We are looking to attract 2 new Innovation Consultants:

• Innovation Consultant – Generalist: to support projects across all our areas of impact 

• Innovation Consultant – Learning: to support our learning work across the whole of our portfolio, including GoodLivesGM and generic business development

We are also particularly interested in receiving applications from people with a strong interest and/or experience in health inequalities to support our growing portfolio of work

Being based in or around Greater Manchester would be an advantage as we support  place-based transformation, building upon insights from our GM Covid learning work and our GoodLivesGM strategic partnership)

Our competency framework ranges from aware, do, adapt, to coach. For this role we expect that you are at least ‘do’ against 70% of the competency framework.

At Innovation Consultant level the practical work we do spans across five main areas :

1. Leading small-medium innovation projects (up to £80k)

• Leading and managing small-medium innovation projects 

• Establishing what success will look like with the client, and how success will be measured

• Understanding the methodology on the project and use it to plan the project in detail with the team

• Understanding how the project will use the innovation formula

• Managing a small project team to deliver the project (typically 2-4 people)

• Managing the relationship with our point of contact with the client

• Developing a communications plan for the project

• Managing the project budget to ensure value for the client, and healthy project margins for Innovation Unit

• Developing a project risk register and mitigating risks appropriately

• Working with the project sponsor to ensure the objectives and success criteria are met, and the project is delivered on time and budget

  2. Team member on medium-large projects (up to £200k)

  • Working as a member of the project team on medium-large projects where the project lead is a Senior Innovation Consultant, Senior Associate, or Director

  • Contributing to the development of project methodology and plan 

  • Managing a workstrand as part of the bigger project

  • Offering coaching support to clients to support them to achieve their goals successfully

  • Managing and undertaking quantitative and qualitative research and insight generation

  • Managing and undertaking co-design work and prototyping 

  • Designing and facilitating engagement workshops for small groups (10-20 people)

  • Developing high quality products and content

  • Bringing in additional expertise when required

  • Working with the project lead to ensure the objectives and success criteria are met, and the project is delivered on time and budget

  3. Helping to win new business

  • Generating knowledge, learning and insight from our projects and share them with the rest of the team

  • Applying knowledge, learning and insight from our projects to new projects and business development opportunities

  • Helping the organisation to spot emerging business development opportunities

  • Contributing to writing bids and proposals

  • Maintaining good relationships with clients 

  • Developing relationships with people in current and prospective client organisations, increase their awareness of Innovation Unit

  • Developing and writing content for publication about our work 

    4. External engagement and communications 

    • Developing our collective thinking and knowledge about innovations that deliver long term impact for people, address persistent inequalities and transform the systems around them

    • Contributing high quality content for publication externally on our website, blog, social media platforms and mainstream media, that raises our profile and enhances our reputation with target audiences 

    5. Helping the organisation improve 

    • Contributing to internal development work that reflects the evolving needs of the business, including growing and deepening our practice, improving our internal systems and strengthening our culture

    • Providing constructive feedback and contribute to the development and learning of our team.

    • Contributing to whole organisational processes including performance management, recruitment, office management

    • Using our financial and project management systems effectively to support the generation of accurate and timely management information 

    • Committing to your own learning and development, set development objectives, and invest time in acquiring new skills and knowledge 

    • Being ready and happy to think on one’s feet and offering up one’s analytical, strategic, creative and relational talents to respond to challenges and developing solutions