About the role:
The Deputy Director will provide senior leadership for the operational delivery and development of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre’s teaching, enterprise and venture creation activities. Working closely with the Director and Senior Management Team, this role will shape and deliver MEC’s strategic and operational priorities, expanding entrepreneurship education across the University while strengthening founder pathways, startup support and the Centre’s venture portfolio.
The postholder will lead the development of high profile, sustainable programmes and partnerships, manage staff and resources, oversee key innovation spaces, and contribute to governance, funding and performance management. Working across the University, Unit M, Alliance Manchester Business School and the wider innovation ecosystem, the Deputy Director will build relationships and opportunities that increase the economic, social and reputational impact of student and graduate ventures, support the ambition for every student to experience entrepreneurship education by 2035.
What you find yourself doing:
- Lead MEC operations and people — Provide day-to-day leadership, motivate the team, build a high-performance culture, and represent MEC externally.
- Drive strategy and venture growth — Deliver MEC’s strategic priorities, strengthen the student startup portfolio, develop the founder pipeline, and expand entrepreneurship support.
- Develop services, programmes and partnerships — Build effective founder support services, connect entrepreneurship with teaching, and coordinate mentors, advisers, entrepreneurs and external partners.
- Manage performance, planning and communications — Set priorities and KPIs, monitor performance, lead events and networking, and raise MEC’s profile through internal and external communications.
- Manage budgets and external funding — Oversee budgets, grants and HEIF funding, ensure compliance, and help grow sponsorship, philanthropy and partnership income.
- Ensure effective governance and delivery — Manage staff objectives, facilities and operations; provide clear reporting to the Director; maintain governance, compliance and strong connections across the University.
What you will bring:
- Enterprise, venture and startup expertise — Significant experience supporting ventures from ideation through incorporation, market entry and growth, with a strong understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Senior strategic and operational leadership — Proven senior-management experience, with the ability to develop strategy, build effective operating systems and deliver programmes in an innovation/enterprise environment.
- People leadership and team development — Experience leading, motivating and developing staff while creating a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing culture.
- Networks and stakeholder management — Strong, current enterprise and innovation networks, with the ability to build strategic relationships across business, academia, government and other stakeholders.
- Programme, portfolio and resource management — Ability to manage multiple programmes, projects, events and funding streams simultaneously, including budgets, resources, grants and external income.
- Communication, impact and delivery — Strong senior-level communication and representation skills, combined with the ability to use data and KPIs to demonstrate impact, make decisions, drive improvement and deliver agreed outcomes.
What you will get:
- 29 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and December closure days
- Generous pension scheme
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Access to a wide range of staff benefits, including discounts, wellbeing support, and development programmes
Explore full benefits: www.manchester.ac.uk/connect/jobs/benefits-working-here
