Innovation Specialist

The Growth Company; Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The Growth Company’s Business Growth Hub (BGH) is seeking an ambitious Innovation Specialist to deliver high-quality advisory and growth support to Greater Manchester businesses.

You will work with leaders, SMEs and scale-ups to identify opportunities for innovation, help overcome barriers, access expertise and funding, and bring new products and technologies to market. Strong relationship-building and delivery of programmes are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience providing business advisory, innovation, technology or growth support services.
• Confident working with SMEs, start-ups, scale-ups or innovation-led organisations.
• Demonstrable experience supporting organisations to introduce new products, services or processes.
• Experienced in delivering workshops, events or business support programmes.

Responsibilities

• Support businesses to identify innovation opportunities and develop growth strategies.
• Advise on the adoption of digital technologies, AI, automation and data-driven solutions.
• Assess barriers to innovation and develop tailored action plans to accelerate growth.
• Help businesses develop and launch innovative products, services and business models.
• Connect businesses with research organisations, universities, innovation partners and specialist expertise.
• Deliver workshops, events and one-to-many innovation support programmes.
• Develop strong relationships across the innovation ecosystem, including public, private and academic partners.
• Identify funding, investment and R&D opportunities to support business growth.
• Maintain high-quality client engagement and achieving programme performance targets.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Portfolio management

Commercial awareness

Self-motivated

Job description

The Growth Company’s (GC) Business Growth Hub (BGH) is looking to appoint an ambitious and commercially minded Innovation Specialist to deliver high-quality business innovation and growth advice to support businesses across Greater Manchester.

This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with business leaders, entrepreneurs and scale-up companies, helping them identify opportunities for innovation, overcome barriers to growth, access expertise and funding, and bring new products, services and technologies to market.

BGH supports businesses across Greater Manchester with expert advice on funding, innovation, people, sales and sustainability. We provide tailored support to meet the needs of each business at every stage of its growth journey.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supporting businesses to identify innovation opportunities and develop growth strategies.
• Advising on the adoption of digital technologies, AI, automation and data-driven solutions.
• Assessing barriers to innovation and developing tailored action plans to accelerate growth.
• Helping businesses develop and launch innovative products, services and business models.
• Connecting businesses with research organisations, universities, innovation partners and specialist expertise.
• Delivering workshops, events and one-to-many innovation support programmes.
• Developing strong relationships across the innovation ecosystem, including public, private and academic partners.
• Identifying funding, investment and R&D opportunities to support business growth.
• Maintaining high-quality client engagement and achieving programme performance targets.

About You:

• Experience providing business advisory, innovation, technology or growth support services.
• Confident working with SMEs, start-ups, scale-ups or innovation-led organisations.
• Demonstrable experience supporting organisations to introduce new products, services or processes.
• Experienced in delivering workshops, events or business support programmes.

Digital innovation experience is desirable, including knowledge of:

• Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, automation, data analytics and business intelligence.
• Digital transformation, business process improvement, and digital product or service innovation.
• Emerging technologies, innovation management, design thinking, and the research, development and commercialisation of innovation.

Skills Required:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to diagnose business challenges and identify practical solutions.
• Excellent communication, presentation and facilitation skills.
• Confident building relationships with stakeholders and business leaders.
• Able to manage a portfolio of clients and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Commercially aware and customer-focused, with a passion for innovation, technology and economic growth.
• Self-motivated, with the ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively.