* Role: Strategic Partnerships Director
* Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
* Term: Fixed (2 years), 0.6 FTE (3 days per week)
* Salary range: £60k – £70k (pro-rata)
* Working arrangement: Office based hot–desk/touch down worker
Are you an experienced and proactive strategic thinker looking for a new challenge? Are you looking for a varied and fast-paced role, adding real value supporting the UK Freeport programme?
It’s an exciting time for Plymouth and South Devon (PASD) Freeport – as the UK’s only Freeport in the South West of England this is a unique opportunity to join us as we accelerate delivery. PASD Freeport will drive economic regeneration across the region. Underpinning this is a unique and innovative combination of local authority, business and university partners focused on creating thousands of jobs, boosting skills, and accelerating the growth in our key sectors – defence, marine, space, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and net zero tech.
About the role
The Strategic Partnerships Director is accountable to the CEO for ensuring that strong and enduring relationships are maintained with HM government, the local public/private stakeholder group, and all grant funders.
They will be responsible for marshalling inputs, coordinating and bringing together the Annual Plan to reflect the interests of the Freeport partnership. This will provide the Freeport core team with the necessary strategic focus to deliver against the Freeport FBC, MOU, and other deliverables agreed by HM government and the LA membership.
They will support the Business Growth and Investment Director land investment by providing investors with tailored expert advice relating to the Freeport incentives and supporting development of the Freeport’s innovation offer with partners. And they will work collaboratively with the Operations Director in managing programme change control and supplying accurate and timely monitoring and evaluation reports to various stakeholders.
Furthermore, they will secure grant funds that align with the strategic vision of the Freeport and contribute towards the company’s financial resilience.
Role outcomes:
* Responsibility for the administration of change control in relation to the Freeport FBC/MOU.
* Oversight of the Annual Plan and Annual Report drafting processes.
* Responsibility for the compliant and timely submission of the bi-annual Monitoring & Evaluation report to MHCLG.
* Performance scrutiny, reporting progress against targets to the local stakeholder groups.
* Provision of expert advice to prospective investors in relation to Freeport incentives, leveraging support from the Freeport Hub.
* Supporting development of the innovation offer to secure business interest.
* Identifying and bidding for grant-funded projects to contribute toward the financial resilience of the Freeport.
* Oversight of formalising relationships/partnerships through legal documentation.
Role measures:
* Alignment with the Accountable Body team to achieve approval for change requests and business case technical appraisals.
* Annual Plan and Annual Report signed-off by Board/Members and published on the Freeport website.
* Bi-annual M&E report signed-off by S151 Officer and MHCLG.
* Informed evidence base demonstrating Freeport delivery against FBC/MOU.
* Stakeholder engagement, including key stats reported and, where necessary, acted upon.
* Investment secured, contributing to the delivery of retained business rates.
* Successful funding bids, contributing to Freeport vision and financial resilience.
* Funding agreement criteria met.
* MOUs/contracts/formal agreements in place and kept under review with partners where appropriate.
Key activities:
* Coordinating delivery of the Annual Plan and Annual Report; obtaining input/buy-in from the Freeport core team and wider stakeholder groups.
* Drafting project change requests and business cases in collaboration with the Operations Director and Accountable Body.
* Gathering and assimilating socio-economic data from Freeport businesses and other partner organisations.
* Preparing and submitting the bi-annual monitoring and evaluation report to MHCLG.
* Maintaining and updating the Freeport’s KPI dashboard, scrutinising the data, and reporting on Freeport performance to the local stakeholder group.
* Maintaining expert and up-to-date knowledge of the UK Freeport programme and imparting this knowledge to current and prospective investors to inform their investment decisions.
* Supporting development of the Freeport’s innovation offer.
* Bid writing, submitting applications to appropriate public/private funding opportunities.
* Drafting/negotiating/agreeing MOUs and formal legal documentation with partner organisations.
* Other duties commensurate to the nature of the role.
Qualifications/knowledge (essential):
* Educated to degree standard or a relevant professional qualification.
* Knowledge of public and private funding regimes including bidding, monitoring, and contracting of external funding sources.
* Knowledge of the UK Freeport programme and how this can benefit current and new investors.
* Knowledge of local government processes relating to economic development and associated areas.
Qualifications (desirable):
* Knowledge of the law, including planning and subsidy control.
* Knowledge of regional and national partnership/funding opportunities.
Experience (essential):
* Bidding and winning funding and delivering against funding agreements.
* Writing detailed reports and making recommendations and presentations to boards and other strategic forums.
* Government relationship management, lobbying and communicating with a wide range of stakeholders.
* Working within large, complex public/private partnerships.
* Drafting MOUs and other formal documentation.
Experience (desirable):
* Working within the UK Freeport programme.
Skills (essential):
* Analytical, adept at processing and reporting on qualitative and quantitative data sets.
* Ability to maintain relationships in a complex partnership setting.
* Excellent communication skills, particularly around collaboration, community engagement and stakeholder management.
Please email your CV and a supporting statement (no more than 500 words) outlining how you meet the role profile to: recruitment@pasdfreeport.com
Closing date: Friday 4th October 2024 at 12 noon
** PLEASE NOTE THAT SALARY RANGE INDICATED IS PRO-RATA **
Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 24 months
Pay: £60,000.00-£70,000.00 per year
Expected hours: 24 per week
Schedule:
* Monday to Friday
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Plymouth
Application deadline: 04/10/2024
Reference ID: Strategic Partnerships Director
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