Senior or Principal Consultant in Manchester

Metro Dynamics is an independent consultancy that provides strategic advice to those who lead, do business or invest in local economies. We work with a range of clients including local government, Combined Authorities, national bodies, universities, and private sector investors and developers across the UK. Metro Dynamics is an employee‑owned business, demonstrating our commitment to independence and a strong social purpose. We are focused on increasing our positive impact on places and ensuring our work leads to meaningful economic change. All our staff have a financial stake in the business, alongside access to a range of benefits including a share of company profits. The successful candidate could be based at either our Manchester or London office. There would also be a certain amount of travel around the UK to client meetings.

We are looking to hire a Senior or Principal Consultant to strengthen our Sectors, Clusters and Innovation (SCI) team, with a particular focus on innovation systems, cluster development and delivery. This role sits at the heart of a growing part of our business: helping places move from analysis and strategy into implementation, investment and impact. The successful candidate will bring experience working at the interface of innovation, industry and place, for example in innovation ecosystems, cluster organisations, universities, Catapults, economic development, or industry partnerships, and will be motivated by translating ideas, capability and strategy into real‑world delivery.

You will work with senior leaders across the public and private sectors to:

• Design and mobilise collaboration structures and cluster initiatives.
• Translate sector and innovation strengths into investible propositions and programmes.
• Support clients to move from prioritisation into implementation.
• Build the governance, partnerships and delivery mechanisms required to achieve impact.

This is a role for someone who understands not just how strategies are written, but how things actually get built, funded, tested and scaled. We welcome candidates from consulting, but also from innovation, industry, academia or delivery organisations who are looking to apply their experience in a strategic advisory context.

Our Sectors, Clusters and Innovation team supports places and institutions to:

• Prioritise sectors and clusters with the strongest potential for growth.
• Design and mobilise collaboration structures that enable innovation and scale.
• Build innovation ecosystems that translate research and capability into productivity and impact.

We are increasingly focused on helping clients move from “what should we do?” to “how do we make it happen?” designing systems that enable delivery.

Experience Candidates should demonstrate relevant experience gained in consulting or in roles within innovation, industry, academia or economic development. Experience working at the intersection of innovation, industry and place, for example:

• Innovation ecosystems or districts.
• Cluster or sector organisations.
• Universities or research and technology organisations.
• Catapults or translational research environments.
• Industry partnerships or business‑facing roles.

A track record of contributing to or delivering programmes, initiatives or projects, not just strategy development. Experience working with public sector clients and/or complex stakeholder environments, including Combined Authorities, local government or national bodies. Strong understanding of the UK economic policy and innovation landscape.

Skills and capabilities

• Strong problem‑solving skills, including the ability to work with ambiguity and inform structured approaches to address unclear challenges.
• Ability to move confidently between strategy and delivery, understanding both the “what” and the “how”.
• Experience managing projects and delivering high‑quality outputs to time and budget.
• Ability to effectively balance multiple projects and priorities concurrently.
• Ability to engage credibly with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior public sector leaders, business leaders and innovation actors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including producing clear and compelling reports and presentations.
• Commitment to personal development and supporting the development of others.
• Ability to manage and build client relationships.
• Ability to design and deliver approaches to meet unclear client challenges and requirements.
• Ability to manage and contribute to bid and proposal development.

Typical tasks

• Leading and delivering project work – developing approaches and plans, managing client engagement, producing high‑quality outputs (reports, slidepacks, recommendations, presentations), and ensuring delivery to time and budget.
• Designing and mobilising projects – undertaking research and analysis, strategy development and then translating strategy into delivery through the development of collaboration structures, governance models, partnerships and investible programmes, and supporting clients to move from prioritisation into implementation.
• Managing day‑to‑day client relationships and supporting longer‑term partnerships.
• Leading and supporting proposal writing and wider business development activity.
• Supporting and mentoring junior team members and contributing to team development.
• Contributing to internal best practice, tools and thought leadership across the SCI team and wider business.
• Supporting the management activities/ administration of the business as required.

Senior Consultants are expected to deliver high‑quality project work, manage project delivery and contribute to business development. In addition to this delivery role, Principal Consultants are expected to:

• Lead larger and more complex projects with greater autonomy.
• Build and convert client relationships into secured work – leading bids, proposals, and closing opportunities.
• Shape and grow the SCI team’s market offer.

What we offer

We offer a competitive salary dependent on experience and an excellent benefits package comprising:

• Annual profit share (dependent on company performance).
• 8% employer contribution to company pension scheme (after three months).
• 29 days annual leave which includes company closedown between Christmas and New Year and one day birthday leave.
• Wellbeing benefits including life insurance, income protection insurance, cycle to work scheme.
• Access to our employee assistance programme which provides various support services including 24/7 GP appointments.
• Hybrid working with an expectation of at least 3 days per week in our Manchester or London office.
• Access to training and personal development in line with career progression goals and business requirements.

Our values Metro Dynamics is proud to be an employee‑owned business. We are a diverse team of people with different work backgrounds, skills and experience, but believe what joins us together is our commitment to our shared values. We are looking for candidates that share our values and are committed to our mission and purpose.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Metro Dynamics recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.