IfM Engage Ltd. Cambridge, UK
The Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) is part of the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. It focuses on research, education, and practice to "Manufacture a Better World." Its activities involve helping companies develop life-changing products and services, create meaningful jobs, and contribute to a better environment for the future. Additionally, the Institute aims to help governments foster innovation and enterprise to deliver social and economic benefits. Its undergraduate and postgraduate education programmes are designed to prepare the manufacturing leaders of the future.
IfM Engage Ltd is a limited company owned entirely by the University of Cambridge. The company generates revenue by partnering with organisations across industry, government, and academia to help them solve complex challenges, utilising approaches and knowledge developed at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM). The operating surplus generated by IfM Engage is donated to the University of Cambridge to support future research. In 2024, IfM Engage was recognised for its strong and positive work culture and was awarded the Investors in People (IIP) accreditation.
The Shoestring Unit in IfM Engage aims to help small businesses across the world become more productive, resilient and sustainable – one step at a time – by understanding and embracing digital technologies. The Shoestring Unit’s role is to oversee the transition of the results of the EPSRC- funded Digital Manufacturing on a Shoestring research project into a viable, self-sustaining industrial programme that supports SMEs.
In the past 2.5 years the unit has taken the original research project outputs and:
• Developed simple, reusable low-cost solution offerings based on the needs of SMEs.
• Deployed solutions (now over 200 deployments since 2018) in SME manufacturers, which provide both operational impact and digital capability improvements, in a simple, lowcost manner.
• Developed working models for regional deployment programmes of Shoestring solutions and has run collaborative regional pilots in Scotland, Northern Ireland, East of England, Cornwall, Western Australia and Egypt.
• Piloted training, skills and educational support for low-cost digital solutions in conjunction with FE colleges and training developers.
• Provided leadership in practical and low-cost digitalisation policy and programmes, working with local and national government bodies such as Innovate UK, BEIS, Scottish Enterprise, NMIS and the Western Australian government.
The Shoestring Unit is funded by the Gatsby Foundation and other industrial partners. It works directly with the Distributed Information & Automation Lab (DIAL) within the Institute for Manufacturing.
Role Summary
We are seeking a business development and delivery lead to support the growth ambitions of the Shoestring Unit. Playing a significant role in helping to achieve scaling, creating robust regional delivery models and national impact for SMEs. The Shoestring programme has the potential to make a real impact on productivity in small companies, helping local economies, safeguarding jobs and upskilling employees in the UK and across the globe.
This role has the following main responsibilities:
Marketing Outreach
• Designing and delivering digital shoestring awareness programmes
• Managing marketing, outreach and communications for the Shoestring Unit
• Act as a champion for the programme, presenting and speaking publicly as required
Business Development
• Proactively Identifying and evaluating prospective client opportunities and responding to inbound enquiries
• Developing and executing appropriate contact strategies for each client
• Building client relationships to qualify shoestring deployment opportunities
• Crafting and presenting Shoestring programme proposals
• Managing client commercial and contract negotiations
• Building and cultivating client and prospect relationships with a partnership ethos
Programme Design and Delivery
• Designing and delivering Shoestring client programmes
• Collaborating effectively with internal and external stakeholders to champion client delivery and resolve client delivery blocker and issues
• Acting as the trusted advisor to clients
• Establishing structured planning and reporting to support client delivery programmes
Collaboration
• Mentoring, coaching, supporting and collaborating with other members of staff to align capability, improve the way we work and encourage continuous professional development
Reporting and Support
The Business Development and Delivery Lead role reports to the Head of Digital Shoestring unit, and works alongside the shoestring business and operations, technical and research teams.
The role is based in Cambridge and is full-time. However, we are open to conversations around flexible working and operate an ‘office first’ hybrid working policy (at 60% of working time in the office). The salary band for this role is £55,000-58,000 per annum plus a generous benefits package, including healthcare.
Engage has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
IfM Engage actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
How to apply
Please send a CV and cover letter to ifm-engage@eng.cam.ac.uk
The closing date for the role is Thursday 13 February 2025 at 17.30.
We look forward to your application.
At IfM Engage, we are committed to being transparent about how we collect and use your data and ensure that we meet our data protection obligations. For a more detailed view of the information, we collect and how we process it please check out our Privacy Notice for Job Applicants. https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/privacy-policy-for-job-applicants