Report to: Director of Catapult Network

Direct Reports: N/A

Location: This role is home based with an expectation of being in London a minimum 1 day a week but ideally 2. The host Catapult, and employer, will be High Value Manufacturing Catapult which has offices based in Birmingham and London. There will be a requirement for the incumbent to travel nationally to the Catapult centre locations.

Salary: c£50k per annum

Primary Purpose:

This role will support the Catapult Network Office’s mission to enhance stakeholder engagement and awareness of the Innovate UK Catapult Network. This role will focus on promoting the Innovate UK Catapult Network’s collective impact and value in driving innovation and economic growth.

You will develop and implement a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy to strengthen relationships and enhance the Innovate UK Catapult Network awareness amongst the innovation and policymaking community.

Main Responsibilities:

Stakeholder Engagement and Awareness

• Work in collaboration with the Catapults and Innovate UK to develop and implement a stakeholder engagement strategy for the Innovate UK Catapult Network, that builds and maintains a comprehensive and prioritised stakeholder map, to strengthen relationships and enhance the awareness of the benefits of the Innovate UK Catapult Network across Government, place-based stakeholders and the wider innovation ecosystem – including representative organisations like AIRTO and EARTO – and business.
• Manage CEO stakeholder engagement, developing the opportunities and organising high-profile events, roundtable meetings and media engagement for relationship development with key ministers, shadow ministers and metro mayors and key stakeholders. To include the preparation and implementation of pre-briefing materials and calls, which include aligned Innovate UK Catapult Network messaging.
• Support the Communications Manager to deliver targeted communication campaigns that highlight the Innovate UK Catapult Network’s impact, success stories and innovation-driven projects to engage the Catapult Network Office’s target audience and key stakeholder groups.

Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Build your own network to support you in leading the relationship management of an engaged stakeholder community of policymakers that are directly responsible for cross-cutting innovation policy and those that influence them, to enhance the Innovate UK Catapult Network visibility.
• Lead the coordination and management of the Government Relations & Policy collaboration group, working with colleagues across the Catapult Network to support the coherence and impact of public affairs activity.
• Develop and implement an efficient relationship management system and regular reporting mechanisms to ensure internal stakeholders (Catapults and Innovate UK) are kept informed on stakeholder engagement activity by the Network Office.

Policy Monitoring and Response

• Monitor and provide updates on relevant innovation policy announcements and developments, working proactively with the Communications Manager to develop briefings that coordinate messaging across the Innovate UK Catapult Network.
• Lead the development of Innovate UK Catapult Network responses to requests for information and input to government, parliamentary and other consultation exercises. Where appropriate, proactively engage the civil servants designing and supporting the government inquiries to provide briefings to Catapults for coordination and alignment in submissions. 
• Support the Catapult Network Office in building a network library of information including case studies and metrics to support responses to enquiries from government and other stakeholders.

Professional Networking and Event Coordination

• Lead the organisation and management of flagship annual events, such as parliamentary receptions, industry conferences and high-profile quarterly events, to showcase the value and capabilities of the Innovate UK Catapult Network.  
• Build the profile of the Innovate UK Catapult Network and relationships through conference attendance, including political party conferences, meeting business and science community groups and key meeting engagements with political stakeholders.
• Coordinate engagement activities and site visits to Catapults in collaboration with Innovate UK and DSIT, via strategic open days, to support local, national and international delegations.

Job Scope

Impact: Lead stakeholder engagement and awareness of the Innovate UK Catapult Network, focussing on promoting collective impact and value in driving innovation and economic growth.

Communication: Enhance the Innovate UK Catapult Network awareness amongst the innovation and policymaking community.

Innovation: Seek to influence transformational change for the benefit of the Innovate UK Catapult Network and the UK’s innovation ecosystem. 

Knowledge: See Person Specification for information re: skills and experience.

This role does not have direct reports however the ability to influence without direct line management “control” is essential given the reach required.

This role will have a national focus and knowledge of regional variance is necessary.

Person Specification:.

Qualifications	Essential
Level 6 in public relations, relevant subject or equivalent experience	X
Experience
Proven experience in the innovation, research and development sector(s)	X
Significant experience in the regulatory and external affairs areas with proven ability and evidence of success	X
Experience of working in complex environments with a broad range of stakeholders, professional experts and industries	X
Proven ability to manage public policy issues, navigate government structures, and advocate effectively before government officials	X
Highly credible, confident, compelling and engaging public speaker	X
Proven ability to build relationships internally and externally with the purpose of driving participation/collaboration across multiple organisations and influencing an engaged stakeholder community at the highest levels in a complex environment.	X
Proven experience in building and maintaining a comprehensive and prioritized stakeholder map.	X