Innovation Growth Specialist

About the Company:

Oxford Innovation Advice is the UK’s leading provider of specialist business coaching. Our teams drive economic prosperity by helping SMEs innovate and scale. Over the last 30 years we have delivered business support programmes to more than 30,000 businesses. For more information on our company, please go to: https://

Our Innovate UK Business Growth Team is currently seeking a full-time Innovation and Growth Specialist.  As a funding and finance expert, you will be supporting SMEs to accelerate their journey to grow and scale. The role will also act as an interface with ecosystem partners and stakeholders including accelerators, launchpads, freeports and regional clusters.  You would be working 37.5 hours per week from home but would be travelling regularly across South East England.

For more information about Innovate UK EDGE, please go to: https://

Main Areas of Responsibility

•    Identify ambitious innovation orientated SMEs with the potential to scale, who could benefit from Innovate UK Business Growth support.

•    Assess and understand the companies’ needs and provide relevant strategic funding and finance support for investment readiness. All activities and outputs to be recorded on CRM.

•    Connect companies with the people and opportunities that will really accelerate their growth both in the UK and internationally

•    Act as a ‘go to’ resource for clients from the Innovate UK Launchpads, and through referrals for Freeports and other regional clusters and accelerators.  

•    Maintain a strong connection with, and support the development of, the national Innovate UK Business Growth “invest-ability” pathway and the Innovate UK Scaleup Programme 

•    Work with Innovate UK colleagues, British Business Bank regional colleagues and intermediaries plus other key regional stakeholders to reinforce the close cooperation that will enable the client to navigate the local innovation, investment and growth support environment and where necessary establish local co-operation to support achievement of this.

•    Deliver, facilitate and attend workshops and events to promote client success and the impact of Innovate UK Business Growth. This may include attending national/international conferences and exhibitions and possibly supporting client companies with their national/international missions.

The Innovation and Growth Specialist will be high calibre and capable of being a combination of coach, mentor, and critical friend, able to guide investment readiness activity.  This person will be: 

Essential

• A senior professional having grown their own business and/or worked in a senior position in a corporate or ambitious SME environment. 
• Experience of implementing finance strategies and fund raising 
• Experience /understanding of private and public capital markets, IPOs, M&A etc.
• Good awareness of the benefit of the use of debt, equity,?grants and of leveraging multiple support schemes, such Patent Box, R&D tax credits, invoice finance, financial guarantees, etc.  
• Well-connected and networked with an extensive book of contacts.
• Self-motivated and results driven with a meticulous focus on quality.
• A strong project and time manager, with concomitant communication, facilitation and presentation skills

Strongly Desirable

• Experience of commercialising and launching new innovations
• Capable of helping clients accelerate entry in new markets.
• Understand what is required to help SMEs meet the requirements of large companies and their supply chains. 
• Have exceptional networking, business development and sales skills
• A good understanding of structuring businesses for successful growth e.g. group structures 

What is in it for you as our Innovation and Growth Specialist:

• Competitive basic salary
• Contributory pension scheme with up to 5% matching contributions
• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays with the opportunity to buy/sell up to 5 days
• Flexible benefits options, which include private health and dental schemes for individuals and their dependents, health assessments
• Access to a wide range of discounts including high street favourites and holiday providers
• Work from home, coupled with flexible working
• Access to 26 Oxford Innovation offices around the UK

Our closing date for applications is the 24th July 2024. We reserve the right to appoint prior to this date, therefore applications should be submitted as soon as possible.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.