We're on the lookout for a Venture Support Manager to join The Ventures Lab team at The Challenges Group.

This role is at Senior Manager level and part of our senior team in Scotland, reporting to the Chief Executive.

Download the full recruitment pack below or from our website:thechallengesgroup.com/jobs

About us:

Challenges Group is an international enterprise development organisation which improves organisational capabilities through learning and leadership development for people and strengthening enterprises and their ecosystems. The Ventures Lab by Challenges Group provides an inclusive, supportive path for aspiring or early-stage entrepreneurs to bring their purpose-led businesses to life.

thechallengesgroup.com | theventureslab.com

This is an exciting opportunity to shape and influence the development of a new public body: the Scottish Food Commission. It is expected that the Commission will be formally established by mid-2025.

The Scottish Food Commission is a new non-departmental public body that is to be established to provide an oversight role of provisions made in the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022.

As the first chair of the Scottish Food Commission, this appointment will play a crucial role in shaping the future and strategic direction of this new public body.

You will be actively involved in the recruitment of the chief executive, the first member of staff to the Scottish Food Commission, and in appointing the other members of the board.

You will work closely with the sponsor team and the chief executive, once in place, to enable the new public body to take on its statutory functions and full budgetary control once it is established.

Once the body is fully established you will be key in ensuring the Commission effectively fulfils its oversight role and provides constructive challenge, that is evidence based, to Scottish Ministers and relevant authorities in relation to their Good Food Nation Plans.

This is a high publicity role that will attract great interest from key stakeholders interested in the Scottish food system.

Remuneration and time commitment

The chair role is paid at a gross daily rate of £211 per day (7.5 hours).This role is non-pensionable. This means that there is no pension contribution paid.

We expect that the time commitment will change over the life of the body. While the body is being established and during the first months of operation more engagement will be needed – i.e. up to 80 days/year. During the establishment phase there may also be phases of increased activity.

It is likely that once the body is established the chair’s time commitment will decrease to approximately 50 days/year.

The chair’s time commitment will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Skills/Experience Required

Scottish Ministers welcome applications from people from a wide range of backgrounds who have the following

skills/knowledge/experience:

All of the following priority criteria:

• Experience of setting up a new organisation, and setting the direction for that organisation
• Experience of navigating a complex policymaking landscape, including communicating with a range of stakeholders
• Leadership and Management

All of the following essential criteria:

• Analysis and Decision-making
• Seeing the bigger picture
• Communication, influence and constructive challenge
• Understanding of the complexity of the food system

University of Strathclyde Student Association (‘Strath Union’) has been the beating heart of activity for students on the Strathclyde campus since 1964 and exists to connect all students to ensure everyone can thrive whilst studying at the University of Strathclyde.

Consistently ranked as the number one Student Union in Scotland, according to What Uni’s Student Choice Awards (WUSCA), we are currently one of ten Student Unions, across the UK, shortlisted for WUSCA’s 2024 Student Association of the Year and recently won both UK and Scottish NUS awards for overall employee satisfaction, liberation & equality and community and solidarity. As an organisation, we are bold, ambitious, and innovative much like the University and the 25,000+ students it supports.

We are looking for a new Chief Executive who not only lives our values but can lead the organisation through its next phase of growth and change. It is imperative that we continue to meet both the current and future needs of students, building a strong sense of community and ensuring the student voice remains prevalent and reflects the needs, wants and desires of an ever-changing and evolving student body. As our Chief Executive, you will also ensure the continued financial sustainability of the organisation by identifying opportunities to diversify income aligned to our core mission of connecting students so everyone can thrive.

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside student leaders, a highly effective staff team and senior staff at the University of Strathclyde to deliver meaningful change and further enhance the student experience and ultimately ensure every student is supported in their wellbeing and their learning so they get the most out of their time with the university. The university has recently launched its 2030 Strategy and we are looking for our new Chief Executive to work with our Board to develop the Union’s new strategic plan that will look to the next 5 years of growth and development.

As an innovative, solutions-focused, and inspiring leader, you will be able to demonstrate a proven track record in the development and delivery of strategic and operational business plans to achieve an organisation’s vision. With strong stakeholder management experience coupled with a proven track record in building and maintaining a wide range of collaborative relationships and partnerships, the successful candidate will also bring the desire to support and act as a mentor to elected Student Union Officers to build and develop their knowledge and experience in terms of managing/running an effective organisation.

If you are excited by the opportunity to join an ambitious and award-winning organisation and share our passion to support and empower all Strathclyde students to unleash their potential and therefore thrive at university and beyond, we would welcome your application.