an innovative business that has successfully raised investment. (S&I) A good degree or professional qualification in a relevant discipline. (S) Experience: Essential – Experience, expertise and understanding of: The motivations and strategies of public, private and social impact investors(I) Leading and influencing strategic relationships with a range of internal and external partners, particularly in the investment community (I) Strategy development and programme delivery, including working with external delivery partners (S&I) The support available for innovative businesses and how this can be useful at different stages of business growth (I) Managing programmes of work effectively over long periods, and delivery against tight deadlines (S&I) Desirable – Interest, background or experience in innovation, business competitiveness and technology policy or delivery (I) Working in a leadership capacity within leading edge, highly innovative businesses (I) Proven ability to work within the constraints of time, cost and required quality (I) Experience of budget administration (I) Skills: Confidence to engage effectively and build relationships quickly with a broad range of stakeholders, especially investment professionals (I) Strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to deliver clearly, concisely and persuasively (S&I) Capability to build a public profile (I) Excellent interpersonal skills, including tact, discretion and experience of liaising and leading diverse groups of stakeholders (I) A strong understanding of the innovation process and its relationship to research, government and investors as well as businesses (S&I) The ability to respond calmly under pressure and to make impartial and well-considered judgments in complex situations (I) Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to quickly understand new and complex issues, long-term trends and to propose solutions (S&I) Ability to think and act strategically (S&I) A self-motivated and proactive ability to work within agreed parameters and deliver to tight timescales in a highly pressured environment, using self-organisation skills and prioritization (S) Proven team working and project management skills (S) Capable of delivering in a field working environment (S&I) Competencies: All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as: Thinking and Problem Solving – Stakeholder management – Communication skills – Influencing – Self-awareness/self-management – Strategic awareness – Working with others– Project management Travel Requirements: Field-based: There will a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally, with fairness, respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set-out in our role profiles. Equal Opportunities: We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in-person. If you have a disability, heath condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you, we ask that you advise your recruitment point of contact in a timely fashion, providing further information. In confidence, Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required. UK Research and Innovation: Innovate UK is partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation. If successful in securing the position, your employer will be UK Research and Innovation. More information can be found online http://www.ukri.org/. Employee Benefits: We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, flexible working hours, an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme, and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes. Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Flexible Working: We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants. Pre-employment Screening: To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre-employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process. The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment. UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider how this aligns with your personal values or beliefs. To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as a crucial part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check. Applications must be submitted by; 13-01-2025