Main Responsibilities of the Innovation Growth ManagerBusiness Development and CollaborationIdentify and engage with key businesses in the plant-based food and drink sector.Develop collaborative research projects between businesses and research organisations within the GK&M consortium.Build and maintain strong relationships with businesses, research partners, and industry stakeholders.Design and implement strategies to attract and support businesses in the region.Project Management and DeliveryDevelop and implement a strategy to achieve project goals, including supporting at least 45 businesses (with a focus on hard-to-reach groups), delivering 35 new products to market, and securing £0.9m in additional funding.Create and manage work plans for businesses involved in the project.Provide mentoring and support to businesses in developing and submitting grant applications.Monitor project progress, collect data, and produce regular reports.Marketing and CommunicationsDevelop and implement marketing strategies to promote the GK&M project and attract businesses.Create content for the GK&M website and other marketing materials.Organize and participate in industry events and networking opportunities.Research and InnovationIdentify research funding opportunities and support the development of grant applications.Contribute to the development of a sustainability plan for the project.Stay up-to-date with industry trends and research developments.General ManagementRepresent the GK&M project at various levels and to different stakeholders.Ensure compliance with project policies and procedures.Work collaboratively with the GK&M project team and other stakeholders.

Supporting the Division of Natural Sciences at the University of Kent

Develop and maintain relationships with businesses and industry.• Proactively identify and develop new business opportunities with businesses and industry.• Build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers in businesses and industry.• Represent the university at business events and conferences.• Provide support and advice to businesses and industry on a range of issues.Identify and pursue new business opportunities.• Research and identify new business opportunities for the university.• Develop and submit proposals for new business contracts and projects.• Manage the negotiation and contract process with businesses and industry.• Ensure that all business contracts and projects are delivered on time and to budget.Manage the development of KTP projects.• Work with businesses and academics to develop and implement KTP projects.• Manage the project budget and timeline.• Ensure that the project meets the needs of the business and the academic partner.Organise and attend business events.• Organise and attend business events, such as conferences, workshops, and networking events.• Represent the university at business events and conferences.• Build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers in businesses and industry.• Respond to queries and requests from businesses and industry.Respond to queries and requests from businesses and industry in a timely and efficient manner.• Provide support and advice to businesses and industry on a range of issues.• Follow up on queries and requests to ensure that they are resolved in a satisfactory manner.Update management information systems and write monthly reports.• Update management information systems with relevant data and write monthly reports on business development activities. The reports should include information on new business opportunities, KTP projects, and other business development activities and submitted to the Head of Business Development on a monthly basis.

• Line managing staff, carrying out monthly, mid-year and end of year appraisals • Assisting in the recruitment of staff to the area, screening applications and conducting interviews• Setting and monitoring the performance and targets of staff in line with financial goals• Leading the quality assurance process and development of teaching, learning assessment • Coaching and mentoring team members to deliver the designed programme content• Responsible for recruitment & retention, programme quality monitoring & assessment• Delivering training sessions to support participants with returning to work• Creating engaging lesson plans and schemes of work to meet qualification criteria• Producing effective CVs for employment and written applications for clients • Job Brokering clients to match them with employers and vacancies, tracking sustainability in work• Networking and employer engagement, organising recruitment events to promote job outcomes• Supporting clients with developing essential skills and qualities for employability• Assisting clients with using computers and completing quality applications • Preparing clients for interviews to generate positive outcomes of job offers • Assessing clients’ barriers to returning to work and assisting with overcoming them• Marking & assessing work, reviews & feedback, maintaining quality standards • Providing impartial information, advice and guidance• Covering additional classes including ICT, Literacy and Numeracy• Implementing a code of conduct and reinforcing expectations

Complete induction presentations & apprentice sign up administration• Run monthly meetings with Apprentices in the work place & remotely• Respond to the apprentice’s remote queries &/or support requirements as required• Measure & assess progress of the apprentice against the objectives & milestones of theagreed learner journey• Complete all required documentation to evidence work completed in line with FWD qualityrequirements, including tracking time spent off the job learning requirements• Interpret learning outcomes personally to the apprentice’s role & environment• Advise the apprentice how work based experience can relate to development againstlearning outcomes• Set activities to develop the apprentice’s competence against the defined learning outcomes• Advise the apprentice on relevant evidence to support the creation of a portfolio of work inline the end point assessment requirements• Support the apprentice in working towards their professional qualification• Escalate where concerns over apprentice progress or employer support, where cannotpersonally resolve• Decide in discussion with the Delivery Director & apprentice’s line manager, when theapprentice is ready for end point assessment• Support & coach the apprentice in preparation for end point assessment• Attend coach’s development / standardisation meetings as required

Working with people looking to start work or return to employment. My duties included• Delivering training sessions to support participants with returning to work• Creating lesson plans and schemes of work to meet qualification criteria• Producing effective CVs for employment• Job Brokering clients to match them withemployers and vacancies• Networking and employer engagement• Supporting clients with developing essential skills and qualities for employability• Assisting clients with using computers and completing quality applications• Preparing clients for interviews• Assessing clients barriers to returning to work and overcoming them• Marking and assessing work• Providing information, advice and guidance• Covering additional classes including ICT, Literacy and Numeracy• Implementing a code of conduct and reinforcing expectations

Following the successful takeover of Chaucer Insurance's motor division by the Markerstudy Group (of which Zenith Marque are a part) my role changed to that of the Fleet Claims Team LeaderMy day to day role consisted of the following:To lead a team of approximately 12 individuals to include bodily injury handlers.To act as a referral point for technical referrals from file handlers.Oversee the teams progress toward team and department KPI's/SLA'sManage day to day workloads / individual issues .Undertake auditing on a cross section of files for each file handler on a month by month basisTechnical complaints handling in line with FCA/FOS/Lloyds guidelines and to resolve cases in line with ex gratia authority limits.Deal with the voidances of policy's that breach policy terms and conditions including formal correspondence and subsequent associated tasks and administration. Client management in respect of all fleets to deal with client queries, provision of MI and day to day reporting / issue resolution. Cheque authorising within predefined authority limit Reserve referrals for those cases outside of handlers authority, including referrals where necessary to re insurers In addition on a monthly / quarterly / six monthly / ad hoc basis I am responsible for:Mid term and end of year staff appraisalsAdministration of the MITEL telephone system to include maintenance of specific call flows / groups via yoursite explorer. Compiling MI for senior management / board level reports Meet with clients across the country to include both new and existing business and resolve any issuesPerformance management of individuals to include where necessary invoking disciplinary proceduresProject work as and when requiredThe above, while not an exhaustive list of my role, is a general overview.

To lead a team of 12 people including bodily injury handlers within the claims operations enviroment as team leader of one of several teams. My main duties included:Motivating and inspiring my team to provide first class customer service while maintaining impeciable standards of claims handling. To audit and meassure my team to ensure continuous improvement and assist with their development. To deal with complex complaints in line with FCA / Lloyd’s guidelines and time frames.

Following SAGA's decision to take Claims back in house I moved to the third party disputed team where I dealt with a case load of liability disputed claims

To deal with Fire, Theft & Vandalism as well as Total Loss claims.

While the company was going through a transitional period I stepped in to the role of senior handler to assist the team manager with the day to day running of the team, complaints handling and personnel issues.

Deal with a portfolio of AD claims and manage customer expectations