Managing Consultants

Managing Consultants - focused on evaluating innovation and business support policies and programmes

Location: Consultants are based in one of our offices (Edinburgh, London and Stockport).  We have a hybrid working approach with a split between days in the office and days working at home, alongside time with clients or on fieldwork.

SQW is expanding and we are looking to recruit talented, motivated and experienced Managing Consultants to support this growth.

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading economic development consultancies, working on high profile research and evaluation assignments of national significance in the field of innovation policy. We are recognised as one of the market leaders in this policy area, and our work covers a number of agendas, including the following:

• Access to finance: our work includes evaluations of programmes covering different financial instruments (e.g. debt and equity, including patient capital), policy research on finance within the innovation ecosystem, and diversity in the venture capital sector.
• Role of science and innovation in places: we have undertaken research on the role of research and innovation in levelling up for UKRI, and we work across the UK on projects relating to clusters, innovation districts, science and innovation campuses, and the role of universities.
• Societal challenges: our research and evaluation work assesses how innovation contributes to challenges relating to net zero, healthcare and security. Our evaluations have recently covered innovation adoption in healthcare and the environmental benefits of new equipment and technologies.
• Industry priorities: SQW’s project portfolio covers key industry priorities such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, agri-food and digital technologies. For example, we have evaluated four Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund programmes covering food production, foundation industries, precision medicine and manufacturing made smarter
• Productivity and the role of business and innovation support: we have evaluated a range of interventions used to stimulate entrepreneurship and business improvement, including R&D grants, the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme and a suite of initiatives supported by Be the Business.

Managing Consultants are instrumental to the successful delivery of these projects at SQW, taking responsibility for managing several projects at any one time, liaising with clients and contributing to others.  They also play a role in work winning and proactive business development.  There is a significant amount of autonomy at the firm, and individuals must be self-starters.

Applicants should have demonstrable experience in research, evaluation or consultancy in at least one of the following areas:

• The processes of business formation and growth
• Access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises
• The role of science and innovation in developing places, clusters and/or sectors
• Investments and policies in research and innovation, e.g. R&D grant and innovation support programmes, knowledge exchange and technology transfer, and research and technology infrastructure
• Sectoral and technology priorities of government such as advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, digital technologies and energy/low carbon.

In addition to having relevant work experience in areas in which we work, you should have:

• Experience of managing teams and projects to budget
• Well-developed communication and presentation skills, including experience of working with senior representatives of different organisations
• Knowledge of a range of research and evaluation techniques
• Experience of writing reports to a high standard
• Experience of work winning, proposal writing and/or funding applications.

At SQW, employees have opportunities to enjoy variety and continuous learning, making a real contribution to the growth and development of the business. Managing Consultants are supported with a dedicated programme of management and leadership training and mentoring opportunities. At the same time, they will need to take responsibility for their own development in a supportive and challenging environment. Successful applicants must be ambitious and enthusiastic to build SQW’s profile in the fields in which they work, and show a strong level of commercial awareness of and sensitivity to the key issues facing clients, and the implications for sustainable work winning.

We offer an excellent benefits package which includes:

• Salary of £47,500-£62,500 pa, depending on experience
• Performance related bonus
• Flexible working around core hours
• Contributory pension scheme with up to 5% matching contributions
• Permanent Health Insurance and Death in Service benefit
• Flexible benefits options, which include private health and dental schemes for individuals and their dependents, health screening and bikes to work scheme
• Support for continuous personal and professional development.

We also offer a package of support for the welfare of our employees, and our corporate charitable activities are designed to support well-being through volunteering and activity-based challenges. SQW aims to be a net zero business by 2030, which means that we will reduce our emissions as far as is practical and offset the remaining emissions. SQW offsets its emissions by contributing to accredited community-based projects within developing countries that have additional benefits beyond reducing carbon emissions.

The closing date for applications is 9 February 2024. We will be reviewing applications as they come in and so you are encouraged to apply early, stating clearly which office you are interested in (London, Stockport or Edinburgh).

Minority ethnicities are under-represented within consulting. To create meaningful change for our clients, our people and our communities, we need diverse talent combined with diverse ways of working.  We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from candidates of any and all backgrounds.