Investment Specialist

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., 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. 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.Person specification Person Specification: (S) – Assessed at shortlisting (I) – Assessed at interview (S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

+ 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) Desirable + 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)

• 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., Alongside your salary of £47,000, Innovate UK contributes £13,615 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. 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., For full details, please visit our careers site. Please submit an application including your CV and a Cover Letter that showcases how your skills and experience align to the requirements of the role. A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.