Business Support Consultant

Vauxhall One and Waterloo Quarter BID are two Lambeth-based Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the SE1 and SE11 areas of Lambeth.
Supported by Lambeth Council, the BIDs are jointly commissioning a business support project to assist local entrepreneurs and established enterprises to grow and develop their business.
The BIDs wish to recruit individual business support consultants or organisation(s) to help deliver this project.
Job Role
Business Support Consultant
Job Purpose
To assist businesses, either nascent or already established in the Vauxhall One and Waterloo Quarter BID areas in Lambeth, with mentoring support and technical advice (e.g. financial, marketing and other business planning decisions), to help pre-starts to launch and start ups/established businesses to grow and expand their business.
To encourage businesses participating in the programme to network with each other, particularly through two events organised in partnership by the Business Support Consultant(s) and the two Business Improvement Districts.
Principal Accountabilities
• To support project’s beneficiaries with technical advice on business know-how, planning and business management
• To advise individuals intending to start a new business in the area
• To signpost to other services offered by Lambeth Council and business support agencies
• To outreach to new companies and individuals looking for support
• To offer support through 1:to:1 meetings both in Lenta and in Workspace rooms (serviced offices based in the two BID areas) with each individual/business (up to 4 one-hour sessions conducted on weekly, monthly or intermittent basis – depending on the requirements of the business).
• To identify, source, build relationships and bring into the programme BID members in the Vauxhall and Waterloo BID areas, who would offer additional mentoring support to startups and/or support the emergence of new business leaders within the startup business community.
• Once 1:to:1 support has completed to a project beneficiary, to offer a limited amount of follow up email support
• To encourage businesses to “help themselves” by undertaking certain assignments in between sessions and then reporting back. The business support consultant would be expected to set assignments related to the business beneficiaries current plans
• To assist with the development of two networking events in Lenta and Workspace serviced offices amongst beneficiaries of the project, local SMEs based in the area and other existing Lenta and Workspace tenants (invitations would be managed by the BIDs and the events will be funded from BID budgets)
• To assist with the development of publicity materials (process will be managed by the BIDs and funded from BID budgets).

Context
The area of Lambeth has seen a substantial increase in the number of new small businesses. Many of these startups have limited access to support and are at risk of decisions which could stifle their growth or lead to business closure.
Lambeth Council, Vauxhall One and Waterloo Quarter Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) wish to offer a business support programme both to new and established businesses based in the area.

Terms & Conditions
• The role could be fulfilled by an agency or one or more individuals. If an individual applies, they would need to be able to provide cover in the event of sickness/absence.
• The operator will be registered as a separate legal/professional entity
• Professional Indemnity Insurance needed.
• Period of employment: from July 2014 to March 2015
• Paid a daily rate: in region of £150 per day
• The weekly work effort would depends on the following business support phases:
July-September: 1 day per week
October-January: 2 days per week
February-March: 3 days per week
• The working time will be shared between Vauxhall and Waterloo areas.

Education and Qualifications
• Business-related degree, or professional qualification preferable.
Experience relevant to the job
• Good track record in business management: i.e. proven experience in running personal business, delivering business advice and guidance, business training/mentoring or worked in business management or other business/enterprise facing activities within marketing, IT, new media, business planning, finance or human resources.
• Experience of managing small or medium-sized businesses

Skills & Abilities
• Able to lead and mentor people from a diverse range of backgrounds
• Outcomes focussed and able to put forward a compelling and credible programme of support to pre-start and new business owners
• Strong track record in achieving results
• Organised and able to track progress and outcomes of project beneficiaries
• Friendly and outgoing individual who genuinely enjoys mentoring people whilst at the same time can offer challenge to achieve results
• Excellent listening, spoken and written communication skills
• Positive problem solving attitude
• Good at building a network of contacts and referrals to relevant agencies/organisations
• Awareness of current business issues and trends
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage several projects at once
• Wide skill-set, including marketing, finance, planning and project management.

Waterloo Quarter BID and Vauxhall One are the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for the Waterloo and Vauxhall areas. They work with and for businesses to improve the local area.