Graduate Business Engagement Coordinator Warrington 2022

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has a proven track record of not only making ground breaking discoveries through our research and development, but also creating new businesses and helping businesses to innovate and grow, for the economic benefit of the UK. 

To grow our portfolio, and meet the needs of early stage technology businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a graduate opportunity has become available as a Business Engagement Coordinator to support new business opportunities within STFC’s Business Incubation team at Daresbury Laboratory. 

Do you have ambition? This is an exciting and rewarding role for a graduate who is interested in pursuing a career to support early stage technology companies who are at the cutting edge of innovation! 

The ideal candidate may have a scientific or technical background and interested in supporting the translation of business ideas into a commercial reality or will use their business knowledge to advise and guide our Entrepreneurs.

Key duties and responsibilities 

This opportunity will support two European Regional Development Funded Programmes (ERDF); LCR 4 START and Cheshire & Warrington 4.0. These programmes enable businesses in the Liverpool City Region and Cheshire and Warrington local regions to access fully funded support to adopt new industrial digital technologies by accessing our additive manufacturing and digital prototyping expertise. These businesses will range from tech start-ups to more established SME’s that require specialist support to develop and de-risk new products and services. 

The successful candidate will work closely with the business engagement manager to ensure that our business clients align with the eligibility and funding criteria and will assist in bringing projects to a satisfactory completion. Working closely with our marketing team, you will also identify case studies for project promotion and impact.

You will support customer pipeline development for our business incubation facilities (labs, offices and workshops) and the provision of a business support programme for our tenants to help them develop and grow. 

Our close knit and encouraging team will help you thrive so you can gain valuable experience and knowledge across a number of programmes to support technology businesses as well as exposure to a highly collaborative science and innovation community on the Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus. 

What you'll do

A number of tasks specific to the LCR Start, C&W 4.0 and to support the wider business incubation team include:

• Coordinate meetings with companies to ascertain their eligibility and project requirements and support the Business Engagement Manager to capture key details on the SME’s
• Monitor and populate the customer relationship management database, collaborating closely with project partners where necessary
• Attend project and partner meetings
• Ensure that all projects comply with ERDF requirements which will involve some due diligence and completion of project documentation
• Provide input to monthly and quarterly reports
• Market research to inform our customer pipeline generation activity
• Attend events and networking opportunities to meet businesses on the wider Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus and in the North West Region
• Support the team to identify relevant events to exhibit or present at, and collaborate closely with our marketing and events team on specific arrangements
• Organise business support workshops and one-to-one sessions for our tenants, liaising with delivery partners
• Keep abreast of developments within the regional innovation ecosystem on funding and initiatives to benefit our SME’s

Not only will you relish the challenge of working in this opportunity, you will be supported by a broader programme of career support, training and development tailored to each pathway. Our dedicated Graduate Development Team will provide the right combination of challenge and support throughout, helping you achieve your ambitions.

To find out more information on our graduate scheme, please click here.

About you

To apply for this opportunity, you will need to meet the following criteria:

Essential

• Obtained bachelors or Integrated Masters, (not doctorate) in a relevant subject in either 2020, 2021 or be due to receive it in 2022 
• Expected or have achieved a 2:1 or above 
• The right to live and work in the UK 
• Naturally outgoing personality that enjoys networking
• Broad understanding and interest in science and technology
• Knowledge and understanding of technology start-ups and how they operate
• Self-starting and ability to take the initiative on a project whilst also having a proven ability to work in a collaborative team
• Excellent communication skills in speaking to individuals, in addressing audiences, and in written docume
• Highly organised with attention to detail when writing and reviewing documents

Desirable

• Experience in business development or marketing based roles.
• Project management training

You are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.

About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.

We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking.  And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI) 

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.  For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.