Business Manager

• Location: London, with frequent UK and international travel
• Salary: £39,000 to £55,000, depending on experience
• Reporting to: Managing Director
• Focus: Developing and managing new venture projects
• Travel: Regular international travel, including overseas assignments lasting several weeks

Experience

• Ideally two to five years
• Languages
• Additional languages are highly advantageous

The Opportunity

Pendry Shed Capital is looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Business Manager to help develop, launch and manage a portfolio of new venture projects.

Working directly with the Managing Director, you will take new business ideas from early exploration through to pilot, launch and ongoing delivery.

The central focus of the position is venture project development and management.

You will help assess new commercial opportunities, build structured project plans, coordinate suppliers and partners, manage pilots and ensure that promising ideas progress into viable operating businesses.

You will work across several venture projects at different stages of development.

Some may be early ideas requiring market research and commercial validation.

Others may involve product development, supplier selection, international launch planning or hands‑on support once a venture begins operating.

One week, you may be assessing the commercial viability of a new opportunity in London.

The next, you could be based overseas, meeting suppliers, reviewing product development or supporting the launch of a new business.

About Pendry Shed Capital

Pendry Shed Capital invests in, develops and supports ambitious businesses across multiple sectors and international markets.

We work closely with founders, leadership teams, suppliers and strategic partners to transform commercial opportunities into scalable businesses.

Our work spans venture creation, investment, product development, international expansion, strategic partnerships and operational growth.

• Role Purpose
• The Business Manager, Venture Projects will support the Managing Director in developing and managing new commercial ventures from initial concept through to launch and growth.
• The role will bring structure, pace and accountability to multiple venture projects.
• The successful candidate will coordinate activities across internal teams, portfolio companies, suppliers, manufacturers, advisers and commercial partners.
• They will be responsible for ensuring that projects have clear objectives, structured plans, agreed responsibilities and measurable milestones.
• They will also support the day‑to‑day management of venture projects, identifying issues early and helping to ensure that agreed actions are completed.

Key Responsibilities

• Venture Project Development
• Research and assess new venture and commercial opportunities.
• Help convert early‑stage ideas into structured venture proposals.
• Conduct market, customer, competitor and sector research.
• Assess potential business models, products, markets and routes to revenue.
• Prepare business cases, commercial assessments and launch recommendations.
• Help define the purpose, scope and objectives of each venture project.
• Develop project plans, budgets, milestones and delivery timelines.
• Coordinate proof‑of‑concept and pilot projects.
• Support decisions on whether projects should be expanded, revised or stopped.
• Help successful pilots transition into formally operating businesses.
• Venture Project Management
• Manage multiple venture projects at different stages of development.
• Maintain clear plans, action trackers, deadlines and responsibilities.
• Coordinate activity across internal teams, suppliers, portfolio companies and external partners.
• Monitor project progress against agreed objectives and timelines.
• Identify risks, delays, dependencies and resource requirements.
• Ensure that actions and decisions are followed through to completion.
• Prepare regular project updates for the Managing Director.
• Escalate material issues and recommend practical solutions.
• Support the operational management of newly launched ventures.
• Create structure where projects are moving quickly or remain undefined.
• Product and Supplier Development
• Identify and assess potential products, suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Coordinate product concepts, specifications, samples and testing.
• Compare supplier capabilities, pricing, quality and delivery arrangements.
• Arrange and attend meetings with suppliers and manufacturers.
• Travel internationally to visit suppliers, factories and distribution partners.
• Support commercial discussions and supplier negotiations.
• Monitor product development timelines and outstanding actions.
• Coordinate feedback between suppliers, commercial teams and the Managing Director.
• Help move products from initial concept through to commercial launch.
• Market Entry and International Development
• Research opportunities in new geographic markets.
• Assess local commercial, operational and partnership requirements.
• Identify potential distributors, advisers, suppliers and local partners.
• Support the development of international market‑entry plans.
• Coordinate meetings and activities during overseas project assignments.
• Spend several weeks based in another country when required to support a venture project.
• Work effectively across different cultures, working practices and time zones.
• Portfolio and Business Engagement
• Work with leadership teams across relevant Pendry Shed Capital investments.
• Coordinate venture projects that involve more than one portfolio business.
• Support strategic, commercial and operational priorities.
• Track performance, milestones, risks and agreed actions.
• Prepare concise business updates, presentations and decision papers.
• Help businesses solve problems and accelerate project delivery.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration between portfolio companies.
• Support to the Managing Director
• Prepare research, briefings, presentations and project materials.
• Attend meetings with founders, executives, suppliers, advisers and commercial partners.
• Record key decisions, actions and responsibilities.
• Follow up with stakeholders to ensure delivery.
• Coordinate projects involving several businesses, partners or countries.
• Provide clear visibility of progress across venture projects.
• Represent the Managing Director professionally where appropriate.
• Take ownership of high‑priority projects requiring commercial judgement and discretion.

This is not primarily a diary management, office management or administrative position.

The role is focused on developing ventures, managing projects and delivering commercial outcomes.

• Candidate Requirements
• A minimum 2:1 bachelor’s degree in a STEM, business, economics, finance, management or related discipline.
• A strong interest in developing, launching and growing new businesses.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Strong commercial judgement and analytical capability.
• The ability to turn broad ideas into structured plans and actions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Confidence engaging with founders, senior executives, suppliers and external partners.
• The ability to manage several projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining sight of the wider commercial objective.
• The ability to work independently and take ownership of delivery.
• A willingness to travel frequently within the UK and internationally.
• The flexibility to be based overseas for several weeks at a time when required.
• Advantageous
• Fluency or professional proficiency in more than one language.
• Two to five years of experience in venture building, consulting, project management, investment, corporate development, product development or a high‑growth business.
• Experience developing or managing a new business venture.
• Experience managing projects from concept through to launch.
• Experience working with international suppliers or manufacturers.
• Experience launching a new product, service or company.
• Experience conducting commercial research, due diligence or market analysis.
• Experience coordinating projects across multiple countries or organisations.
• Financial modelling or investment analysis experience.

Who You Are

• You are commercially ambitious, adaptable and highly organised.
• You enjoy taking an idea and working out how to make it happen.
• You are comfortable moving between strategic thinking and detailed project delivery.

You can research a market, develop a project plan, coordinate a supplier, prepare a senior‑level presentation and chase an important action to completion.

• You do not need every step to be defined for you. You create structure, establish priorities and maintain momentum.
• You are comfortable working across several projects at once and can adjust quickly when priorities change.
• You are excited by international business, new ventures, product development and the opportunity to work across different sectors and countries.
• Above all, you are a practical all‑rounder who takes ownership and gets things done.

Package

• Salary of £39,000 to £55,000, depending on experience.
• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.
• All reasonable UK and international business travel expenses covered.
• Significant exposure to venture development, investment and senior business leaders.
• The opportunity to manage projects from initial concept through to commercial launch.
• Strong progression opportunities as Pendry Shed Capital and its ventures grow.

The role is intended to develop as the successful candidate gains responsibility for a broader portfolio of venture projects.

Potential progression routes may include

• Head of Venture Projects.
• Chief of Staff.
• A management or leadership role within a newly launched venture.
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