Social Impact Ventures Manager (MEC)

The University Of Manchester; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) at The University of Manchester is recruiting a Social Impact Ventures Manager to lead MEC's Social Impact Pathway and the Manchester Impact Ventures programme.

You will coordinate workshops, hackathons and mentoring, manage cohorts from discovery to growth, and connect aspiring social ventures with mentors, impact investors and external partners across Greater Manchester and the wider UK social enterprise sector.

Qualifications

• Experience in social enterprise, social innovation or venture support.
• Ability to deliver engaging workshops and coach early-stage founders.
• Strong communication, attention to detail and inclusive, founder-friendly mindset.
• Experience coordinating programmes with multiple stakeholders and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Social Impact Pathway (Explore, Build, Grow) and Manchester Impact Ventures.
• Coordinate workshops, hackathons, ideation events and participant communications.
• Manage cohort recruitment, onboarding, budgeting, milestones and impact reporting.
• Build a pipeline of social ventures and connect founders to mentors, impact investors and networks.
• Collaborate with MEC teams, university ecosystem and external partners across Greater Manchester and the wider UK social enterprise sector.

Job description

MEC Social Impact Manager

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is The University of Manchester's focal point for student entrepreneurship, enterprise education and early-stage venture support. As one of the UK's leading centres for applied entrepreneurship education, MEC supports students, graduates and early-career researchers from all disciplines to develop entrepreneurial skills, explore new ideas and create ventures with economic and social impact.

We are seeking a Social Impact Ventures Manager to lead the delivery and development of MEC's dedicated Social Impact Pathway. This is an exciting opportunity to support aspiring social entrepreneurs and purpose-led innovators as they explore, test and grow ideas that respond to social and environmental challenges.

Working closely with colleagues across MEC and the wider University innovation ecosystem, you will coordinate an inclusive programme of support for students, early-career researchers and recent graduates. You will help participants move from early curiosity through to idea validation, venture development and access to relevant networks, mentoring, funding and wider ecosystem opportunities.

The role will involve managing MEC's three-stage Social Impact Pathway, supporting activity across Explore, Build and Grow. You will coordinate workshops, hackathons, ideation events, digital and physical resources, showcase activity and participant communications. You will also lead the delivery of Manchester Impact Ventures, including cohort recruitment, selection, onboarding, programme coordination, budget administration, milestone tracking and impact reporting.

You will play an important role in building a strong pipeline of emerging social ventures and helping promising founders access the right support at the right stage. This will include working with mentors, social entrepreneurs, impact investors, academic colleagues, student societies and external partners across Greater Manchester and the wider UK social enterprise sector.

We are looking for a highly organised and collaborative individual with strong experience in social enterprise, social innovation or venture support. You will be confident delivering engaging workshops, coaching early-stage founders and managing programmes that support diverse participants to develop purposeful, viable ventures. You will also bring strong communication skills, excellent attention to detail and a commitment to inclusive, founder-friendly support.

As a core part of Unit M, the University's dedicated innovation arm, MEC contributes to a wider innovation ecosystem designed to unlock the University's potential as a major regional innovation asset. This role offers the opportunity to work at the heart of that ecosystem, helping the next generation of changemakers build ventures that create meaningful social and environmental impact.

Please note:

Interviews are expected to take place during the week commencing 12th October.

(Grades 6-9)

Our benefits include:

• Generous employer contribution pension


• 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays, along with Christmas closure


• Ride to work and EV car scheme available

For more information, please see University of Manchester Benefits. You can also find information on our Flexible and Hybrid working here.

We are an open place of enquiry and challenge. We embrace and celebrate difference, diversity and debate, and we pride ourselves on being a place of education, learning and community where we are able, within the law, to question and test received wisdom, express new ideas and explore controversial or unpopular topics and opinions. Find out more from our Freedom of Speech Policy.

Enquiries about the role, shortlisting and interviews

Name: Prof. Lee Pugalis

Email: [e-mail]

General enquiries and administrative support

[e-mail]

Technical and job portal support

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

Applications close at midnight on the closing date.

Further particulars (with person specification) linked below.