Innovation Specialist
The role of the Innovation Specialist is to work directly with Waikato-based businesses and support their growth and success.
You will provide guidance, connections, networking, and facilitation to all businesses, developing actions plans to support business growth, and facilitating access to SODA, MBIE, and other business growth services as appropriate.
The Innovation Specialist role is also responsible for undertaking specified projects related to start-up and SME business growth development as required. These Projects will be aligned to SODA’s agreed business plan and business growth strategy.
1. Customer Support and Innovation Specialist Expertise:
· This role is a point of contact for all customer engagement and relationships that receive business support for both existing and prospective SODA, and MBIE Regional Business Partner clients.
· This role is responsible for actively identifying, managing and supporting innovative businesses and assist R&D and technically focused businesses in navigating support available in the ecosystem.
· Provide business support to assist business development and capability needs. This includes the triaging of business customer inquiries, delivery of support, management of the connectivity and referral to external suppliers and ensuring all inquiries receive timely and appropriate business support.
2. Regional Business Ecosystem Development:
· Drive inspiration, awareness, and engagement across the business network through conferences, events, workshops and SODA programme delivery.
· Proactively build strong partnerships with Regional councils and economic development providers in the Waikato region so they understand the SODA, RBP programme offering and innovation support.
· Identify and proactively build strong relationships with business growth and management development providers in the Waikato region. Ensure they understand the SODA and RBP programme offering and its parameters and are therefore aware of how to register their programmes and services as a provider it the RBP portal; inform and actively refer businesses to SODA for support.
3. Relationship Management:
· Build effective internal and external relationships on behalf of SODA and MBIE across the Waikato region. This includes but is not limited to businesses, economic development agencies regional councils, industry associations, government organisations, universities and capability providers.
Me pēhea te tono | How to apply
Applicants for this position should have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa and will be required to undergo pre-employment checks; Successful candidates will be required to undergo relevant vetting and employment checks.
We will be assessing applications as they come in and this role will be closed earlier if we receive a suitable candidate.
Skills & Experience
· A minimum of five years’ experience in roles that included responsibilities such as:
o Provision of strategic and business planning advice to Startup, SME and owner operated businesses.
o Sales experience in a professional business service role.
o External stakeholder relationship and account management.
· Must be able to demonstrate Research and Development; or Innovation commercialisation experience form past roles. E.g.:
o E.g. experience working in an R&D team; or
o Providing strategic advice and identifying key opportunities for R&D or innovation projects.
Applications for this role will take you to the advertisers site.
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