SMILE Project Manager
A fixed term contract until 30 September 2012
£31,778 - £38,441 inc London weighting
UCL
Advances, UCL's centre for entrepreneurship and business interaction, was
launched in August 2007 to develop new links between UCL and businesses of all
kinds, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.
UCL Advances, on behalf of UCL, has won a bid from the London Development Agency (LDA) to work on a project called 'SMILE' (Selected Management Interims for London Enterprises). There are many challenges that face promising small businesses. One of the most significant is that as a company passes through different stages of development, it requires different management talents. Frequently, existing managers need only to supplement their own expertise rather than replace it entirely but they lack the resources to do so. The problem is, that without access to new management in some form, the challenges facing growing businesses can kill them.
Project SMILE is a new initiative to address this problem. SMILE will build a network of qualified, proven managers suitable for small businesses. The project will then match these individuals to micro and small businesses throughout London that require the talents of those individuals to overcome their business problems. Most of these individuals will work only part time for each small business, but it will be possible for them to work for a number of businesses in this way, building a portfolio career for the benefit of all parties. This is hard to do for most people when faced with the security of their current job or the risks of multiple, uncertain engagements. SMILE will help to lower the risks by providing successful managers with a route to broadcast their achievements and find additional suitable clients. SMILE will not pay the individuals concerned directly or indirectly, but will allow businesses to reach their own remuneration arrangements with them as required.
In so doing, SMILE will address a market failure that has plagued small businesses in London for many years while taking advantage of recent economic conditions that have led to more talented individuals with usable skills being available to work in innovative small companies than has been the case for some time.
Who we're looking for:
- You will have previous experience of coordinating projects within the public sector;
- You will have a proven ability to prioritise work and deliver projects on time;
- You will enjoy a process driven environment and will be highly adept at detailed reporting;
- You will be able to present the aims and progress of the project to key internal and external stakeholders;
- You will be able to demonstrate excellent organisational and interpersonal skills;
- Previous experience of coordinating projects funded by the EU or the LDA would be advantageous but is not essential.
Where specific UK qualifications are required we will take into account overseas equivalents.
UCL is one
of the UK's
leading universities; it is a world-class multidisciplinary research and teaching
institution, currently ranked in the top-ten in the world. UCL Advances was
launched to enhance UCL's role as a hub of technical innovation befitting its
status as one of the top universities in the world.
UCL
particularly welcomes applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as
they are under represented within UCL at this level. This is in line with
section 38 of the Race Relations Act 1976.
A fixed term contract until 30 September 2012
£31,778 - £38,441 inc London weighting
A full job description and personal specification can be found here
For further info, please contact Nicola Smith, on 0207464 1987, nsmith@poolia.co.uk
Closing date of 15 May 2010
Current UCL Job Vacancies
All current UCL job vacancies are listed at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/jobs/.
