Job Description

Job Summary

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides effective management and leadership in at least one area of economic development activity
• Establishes objectives and work plans across a range of projects, delegating assignments to subordinate managers and monitors successful delivery assuming overall project leadership.
• Develops knowledge of the business to support cross discipline/market collaboration.
• Interacts internally and externally with executive level management and proactively manages overall performance. .
• Reviews objectives of team and staff to determine success of operation.
• Creates an environment where all staff and clients are innovating to improve business performance.
• Builds positive long-term relationships with key senior staff in the client organisation.
• Accountable with other Economic Development Directors (at ICM Grades 6) for delivery of department targets (e.g. sold time, net service revenue, EBITA).
• Accountable for budgets, schedules and APIC responsibilities (corporate project management software) to meet client and corporate requirements.
• Ability to develop short and long term vision and strategy for economic development consultancy services in specific geographical and client markets.
• Leadership development – from a strategic perspective, identifies the skills and capabilities that need to be developed in the short and long term to ensure sustainable performance of the team and specific team members.
• Acts as a subject matter expert and technical verifier across function, markets and/or geography.
• Business Development - ability to create and lead fee earning relationships with major economic development clients to a value of £400K-£750K per annum and manage client development activity amongst other staff.
• Market Development - ability to combine an understanding of market needs and constraints and the organisation’s capabilities to develop new and solutions
• Project Management - ability to maximise resources and review the planning and reporting of progress by project managers.
• Operating in line with requirements of a Project Approver and/or Regional Discipline Lead in a discipline led approach across Urban Advisory (see below).
• Problem Solving - ability to identify problems and opportunities and analyse information to develop, evaluate and implement solutions across the team.
• Able to lead change effectively, to demonstrate personal composure and is adaptable and flexible in ambiguous and/or fast changing circumstances.
• Leads a defined technical area and elevates the economic development discipline through relationships with think tanks, universities and other bodies and promotes technical excellence externally
• Line Management – effective and active line manager of around 3-4 staff who helps staff fulfil their potential and perform consistently at a high level

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

A track record in economic development with some specialised areas. A portfolio of work which demonstrates excellent technical capabilities (literacy and numeracy). Analytic and numerical skills supported by a high level of spreadsheet and other software skills A track record of contributing to innovative economic development solutions and working across complex local, regional and national stakeholder relationships. A degree in geography, economics or a related discipline and a post graduate equivalent qualification in a similar field, or overall equivalent experience.