Ecosystem Development Manager

Purpose of the Role 

Entrepreneurial Spark is seeking a dynamic and organised Ecosystem Development Manager to join our team. We run a number of accelerators including the UK Space Agency Accelerator and Ignite Bermuda Accelerator. We have developed a strategy for the next phase of growth, and as a result we're thrilled to be expanding our team. As part of this growth, an Ecosystem Development Manager to grow and maintain our vibrant national accelerator ecosystem, which provides huge opportunities for our entrepreneurs. 

As Ecosystem Development Manager your responsibilities will include working closely with our programme delivery and marketing teams, as well as external delivery partners and wider stakeholders. You will be the primary conduit between the UK Space Agency Accelerator and the external business community, connecting with investors, industry partners and experts to bring valuable opportunities to our cohorts and alumni. You will champion the Accelerator and our entrepreneurs at events across the UK, finding the best applicants to join us and sharing our mission to attract support. You will know our portfolio companies and be able to join the dots between their needs and the people you encounter. 

Who You Are 

We are looking for someone who shares our passion and drive to positively impact others and who can help us in creating a better way to support entrepreneurs globally. 

You understand the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence and you actively use this to get the best out of yourself, and to connect with others. You approach everything you do with a determination for growth and improvement and bringing innovative ideas to the table and team excites you.

You are an energetic, open-minded, and self-starting individual who enjoys working within a start-up and the opportunities this brings. The role will be remote, and you will need to be able to maintain motivation working from home and while travelling. You are a great communicator and can adapt your tone, message, and style dependent on the audience. 

To succeed in this role, you should have excellent time management and communication skills, as you’ll collaborate with clients and internal teams to deliver results on deadlines. You will be a confident and systematic networker, able to build senior relationships quickly and maintain contact strategies to sustain them. You will be a strategic thinker who can plan ahead and who understands the importance of consistent storytelling for brand development. 

Ideally you will have strong experience working with high-growth startups, with a good grounding in business that enables immediate credibility in a room of diverse stakeholders.  

Roles and Responsibilities 

• This role will primarily be working on the UK Space Agency Accelerator, with connections into Entrepreneurial Spark’s growth agenda. 
• Work with our Enablement Team who deliver our programmes to understand the entrepreneurs we work with, their companies and their accelerated growth needs. 
• Work with our Marketing Team to understand the UK Space Agency Accelerator brand, objectives and campaigns, and align these with ongoing activities. 
• Develop an ecosystem strategy based on the above, focussed on the core communities we need to build and strengthen to enable accelerated growth for space startups. 
• Execute on the strategy by connecting with relevant individuals both online (e.g. through Linkedin) and offline (e.g. through in-person events) to grow our ecosystem.  
• Build excellent relationships with key stakeholders, including UK Space Agency, our Delivery Partners and external parties, to create mutually valuable opportunities. 
• Develop a deep understanding of, and strong relationships with, early-stage space investors and established space companies, to connect our entrepreneurs with the right funders and customer opportunities when appropriate. 
• Develop connections and pathways across space-adjacent sectors (Defence, Energy, Advanced Manufacturing and Mobility) to help grow and diversify the industry. 
• Support the team with application campaigns, with ongoing identification of good candidates for our programmes through your networking activities. 
• Maintain a focus on delivery of impact for our entrepreneurs to enable growth and maintain engagement as alumni, and support our impact storytelling.  
• Experience working with a CRM system would be preferred but is not required. 

Skills and qualifications 

Please note that the following list is indicative only and you are strongly encouraged to apply even if you do not meet all of the criteria 

• Communication, both 1:1 and 1-to-many. You should be as comfortable on a stage as you are in a small meeting. 
• Organisation with the ability to plan, prioritise and follow-up consistently and quickly on connections. 
• An understanding of the challenges and needs of high-growth startups and/or the space sector. 
• Initiative and motivation. 
• Adaptability. 
• Strategic relationship and partnership building. 
• Interpersonal skills. 
• Diplomacy and teamwork to manage relationships and integrate seamlessly with our delivery teams. 
• Ideally London-based or within easy reach. 

Our Work Ethos  

Entrepreneurial Spark is one of the most stimulating and vibrant companies that you will ever have the pleasure of operating in. We think differently and every day you will be working with inspirational people with exciting and creative ideas, so will operate in a continuous learning environment. In this phase of growth, you will be working in a small team. There is a level of autonomy that comes with the remote working, and this comes with a degree of flexibility in the role. We will rely on you to bring your thoughts and ideas to the table and be an integral part of the growth of Entrepreneurial Spark. 

We won’t lie, if you are looking for a standard Monday – Friday, 9-5 role, or you don’t fancy working in a dynamic, flexible, and fast paced early-stage business then this isn’t for you! 

As a team we believe in growth, learning and development so you should be comfortable being uncomfortable. As a role model for the people you work with and a key member of a small team, we will challenge you to up your game and be the best you can be. If you are not open to honest and frank conversations which will help you and the company grow, then this isn’t for you. 

Remuneration 

• £45,000-£50,000 annual salary (depending on experience). 
• £75 monthly wellbeing allowance to spend on your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. 
• 28 days annual holiday allowance + bank holidays. 
• Statutory pension scheme, mobile phone and laptop will be provided if required. 

Location 

This is a hybrid role, but we are ideally looking for someone in London or within easy reach. You will be travelling frequently to events across the UK to represent us and develop our national ecosystem, so you should be flexible enough to spend up to one night per week away from home. We also hold in-person team meetings once a quarter and would like you to join these meetings. All travel and accommodation will be covered for the above events and meetings. 

Want to Find Out More?

Register for our Q&A at 2:30pm on Friday 20th June: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0FUlJMMJTKKeF-RnedtKpw