Financial and Professional Services Sector Development Lead

The Growth Company's (GC)Business Growth Hub team have an exciting new opportunity for aFinancial and Professional Services Sector Development Lead.

The role will be to lead the establishment and development of long-term strategic and operational relationshipswith key stakeholders, including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the ten Greater Manchester Local Authorities, business partners, national/regional sector trade bodies and sponsors, higher education institutions, and Greater Manchester-based Financial and Professional businesses.

Build mutually beneficial collaborative relationshipsthat support the Greater Manchester Financial and Professional services ecosystem. Contribute to and support the delivery of Greater Manchester sector development plans, policies, and strategies. Identify future opportunities for the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub (GM BGH) that complement the Growth Company (GC) business plan and portfolio of services.

GC Business Growth Hub is a community of specialists with a passion to help businesses across Greater Manchester to realise their ambitions. Since 2011, the Hub has supported more than 15,000 businesses including start-ups, scale-ups and established businesses, providing finance guidance, creating international links, and paving the way for innovation and people development across the region. We work with the best of public and private partners, offering expert one-to-one and peer-to-peer business support, events, specialist programmes, funding and much more.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing an active network: Engage key stakeholders, partners, and support delivery organisations, including trade bodies, businesses, sector organisations, and public sector entities for long-term collaboration and referrals.
• Implementing and delivering activities: Lead the development, implementation, and delivery of activities related to Financial and Professional Services businesses, utilising colleagues and partners to deliver high impact and support.
• Enhancing recognition: Ensure that GMBGH is well known and recognised within the Financial and Professional Services community across Greater Manchester.
• Collaborative work: Work collaboratively with MIDAS, Marketing Manchester, and other support providers within the ecosystem to embed GMBGH support as a complementary activity, adding value and synergy.
• Providing expert support: Develop long-term partner strategies to enable current and future collaborations aligned with Growth Company and GMBGH business plans to support economic and business objectives.
• Stimulating networks: Work with business, professional, local, and sector networks to unearth innovative and growth-focused startups and companies.
• Identifying influential contacts: Evaluate influential contacts in new or existing partners to motivate potential sponsors, secure collaboration against agreed objectives, and facilitate close working relationships to generate referrals.
• Researching and mapping data: Review, research, and map data to identify key market and sector-relevant intelligence to support and better inform the facilitation of the GM Financial and Professional Services ecosystem.

About You:

• Embedded in the GM Financial and Professional Services ecosystemwith active knowledge of key players and organisations.
• Operating as a credible ambassadoron a regional platform to promote business support services and objectives to a range of audiences.
• Practical delivery of relationship building and management.
• Effective stakeholder communication.
• Strong understanding of the Financial and Professional Services sectorin Greater Manchester.
• In-depth knowledge of the Financial and Professional Services business support environmentin Greater Manchester.

Skills Required:

• Able to establish, develop, and maintain relationshipswith relevant private or public sector organisations, including Financial and Professional Services organisations and institutions, commercial entities, government/public bodies, and HEIs.
• Ability to work effectivelywith senior private or public sector contacts.
• Proficient in influencing othersand securing buy-in.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong business development skills.
• Ability to develop productive working relationshipsboth internally and externally.
• Commitment to continuous developmentand staying updated with the latest developments in the business support field.
• Ability to plan and manage own workload, achieving agreed targets and objectives.