Are you interested in professional growth, and curious about some of society's biggest issues? Are you a proactive and highly organised individual with a knack for problem solving?  Do you have experience of working collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, where you move effortlessly from day-to-day management to supporting the team on planning and strategy?

If so, Nesta is looking for a Programme Coordinator to play an integral part in the development and delivery of a diverse range of UK and international prizes that are tackling some of the biggest challenges of our time.

About Nesta and Challenge Works

Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society. Nesta is based in the UK and supported by a financial endowment. We work with partners around the globe to bring bold ideas to life to change the world for good.

Our Challenge Works team is at the forefront of identifying and defining problems where new ideas, technologies and approaches can be encouraged to radically improve outcomes and then developing and managing challenge prizes that optimise the likelihood of success. Challenge prizes are competitions which reward whoever can first, or most effectively, meet a defined challenge and we have launched prizes that include improving outcomes for Nepalese farmers, encouraging young people into STEM and entrepreneurship and the £10m Longitude Prize for antimicrobial resistance.

About this exciting opportunity 

Working closely with the Leadership and Programme teams, you will focus on enabling smooth day-to-day programme execution, which will include the monitoring of milestones, deadlines and project budgets,  flagging action points. You will develop, maintain and revise systems that will underpin the delivery of the prizes, plus develop key documents relating to the delivery of the prizes.  You will also:

• Oversee the management of multiple diaries, schedule meetings, travel and tracking deadlines. 

• Work with internal and external stakeholder networks, high-profile individuals and prize entrants to ensure effective delivery of the prizes.

• Assist with public engagement activities, and with events and workshops.

• Help support the communications activities of various challenge prizes.

• Own all administrative tasks.

What we are looking for

We value diverse skills and experiences and so we're looking for a proactive and adaptable individual with a growth mindset interested in continuous improvement both of the programmes they work on and as a professional.

An outstanding communicator, you will have strong organisational, prioritisation and time management skills, with the ability to work to very tight deadlines and coordinate multiple projects simultaneously. Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills are vital, as is first-class attention to detail.

What we offer

Salary: £26,500 - £38,500 (offers are expected to be made towards the bottom of the band) plus array of benefits, including private medical insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, eyecare vouchers and more  

Location: This role is based in London, Blackfriars, hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of two days in the office

Term: Fixed term contract (2 years)

Hours: This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them. Many do. 

Making an application

To apply for this role, please submit your application before 8:00am on the 30th of October 2023.

Interviews will take place w/c 6th of November 2023.

At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results. 

We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop. 

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful. 

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.  

Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.