Enterprise Hub Development and Engagement Specialist

Tender description

Introduction/Specification Enterprise Hub - Context, Objectives and Outputs Enterprise Hub (EH) is the enterprise gateway for business start-up support in Merseyside, offering expert advice and support to those who are thinking about starting a business. City of Liverpool College are the accountable body for EH with The Women's Organisation taking the lead on delivery as the managing agent, providing assistance to 6360 potential-entrepreneurs and helping create 1272 new business ventures. Various delivery partners and strategic partners including Wirral Chamber of Commerce (WCC) work collaboratively to offer expert advice and guidance, building Liverpool City Region (LCR) as a central hub for enterprise. EH is receiving funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union, the ERDF helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects that will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regeneration. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding. WCC is the LCR Growth Hub for Wirral and is uniquely placed to deliver this project. The new 'Start Me Up' Project will provide participating entrepreneurs with intensive pre start-up and early start-up business support and will continue to support entrepreneurs and their new businesses in the long term. The 'Start Me Up' activities will be delivered from WCC's EH, an area that will be developed into open plan start-up accommodation with the support of suitably experienced WCC staff and a competitively procured, external Development and Engagement Specialist consultant. In summary, WCC will reach out to a diverse range of potential entrepreneurs across a wide variety of sectors within Wirral to provide a range of fully funded 'Start Me Up' activities that will be both valuable and valued. The resources available will include intensive business support at pre-start and early start stages through to longer-term support and brokerage that will aim to establish a strong platform for future business development and growth. The Wirral element of EH is contracted to deliver the following outputs: Output Target No. of Entrepreneurs receiving support 200 No. of Entrepreneurs starting a business 100 No. of FTE Job Creation 100 WCC's delivery of the EH requires a Development & Engagement Specialist to support the development of the EH and the provision of 'Start Me Up' activities. The areas of support required includes, but is not limited to the following: - Project Management - Strategic Marketing - Brand Management - Social Media - Website - Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) - Business Planning - Access to Finance - Sourcing Business Mentors