We're looking for someone exceptional to lead our Scale Up programmes - a key part of our overall mission to empower founders to start up and thrive.
Overview
£60000 - £65000
London / UK Remote
Expires at anytime
OUR STORY
Virgin is entrepreneurial at its heart, having spent the last 50 years starting and scaling businesses around the world.
In 2013, Virgin StartUp was founded by Sir Richard Branson to support the next generation of founders who are looking to do the same.
Since then, we have helped tens of thousands of founders to start and scale… and we’re just getting started.
We’re an entrepreneurially minded, not-for-profit organisation, that exists to empower founders to start up and thrive.
We know there’s a lot that goes into starting a business, so we’re here to help on all fronts - advice, access to funding, mentoring, training and sometimes just a friendly shoulder to lean on.
We provide straight talk and useful advice to make the entrepreneurial road less bumpy and access to a supportive and dynamic community to help founders have some fun along the way.
Find out more about Virgin StartUp here.
ABOUT THE ROLE
You will be responsible for our scale up and investment readiness programmes, ensuring their long-term success and commercial viability.
In doing so, you will ensure that programmes of support are designed and delivered so as to provide Virgin-class support to early-stage founders, helping to improve their chances of securing investment to scale their businesses.
You will take responsibility for delivering against organisational objectives – operational, financial and brand KPIs & targets.
As a senior member of the team, you should personally role model the Virgin StartUp values and behaviours creating a culture to be proud of and an organisation wide commitment to delivering on our purpose of ‘empowering founders to start up and thrive’.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Collective Impact - Virgin StartUp’s equity Crowdfunding Accelerator
- Take overall responsibility for the successful delivery of Collective Impact.
- With the support of the Product Manager for Scale Up Programmes - who will report into you – you will take responsibility for designing and delivering a structured programme of support that delivers meaningful value to the participant companies, such that their chances of successfully raising investment are maximised.
- Be the primary relationship holder with all stakeholders involved in the delivery of the Collective Impact programme, including key programme facilitators and external partners – including but not limited to the leading Crowdfunding platforms, as well as eco-system partners such as accelerators, incubators, angel investment networks and Venture Capital firms.
- Work with the marketing team to ensure appropriate marketing strategies are put in place to drive the required number and caliber of applications needed to deliver a quality cohort of companies each time.
- Identify and deliver strategic relationships that both support the delivery of Collective Impact and that help build a pipeline of quality companies to take part in the programme.
- Ensure best-in-class speakers and facilitators are identified, recruited and retained. Lead negotiations with them and ensure all of the appropriate contractual requirements are satisfied.
- Ensure systems are in place to gather feedback and that this is used to inform the future development of the programme.
- Draft Heads of Terms and other contracts, in collaboration with the Managing Director and the Virgin Management Legal Team.
- Ensure the delivery of the programme is compliant with all relevant regulations.
New Scale Up Programmes
- Keep up to date with the entrepreneurial ecosystem to maintain a real time view of the landscape and the programmatic opportunities that could result.
- Translate new programme proposals into detailed project management strategies and delivery plans to ensure business objectives can be achieved.
- Identify all activities and resources required to deliver effectively.
- Monitor performance against project plans to ensure delivery of outputs within budget, to agreed timescales and revenue requirements.
Financial Management & Reporting
- Support the development and management of budgets across all Scale Up programmes.
- Monitor programme revenues and costs, and ensure performance is within the agreed budget.
- Control programme costs, monitoring expenditure against progress. Identify and report variances against agreed budget and re-forecasting where necessary.
- Provide monthly reports to the Managing Director on financial and operation performance. Ensure any risks are highlighted and plans are put in place to address these.
- Contribute to regular updates to the Virgin StartUp Board, presenting at quarterly Board Meetings where appropriate.
VALUES
At Virgin StartUp, it’s not just about ‘what’ we do, but also ‘how’ we go about doing it. Having a shared set of values is important, and in joining Virgin StartUp you will aim to be:
Purpose driven - You are values driven, committed to both ‘Empowering Founders to Start Up and Thrive’ and to ‘Changing Business for Good’ and always striving to continuously improve.
Team Player - You are collaborative, dependable, dedicated to and supportive of colleagues – you will find value in the ideas and contributions of others and will be proud to be part of a team, but humble with it.
Accountable - You want to do the best job and embrace responsibility for driving the organisation forward – you are honest, calculate risks, admit your mistakes and learn from them and take ownership for your professional and personal development.
Empathetic - You are curious and listen hard, you are perceptive and responsive, and keen to learn to increase your awareness and understanding, you are inclusive and recognise the strength in diversity – you are vigilant, thoughtful and have a generosity of spirit towards others.
Flexible - You are flexible but remain focused and always balance the needs of the organisation and of individuals and teams - you will willingly adapt to the evolving needs of the business to achieve our shared objectives.
Creative - You are future and solution focused – pioneering and always push the boundaries, you innovate and explore possibilities, create new opportunities and have a real sense of adventure and fun.
Make it happen - You work hard to get the job done and have the passion, motivation, determination and resilience to succeed.
Committed - You are imaginative about, and receptive to, new ways of working, you are keen to grow with us and to drive positive change in our culture – but you are also open and honest with us at times when you need a little extra support.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- 3+ years’ experience in a similar role, including strategy, partnership and programme delivery experience.
- First-hand experience of equity investment is essential, from working within Venture Capital, running a similar Accelerator programme or from having raised equity investment for your own business.
- Strong and demonstrable leadership skills.
- Strong commercial acumen and negotiations skills.
- Excellent relationship and interpersonal skills.
- Experience of managing a team is desirable – although the skills to support, nurture and grow a team are essential.
- Strong analytical and report writing skills.
- Highly organised, with the ability to work autonomously and use initiative.
- A proven ability to work with, gain the confidence of, influence, and negotiate with people at all levels.
- Experience engaging and handling senior stakeholders.
- Proven ability to take initiative and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to act as an ambassador for the Virgin brand and live our values, when representing the company, both inside and outside of the organisation.
SALARY & BENEFITS
- £60,000 - £65,000 (+10% discretionary bonus)
- Unlimited holiday
- 2 return flights per year, to any Virgin Atlantic destinations worldwide
- Private Medical Insurance
- Access to digital GP service
- Comprehensive health assessments – available every 2 years (after 2 years employment)
- Bupa Dental Insurance
- Workplace Pension with Aviva
- Free lunch every day (when working from the office)
- Access to Virgin Pulse – stay active and earn wellbeing points, which can be converted into rewards each quarter
- Access to Virgin Tribe – an online platform that provides discount on a host of Virgin Companies and a range of other 3rd parties and brands
- A host of other things (e.g. Cycle to Work scheme, Payroll giving, Employee Assistance programme, Access to Nudge - a financial wellness platform started by Virgin StartUp as it happens :)