Programme Officer - Innovation

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority; South Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Hybrid working

Flexible hours

Annual Leave Purchase

Reward Gateway discounts

Training on the job

Professional membership fees

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is seeking a Programme Officer - Innovation to support delivery of innovation programmes across South Yorkshire. You will manage day-to-day activities, monitor performance, and build strong relationships with universities, businesses and funders.

Based in Sheffield with hybrid working, you will contribute to driving growth and investment by turning ideas into commercial opportunities, while ensuring compliance, reporting and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience managing or supporting complex projects and programmes.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving abilities with experience monitoring performance.
• Experience of financial monitoring, procurement processes or compliance activities.
• An interest in innovation, research commercialisation, business growth or economic development.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day management and delivery of innovation programmes.
• Build strong relationships with universities, businesses, research organisations, funders and delivery partners.
• Monitor project performance, maintain programme documentation and help identify and manage risks and issues.
• Prepare reports, briefings and performance information for senior leaders, governance boards and stakeholders.
• Support funding, financial monitoring, procurement and compliance activities to ensure programmes are effectively managed.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of programme delivery processes and identify opportunities to enhance outcomes.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Analytical thinking

Procurement

Financial monitoring

Job description

Programme Officer - Innovation South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Sheffield, South Yorkshire, GB

Description

• Hours: 37 hours per week (full time)
• Contract: Permanent
• Location: Sheffield (Hybrid Working)

Innovation has the power to transform economies, create new opportunities and help businesses thrive. At SYMCA, we're working to strengthen South Yorkshire's innovation ecosystem by supporting collaboration between businesses, universities, research organisations and funders, helping great ideas move from concept to commercial success. Through a range of programmes and initiatives, we're creating the conditions for innovation, growth and investment to flourish across the region.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to projects that make a real difference to South Yorkshire's future. As Programme Officer - Innovation, you'll play a key role in supporting the delivery of innovation programmes that help businesses adopt new technologies, accelerate growth and unlock investment opportunities. Working with a wide range of partners, you'll help ensure that projects are delivered successfully and continue to deliver positive outcomes for the region.

In this role, you will:

• Support the day-to-day management and delivery of innovation programmes and projects across South Yorkshire.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with universities, businesses, research organisations, funders and delivery partners.
• Monitor project performance, maintain programme documentation and help identify and manage risks and issues.
• Prepare reports, briefings and performance information for senior leaders, governance boards and stakeholders.
• Support funding, financial monitoring, procurement and compliance activities to ensure programmes are effectively managed.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of programme delivery processes and identify opportunities to enhance outcomes.

About you

You will be an organised and proactive programme professional who enjoys working with a wide range of stakeholders to achieve shared goals. You'll be comfortable managing competing priorities, maintaining attention to detail and building productive working relationships, while keeping a clear focus on delivery and outcomes.

Whether your background is in programme management, economic development, innovation, research, business support or a related field, you'll have a passion for helping projects succeed and an interest in how innovation can drive growth and create opportunities. You'll enjoy working collaboratively, solving problems and supporting initiatives that have a positive impact across South Yorkshire.

We're looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Experience of managing or supporting projects and programmes in a complex environment.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Good analytical and problem-solving abilities, with experience of monitoring performance and producing reports.
• Experience of financial monitoring, procurement processes or compliance activities.
• An interest in innovation, research commercialisation, business growth or economic development, with a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes.

If you're looking for an opportunity to contribute to innovative programmes that support businesses, communities and economic growth across South Yorkshire, we'd love to hear from you.

All colleagues have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme and the chance to be part of an organisation where you can really make a difference. Located in Sheffield City Centre, we are well-placed for transport links and encourage employees to take advantage of the active travel facilities. Work/life balance is extremely important to us here at SYMCA with our recognised family/friendly policies, genuine work flexibility, recognition, and shared success.

In addition to the above, some of our benefits include -
Holiday Entitlement – From 28 to 36 days annual leave entitlement (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro-rata for part time colleagues.

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme – The ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in addition to your normal annual leave

Hybrid working – Our offices are a space where we come together and collaborate. Most of our roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles being onsite full time. Please note, unless specified within the job advert, we cannot accommodate remote working contracts.

Flexible Hours Scheme – Most roles within SYMCA work under the Flexi-Scheme which allows office-based employees’ flexibility and discretion over their working hours. Under the scheme employees can accrue a defined amount of credit or debit of working hours, and to take time-off in the form of Flexi-Leave or banked Annual Leave.

Rewarding You - Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle-to-Work schemes.

Training on the job - Support with upskilling skills through on-the-job training and qualifications

Professional Membership Fees – Where membership to Professional bodies is applicable to your role, SYMCA will reimburse your membership fees where applicable and following approval by Line Management.

Diversity at South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority

Our workforce is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.
All employees are eligible to request Flexible Working arrangements from day one of employment as such all requests will be considered subject to operation requirements.

Where candidates share disabilities within the application process, if they demonstrate that they meet all essential criteria from the Role Profile within their application, they will automatically be invited to interview.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) brings together the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield and to serve the communities and businesses of South Yorkshire. From transport to housing, from business growth to skills, the SYMCA has a great story to tell. We have ambitions to deliver recovery and renewal for people, businesses and places across South Yorkshire. In recent years significant funding has been secured through the Transforming Cities Fund and a devolution deal, and further funding has recently been secured through the region’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. As a result we have a large and growing capital programme to deliver in support of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Mayor’s 2040 vision for transport. Join our workforce of talented people who love working together – and are proud of the work they do. Progression here can take you in all kinds of directions. This is what a career at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is like, and this is where yours starts. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is currently in the process of reviewing its terms and conditions of employment including pay and grading. As part of this project, the post advertised may be subject to changes in the near future. All changes and any impact on individual posts will be discussed further should you be successfully appointed to the position you have applied for. Please note that SYMCA follows a structured salary grading system for all roles, and the offered salary for each post will be at the starting point within the specified grade. We value the skills and experience of potential candidates, and there will be opportunities for salary enhancements as you grow within South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot provide Skilled Worker sponsorship for any roles advertised. Please note, we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than indicated on the Job Advert should we receive a high volume of applicants. All applications must be submitted directly via ourCareers Website