For the Leeds City Region Ad: Venture Programme (Delivering in Bradford, Craven, Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York)
About Ad: Venture
Ad: Venture is a £22 million programme, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which supports new and young business across the Leeds city region to achieve their growth potential. The programme is managed by Leeds City Council and delivered and supported by a wide partnership of organisations, including local authorities, chambers of commerce, universities and social enterprises. The programme offers a range of different support including, grants, one to one advice and mentoring, workshops and events.
About the role
Ad: Venture is recruiting a Business Grants Manager to manage, lead and develop the business grants scheme Leeds CC administers on behalf of the Ad: Venture programme. The Ad: Venture grants team currently manages a scheme totalling £7.2 million which provides grants of between £1,000- £ 25,000 to new and young businesses in the Leeds City Region.
The role will be central to the delivery and on-going development of Ad: Ventures grant programme; managing and leading our team of grant officers, overseeing our systems and process to ensure high performance, and working across the partnership to ensure that our grant scheme provides an excellent client experience and meets their needs, while also fulfilling our commitments to funders.
As well as having overall responsibility for the Ad: Venture Business Grant Schemes, the successful candidate will also have a role working directly on more complex and high value applications when required.
For the right candidate, there is also scope for the post to include input into the on-going management and strategic direction of the wider Ad: Venture programme.
About you
- You will need a minimum of 2 years’ management experience, ideally in a service that is delivered directly to businesses. Any experience of working with business start-ups would also be an advantage.
- You have an understanding of publicly funded business support, and knowledge of the particular challenges facing new and young businesses. Along with previous experience of appraising business finance or grants, experience of work on an ERDF or publicly funded programme is an advantage but not essential.
- You have excellent partnership & engagement skills, and an ability to achieve positive outcomes through both the team you directly manage, and wider partners & stakeholders, coupled with an ability and experience of work directly with business clients.
- You possess excellent report writing skills, and an ability to produce clear and concise prose when reporting to our Ad: Venture Board & funders.
- You understand how to develop and adapt a process or system to meet business needs and have the ability to manage, mentor & motivate a team to ensure high performance. Previous experience of working with Microsoft Dynamic or similar CRM system would be an advantage.
- You understand how to manage a service to meet customer needs, with a track record in delivering results within a similar environment.
If you are interested in applying for the role application can be submitted through the Leeds Council job portal.
If you would like to discuss the role before apply please contact, Ad: Venture Programme Manager, Sarah Carling, at sarah.carling@leeds.gov.uk.
Secondment from partner organisations would be welcomed, but please ensure this has been discussed and agreed with your line manager before you apply.
This post will be part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the Ad:Venture programme.
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is a Stonewall Top 100 employer, a Mindful employer and a Disability Confident employer.
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.
Contact Ad: Venture Programme Manager, Sarah Carling, at sarah.carling@leeds.gov.uk to discus the role.
Closing date – 11 March 2021
Salary – £38,890.00 – £41,881.00 – 37 Hrs PW Fixed Term till June 2023