Small Business Programme Manager (Made Smarter & AI) - London in St Leonards

The Made Smarter Programme Manager will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining ways of working for the Made Smarter London programme. This includes developing processes and systems to ensure successful delivery of the Made Smarter programme including: strong financial management, governance, business planning, reporting, and compliance mechanisms. The role also involves external and internal stakeholder management whilst convening all Made Smarter team to assess the programme's delivery plan and performance against targets. The successful candidate will be a self-starter capable of independently managing complex coordination across L&P teams and oversee critical projects.

In addition to the tasks mentioned above, the Made Smarter Programme Manager will be responsible for key tasks associated with the Made Smarter programme:

• Ensuring timely and accurate completion of monthly and quarterly reporting to the GLA and the Government's Department for Business & Trade (DBT).
• Administering grant funding to small businesses, including designing, implementing, and coordinating an application, scoring, and management process to ensure funds are spent and claimed in adherence to funding rules.
• Leading the procurement of, and subsequent relationship management with, delivery partners to ensure outputs are delivered as contracted.
• Managing relationships and contract delivery with commissioned partners.
• Convening the Made Smarter team to ensure consistent ways of working.
• Line management of a Made Smarter Operations Executive.

The postholder will be able to work independently, proactively, and take initiative, but escalate issues and decisions when necessary. The post holder may be required to work on other areas that support the Small Business Directorate.

Key Tasks

• Monitoring & Reporting: Establish and maintain reporting systems that effectively communicate programme progress, KPIs, and day-to-day business metrics to internal and external stakeholders, enabling data-driven decision-making. Systematically gather, analyse and present precise and timely performance data alongside insightful recommendations to the Grow London Local Senior Leadership Team based on this data. Guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and compliance of data used for both internal and external reporting. Draft compliance reports for external funders, ensuring the inclusion of accurate information regarding outputs and outcomes where necessary. Establish and implement monitoring processes for grants distributed to small businesses ensuring funds are spent as expected and compliance with funding rules.
• Budget and Grant Management: Work with the Finance team to ensure accurate budget forecasting and reporting. Conduct analysis of financial reports to identify trends enabling informed decisions regarding budget allocation. Draft compliance reports for external funders, ensuring the inclusion of accurate information regarding spend, forecasts and variances where necessary. Establish thorough processes to administer and deliver the grant element of the programme convening all internal stakeholders to ensure fairness and compliance.
• Governance: Establish and implement robust governance processes for the Made Smarter programme across various areas including decision making, change control and post project/programme reviews. Develop clear document workflows, standard operating procedures and ensure consistency around documentation. Identify ways to enhance collaboration and streamline working practices within the Directorate as well as with other internal stakeholders. The post holder will also work closely with the Operations team to deliver timely outputs and budget reports as required.

Leadership: Provide support, guidance and coaching to direct reports and support them to build relationships across the organisation. Set clear direction, accountability and ensure high performance. Build strong working relationships across the organisation and with key stakeholders at the GLA and DBT. High standard of contract management and excellent communication with relevant stakeholders.

You’ll have/bring:

• People, Project and Stakeholder Management: Proven experience in managing business support programmes which delivered successfully in terms of outputs, client satisfaction and impact. Experience of stakeholder management such as external funders and key SME networks and players. Successful management experience. Ability to lead, manage and motivate direct reports effectively (Essential). Effective stakeholder management to ensure programmes are kept on track and relevant information is collected as required (Essential).
• Portfolio Management: Project, programme and portfolio management (Essential). Demonstrated expertise in financial planning and administration (Essential). Experience of managing projects and driving actions forward (Essential). Experience of developing and implementing robust governance processes (Essential). Qualification or certification in project management (Desired). Experience of public sector compliance (Desired).
• IT Skills: Excellent IT skills including knowledge of MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Dynamics and Office 365) and Intranet/Internet systems as well as an advanced level of MS Excel (Essential). Experience using CRM systems e.g. Salesforce (Essential). Experience using Power BI (Desirable).
• Approach: Proven strong organisational skills with the ability to use initiative to plan, prioritise and allocate a heavy workload effectively and respond flexibly to rapidly changing and conflicting priorities (Essential). Motivated, well-organised, and dependable (Essential). Ability to demonstrate a high standard of accuracy and attention to detail (Essential). Experience working as a key member of a team, able to take own initiative and work flexibly (Essential). Proven ability to communicate information effectively and confidently to a wide range of internal and external contacts and at a senior level (Essential).

Personal Style and Behaviour: Proactive team player. Demonstrates an attitude conducive to continuous improvement. Effectively contributes creative and innovative solutions to projects and objectives. Adopts a learning mindset, using challenges and opportunities to improve team and personal performance. Able to maintain successful relationships with internal and external networks that work to mutual benefit. Able to clearly communicate when engaging with internal & external stakeholders, in a confident and articulate manner. Successfully delivers project tasks on time and to a high standard, using all available resources. Has a passion for London.

You’ll Get: To join a fast-paced, flexible and inclusive social enterprise. Hybrid working environment. 30 days holiday in addition to UK public holidays. Excellent employer pension contribution and Medical Cash Plan.

London's diversity is its biggest asset. At London & Partners, we aim to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the city that we promote. We encourage applications from people of any age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or assignment, faith or disability. We also appreciate that many people require flexibility in their working patterns and encourage you to talk to us at interview about any flexibility you may need, be it full-time, job-share, or part-time. We encourage applications from all sections of the community.