Innovation and Cluster Officer - Reigate, United Kingdom - Surrey County Council

Surrey County Council

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Reigate, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

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Description

Job Introduction

The starting salary for this role is £47,778 per annum for working 36 hours per week.

About the Role

As our Innovation and Cluster Officer, you will support the delivery of Surrey's JIDP and Cluster Development Programme, working with Surrey's regional innovation partners (University of Surrey, Royal Holloway University of London and University for the Creative Arts) and Place Leaders reporting to the IWG / OSGB.

The JIDP will include a range of activities including a Surrey Innovation Summit, a Surrey Innovation Challenge Competition, the delivery of the CoSTAR project (if successful) and an investment prospectus for innovation in Surrey.

The Delivery Plan will also include Surrey's growing Cluster Development Programme including a specific focus on the region's priority clusters:
Cyber Security, Gaming (interactive entertainment), Createch, Film and TV, and Green Technologies.

As a key member of the Economy and Growth Innovation Team you will support the delivery of the projects and programmes linked to the JIDP and Cluster Development Programme.

In particular, this will involve the following responsibilities:

Working collaboratively with SCC's partners, Government, businesses, and academia to drive delivery of the JIDP and support the monitoring and evaluation of the programme reporting to the IWG and OSGB.
Identifying funding sources, both private and public, to support the delivery of Surrey's JIDP and Cluster Development Programme, supporting business case development to secure additional investment for the region when opportunities arise.
Working with Internal (Economy and Growth and SCC) and external comms partners to identify and promote opportunities for relevant press and media coverage, acting as the voice and champion within the region, contributing to or hosting events and workshops to support local sector needs and to promote the clusters.

The Economy and Growth team are currently working in a hybrid way, with most of the work taking place virtually.

However, meetings, workshops, and days at the office with the team are happening regularly in person across Surrey, typically at our head office in Woodhatch Place, Reigate.

The post holder would be expected to adopt a hybrid approach and be prepared to work both virtually and on site as required.

About You
You will be organised and highly motivated, with emotional intelligence and strong influencing and partnership development skills.

As well as this, you will be willing and able to travel within the County, and surrounding areas, and attend occasional meetings outside core office hours.

Experience of applied project management methodologies, including risk management, budgeting, governance, performance monitoring and reporting.
High level working knowledge of partnership/cluster development work including stakeholder relationship management, visioning, collaboration agreements, strategic development and action planning, and delivery processes.
Ability to establish, manage and grow partnership/cluster networks involving a variety of stakeholders from public, private and FE/HE sectors, including representing the interests of the cluster at events.
Ability to promote Surrey's priority clusters' activity and offer to prospective members (individuals and companies) and manage a cluster's comms, social media and website content.
Ability to plan, design and deliver (project manage) daytoday cluster activities (and be a cluster's point of contact for enquiries), including: a variety of events (including organising and scheduling speakers, arranging venues, driving event registrations, gathering event feedback), cluster promotion/business support activities and skills/employability initiatives.
A track record of project delivery in an innovation, economic development, or equivalent/related setting.

Our Economic Strategy and Growth Board papers are available here.

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Strategic background - Our Innovation Story
Surrey County Council's (SCC)

Economic Strategy Statement identified four strategic priorities to deliver the region's economic growth plan:

Growing the leading edge; A 'whole place' approach to growing quality places; Maximising opportunities within a balanced, inclusive economy; and Delivering economic infrastructure.

At the core of the 'Growing the leading edge' strategic priority is a Joint Innovation Delivery Plan which will address the barriers to innovation growth in the region.

For example, the need to improve stronger business-to-business and business-to-knowledge base links; ensure capacity for innovative businesses to expand; and the development of a regional cluster development programme.

This innovation activity has as strong strategic fit with SCC's corporate commitm