Vacancy: Business Engagement Manager (9 months cover)

Do you want to be part of a dynamic team at a prestigious organisation, helping us to create commercial impact? The University of Birmingham is one of the most ambitious institutions in the UK and we are determined to be placed in the global top 50, with investment and strategic plans in place to enable us to achieve our objectives. 

We are looking for a dynamic and outgoing person to take the lead in promoting our regional hi-tech business support programme (BKEBIP[i]) to Life Science SME businesses and then to engage with these businesses to ensure they gain access to and benefit from the support and resources available. 

This is an exciting time to join the University of Birmingham Enterprise team.  The University is currently fourth in the UK for the identification and protection of Intellectual Property, and has a portfolio of over 35 spinout companies, with a collective valuation of over £200m. Birmingham has a thriving cluster of medical and biomedical activity created by the physical proximity of high quality research within the University of Birmingham and the opportunities for its application within the Queen Elizabeth and other local hospitals. Growth of this activity is a priority for the University, with emphasis on increasing both the translation and commercialisation of our Research.

Based at the Birmingham Research Park, in a thriving cluster of medical and biomedical activity, the post will focus upon delivering and supporting those businesses that can benefit the most from the local intellectual and physical assets. The includes the recently established BioHub Birmingham ®: the first purpose-built facility of its kind in the UK (funded by ERDF), which houses up to 24 start-up or early stage enterprises from a wide range of medical, biomedical and related backgrounds.  The BioHub offers start-up ventures access to affordable wet-lab space and advanced research equipment alongside the business support services of the BizzInn business incubator.

The post-holder will also help drive the external marketing of the relevant offerings, taking ownership of key communications tools such as websites and social media channels, managing information flow to key stakeholders, and capturing and contributing stories across the various functional teams within University of Birmingham Enterprise.

Duties will include:

• Profiling and identifying sources of prospective clients, and engaging those prospects. 
• Understanding and promoting the business support and related facilities on offer to Life Science SME businesses at Birmingham Research Park and the wider locality.
• Develop a wide network of contacts that can help to deliver a pipeline of potential clients. 
• Market the benefits of the business support offerings and related facilities to hi-tech SMEs, focusing in on those within the Life Science sector, and to key stakeholder channels. 
• Working with other team members, gather and provide feedback on the requirements of prospective and registered clients, and assist those clients as appropriate in support of their development needs.

In order to be considered for this exciting role you will need to show us that you have excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills, a sufficient technical/scientific background, and an understanding of the UK life sciences sector.  You will need to be credible in the medical, bio-medical, or related area in order to gain the trust of clients and business supporters, and to effectively promote facilities and interventions that meet the needs of prospective clients.  This is a role that demands excellent communications skills, and an ability to work within and across teams.

This post is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  It is offered as a full time position for a 9 month period (post to end no later than 31st December 2018).

The full job description is available here.

We offer a competitive salary and employment package.  Employees are also eligible to use the University’s facilities such as the Sports Centre and Library.

Additional details about the University of Birmingham and its Enterprise activities can be found at:

http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/enterprise

http://www.thebiohub.co.uk/

http://www.bizzinn.org/

http://www.birminghamresearchpark.co.uk/

If you are interested in applying for this post please email a 2 page CV together with a 1 page covering letter explaining why you would like to work for University of Birmingham Enterprise and showing how you meet the above job criteria to: s.j.grant@bham.ac.uk .  Please quote Reference: EAT-BEM in your email title.  Closing date Monday 19^th February 2018.

[1] The Birmingham Knowledge Economy Business Incubation Partnership (BKEBIP) project is receiving up to £1.03m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.  The Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.  For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding