Job Description
MIDAS, one of the UK's most successful inward investment agencies, is seeking a new Head of Business Development - Creative Digital & Tech.
The position will lead the business development function of MIDAS for the creative, digital and tech sector (CDT), driving the attraction of CDT businesses to Greater Manchester (GM) and the expansion of existing GM businesses to deliver new investment and job creation.
Key responsibilities
- Develop a formal business development strategy for attracting inward investment into the sector in GM.
- Achievement of an annual target of inward investment successes and associated job creation and safeguarding, for both new direct investment and expansion within the existing investor base, with a specific focus on foreign direct investment
- Develop strategic company engagement and promotional activity to promote Greater Manchester’s CDT offer, with both a geographical and sector focus to raise the city region’s profile and deliver a pipeline of high-quality leads that delivers the inward investment success targets.
- Lead on the execution of proactive company engagement and promotional activity, managing a pre-agreed MIDAS budget, and influencing, leading and integrating associated partner activity and budgets, where appropriate.
- Identify and focus on a target list of national and international companies, develop and build long-term strategic relationships with key-decision makers, typically at C-level, within a range of global and fast-growing businesses, adopting a consultative sales approach to raise profile, create and identify opportunities for new investment.
- Manage a small team of sector-focussed business development specialists, providing line management and allocating resource efficiently to achieve MIDAS and GC objectives.
- Utilising team resource, manage individual investment enquiries, providing a bespoke service that meets all client needs that may include research, stakeholder and network engagement, property location, business support, facilitation with local government etc, driving them to a successful conclusion.
- Work in collaboration with the wider Growth Company, in particular the digital leads, to ensure areas such as account management, after-care and supply chain analysis are fully integrated with other GC services in order to maximise collective impact.
- Direct the “after-care” service to new investors and account manage key existing investors at a strategic level, utilising wider GC expertise in the sector to co-ordinate activity and referring to partners where appropriate, ensuring the business is deeply embedded in a sustainable way within the GM ecosystem.
- Act as a champion for the sector within The Growth Company helping co-ordinate GC’s response to challenges and opportunities in the market, giving expert insight and advice, adopting a co-operative and positive style of working and generating opportunities to identify further commercial and investment opportunities.
- Develop a collaborative network of external stakeholders and “multipliers” such as the universities, trade bodies, local authorities and the Department for International Trade (DIT) to raise the sector’s profile, identify new leads and create opportunities for joint working to increase the size and value of the pipeline.
- Work closely with the Digital team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and relevant digital leaders, to help develop the CDT offering in GM.
- Through a combination of client engagement, research and horizon scanning, identify new and emerging trends and opportunities both within CDT and complementary sectors.
- Work with MIDAS colleagues to continuously refresh propositions and marketing strategies to meet those new opportunities.
- Support the ERDF-funded sector development and science and innovation programmes for MIDAS and GC, contributing to the programme deliverables against agreed outputs and milestones.
About you
- Good understanding of the full sales cycle, from research and planning to marketing and lead generation; through to project management; closing the deal and aftercare.
- Experienced and skilled negotiator, able to influence at the most senior level.
- A team player, with experience of working with and through others to achieve results.
- Proven experience in project management, potentially involving the management of external consultants; completing them on time and within budget.
- At least 5 years of B2B “consultative” sales experience, within in a highly commercial environment, and/or evidence of market and network development (however, candidates with less than this number of years’ experience, who can demonstrate the necessary skills, will be considered).
Skills required
- Strong commercial awareness to garner credibility among and influence senior business leaders.
- Knowledge of Creative, Digital and Tech sectors and ideally some knowledge of working in markets such as the US, Europe, India, China, Japan and UAE.
- Ambitious, tenacious and focused - able to manage time effectively and efficiently, in order to succeed in a target driven environment.
- Entrepreneurial, innovative and adaptable approach to generating ideas in order to sell and promote Greater Manchester’s attributes to specific clients.
- A natural ability to inspire trust and confidence in potential partners, through a mature approach, demonstrating an understanding of the bigger picture.
- Ability to understand, demonstrate and apply GC values: Make a positive difference, stronger together, empower people, do the right thing, build on success.
As part of our commitment to increase the diversity of our workforce, we provide a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the minimum requirements for a role. This commitment applies to candidates who have a disability or are from a Minority Ethnic community.
As part of our application process, you can ask to be considered under this scheme if you are from a Minority Ethnic community or have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
Providing that you meet the minimum criteria for the role, you’ll then be invited for an interview. Your guaranteed interview application will only be shared with the recruiting Manager and our Internal Recruitment team.
The GC has now committed to ‘Ban the Box’. Ban the Box is a campaign to increase opportunities for people with convictions to compete for jobs. We’re supporting the campaign by removing conviction questions at the applications stage.
The Growth Company aims to promote a culture of flexibility and agile working. Going forward we will be transitioning to a culture where full agile working will be a feature of many of our roles.
If you require support with the recruitment process, please contact or Internal Recruitment team at careers@growthco.uk or call us on 0161 237 4447.
NO AGENCIES - thank you
