Job title: Senior Economic Development Officer (Business Start-up Manager)
Salary: £40,221 - £43,421
Hours: 37 hrs per week
Contract: Temporary contract (12 months)
Location: Merrion House, Leeds
As a Senior Economic Development Officer with responsibility for co-ordinating business start-up activity in Leeds, you’ll thrive on helping people bring their business idea to life.
Most people who set up their own business have either got a lots of experience working for someone else, are really good at what they do and have decided they want to try going it alone and working for themselves. Or they’ve got a really good idea and want to test whether they can turn it into something they can make money and maybe earn a living from.
But the majority have never run a business before and they don’t know the first thing about setting up and registering a business or as a sole trader, sales and cashflow forecasting, public liability insurance or any of the other things you need to think about if you’re running a business.
You will have experience of advising pre-start and start-up businesses. You may even have experience of setting up and running your own business. You will also have a good working knowledge of business start-up support across the region and extensive contacts with business support partners, organisations and intermediaries in both the public and private sectors.
Above all, you’ll be motivated by helping people and making a difference.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
We are looking for an authoritative self-starter with the desire to help businesses grow. As business start-up manager, You will have:
- Excellent communication skills.
- Experience of carrying out financial/business appraisals.
- Experience in building relationships with small businesses, providing advice/guidance and brokering appropriate business support.
- Experience of working in partnership with a range of private/public sector agencies.
- Be qualified to degree level or beyond in a relevant discipline or have significant relevant experience.
About the role
We are seeking a Business Start Up Manager to join the Growth Service team based in the council’s Economic Development service. You will seek to promote and help to coordinate business start-up activities delivered in Leeds. The post involves ‘hands on’ coaching/mentoring/ account-management of a caseload of young businesses with growth potential. The role requires a good understanding of the issues faced by young businesses across a range of sectors.
The role is a key post within our Business Growth Service team, which provides support for SME businesses across Leeds.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact
David Baggaley, Economic Development Programme Lead by email: david.baggaley@leeds.gov.uk
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2023. We are also an age-friendly employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.
Job purpose
The Senior Economic Development Officer will seek to promote & help to coordinate WYCA- funded business start-up activities delivered in Leeds ensuring that existing and new support form a cohesive & a compelling offer to young businesses. The post involves “hands on” coaching/mentoring/account-management of a caseload of young businesses with growth potential.
Responsibilities
- Seek to promote and coordinate enterprise development and business start-up delivery in the Leeds Metropolitan District ensuring that support is cohesive and forms a compelling offer to young businesses.
- Provide start-ups/young businesses with coaching / mentoring / account-management support to help them set and achieve their growth plans.
- Seek to identify and address barriers to business start-up and to work with delivery partners to ensure that the LEP funded start up offer is taken up by all communities in Leeds.
- Assist in the design and development of new approaches to business start-up delivery including those related to developing innovative new businesses.
- Work with delivery partners to ensure that support for start-ups is accessed by all communities in Leeds including those which traditionally have been hard to reach.
- Work with delivery partners to identify and promote case studies of young businesses. Ensure that case studies are representative of all the communities in Leeds.
- Work with partners to continually improve delivery and identify gaps in support.
- To work alongside existing programmes of Business Support delivered by Leeds City Council ensuring that a joined-up offer of support is provided to young businesses.
- Develop strong relationships with partners and organisations delivering complementary business support services to young businesses, particularly those linked to the LEP.
- To establish and manage good relationships with a caseload of young businesses through a key account management approach, ensuring excellent record keeping/documenting business engagement activities, milestones and outcomes.
- Develop & maintain a detailed working knowledge of public/private sector enterprise support and the wider enterprise landscape in Leeds which helps young businesses to start up and grow.
- The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties as required by the Line Manager, Senior Management and commensurate with the post.
Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.
- Degree level qualification in a relevant subject or an equivalent relevant qualification or significant experience in the field business and economic development.
- A good understanding of both theory and practice in the challenges and opportunities facing business start-ups and how to design and deliver good quality business start up support
- Good knowledge and awareness of the day to day issues facing small businesses
- Good knowledge of funding programmes and their rules and requirements, ensuring that all activities and interventions are compliant and eligible for support.
- Good level of knowledge of business networks operating across the Leeds City Region with strong networking and engagement skills.
- An understanding of public sector values and public sector partnerships.
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
- Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
- Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
