Scale Up Programme Manager

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

Working with the Head of Scale Up Programmes, you will be responsible for designing and developing scale up programmes, that deliver meaningful value to the founders that participate.

With a strong focus on investment readiness, you will support in all aspects of the Collective Impact programme – our 6-week accelerator programme for impact-led startups who are looking to raise investment via an equity crowdfunding campaign.

You will also be instrumental in leading on the design and delivery of new scale up and investment readiness programmes, to ensure we’re able to provide the full range of support that founders need to grow and scale their businesses.

You will manage the day-to-day delivery of these flagship programmes, with a focus on all aspects of their success – including founder impact, operational delivery and financial success.

In doing so, you will shape, define and deliver programmes that are designed to embody the Virgin StartUp brand values and provide Virgin-class support.

With a focus on user experience, you will ensure the effective execution of the vision and strategy around scale up programmes, ensuring their long-term success and commercial viability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Collective Impact - Virgin StartUp’s equity Crowdfunding Accelerator

• You will be responsible for designing and delivering a structured programme of support that delivers meaningful value to the participant companies, increasing their chances of successfully raising investment post-programme.

• You will source appropriate facilitators, develop course content – or identify appropriate external contributors - and ensure any associated materials collectively deliver a Virgin-class experience.

• Working with relevant strategic partners - such as the leading crowdfunding platforms, accelerators, incubators and investment networks - will be key to each programmes success. You should ensure that they’re integrated into the programme delivery and able to contribute and add value where appropriate.

• You will be the ‘go to person’ for founders on the programme and will be responsible for managing each companies’ involvement and the experience of each founder.

• Working with the Head of Scale Up Programmes and the marketing team you will help inform appropriate strategies to drive the required number and caliber of applications needed to deliver a quality cohort of companies each time.

• You will support the Head of Scale Up Programmes in designing a process to help identify and select suitable companies to take part in scale up programmes and provide support with the due diligence and selection of companies forming each cohort.

New Scale Up Programmes:

• Working with the Head of Scale Up Programmes, you will help to establish the product strategy and vision for new Scale Up programmes, by evaluating the product market fit, learning about the needs of users and by researching competitors and similar programmes and products.

• You will help translate these into detailed proposals, with clear roadmaps and delivery plans to ensure the business objectives can be achieved. 

• You will be responsible for not only identifying the programme activities and resources required to deliver effectively on these plans, but for actually bringing new scale up programmes to life.

• You will source appropriate facilitators, develop course content – or identify appropriate external contributors - and ensure any associated materials collectively deliver a Virgin-class experience.

• You should be naturally inquisitive and keep up to date with the entrepreneurial ecosystem to maintain a real time view of the landscape and the programmatic opportunities that could result.

Monitoring & Reporting

• To ensure the ongoing success of the various scale up programmes, you will be responsible for designing and implementing a process for collecting, analysing and responding to user feedback. In doing so, you will use this insight to inform the product design and implement improvements, where required, that deliver measurable improvements.

• You will monitor performance against project plans to ensure successful delivery within budget and to agreed timescales.

• You will provide regular updates to the Head of Scale Up Programmes, highlighting any risks and ensuring plans are put in place to address these.

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

• Knowledgeable about the needs of founders who are scaling businesses and raising investment.

• A proven ability to design and deliver accelerator programmes (or similar), that respond to these needs.

• Experience of designing and delivering ‘digital first’ programmes is desirable.

• Entrepreneurial in nature, with a genuine passion for working with and supporting start-ups to succeed/

• Proven ability to take initiative and manage multiple activities simultaneously.

• Experience of working within an agile environment - iterating, testing and developing new solutions.

• A demonstratable commitment to quality in standards, behaviours, knowledge and skills.

• Highly organised, with an ability to work across multiple workstreams simultaneously.

• Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team, collaborating closely with members of the Virgin StartUp team, developing buy-in and support.

• Ability to analyse research and data, looking for trends in the market and users' opinions and behaviour.

• A strong and clear communicator, with a proven ability to engage stakeholders at different levels of seniority and knowledge.

• 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

• £44,000 - £49,000 (+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 :)