Scale Up Adviser

**Food & Drink Scale Up Adviser**

Location: flexible, with visits to meet clients throughout Wales and to the nearest BIC Innovation office in either North or South Wales as needed.

**Our Company**

BIC Innovation is a consultancy company helping businesses achieve growth through our expert advice and innovative strategies. We have a dedicated team of finance and industry specialists working with food and drink sector clients to help them achieve their growth ambitions

BIC Innovation is the delivery partner for the Food & Drink Wales Scale Up programme and the Investor Ready Programme, working in partnership with the Welsh Government Food Division. The programmes work with ambitious Welsh Food & Drink businesses, helping them to scale up and secure finance. Barriers to scale up include a lack of access to capacity, capital, skills, management information & insight and markets. Our scale up advisers work strategically with our food and drink clients overcome these barriers.

**The Role**

Responsibilities will include, although will not be limited to:

- Creating and managing close relationships with food and drink businesses, taking an account management approach
- Working with nominated food and drink businesses on their strategic direction, clearly identifying their barriers to growth and helping to develop and implement plans to overcome those barriers
- Creating and maintaining a wide range of food and drink supply chain relationships, such as food engineering, automation, packaging, ingredients, raw materials, logistics, sustainable energy providers who can help our clients with solutions to support their growth plans
- Maintaining clear records of client engagement to support evidence of our programme delivery on behalf of Welsh Government
- Work with colleagues and the marketing team to contribute written content covering topical issues for dissemination via our communication channels
- Propose ideas for compelling peer to peer learning events/workshops/reference visits which will inspire food and drink businesses on their growth journeys
- Being a ‘critical friend’ to key food and drink businesses, including reviewing and challenging business plans and financial models, production layouts and equipment, systems and processes, management information systems and HR strategies

**Our Requirements**
- Food and drink sector experience of at least 10 years working at senior levels in operational/production, commercial, new product development or supply chain management roles
- Exceptional business acumen and strategic vision with the ability to mentor senior managers and directors in the food and drink sector
- Strong financial acumen, including an understanding of P&L, balance sheets, ROI, breakeven, cashflow and working capital
- An understanding of pricing strategies and establishing distribution models within a food or drink business
- Knowledge and experience of ERP system
- Strong coaching and mentoring skills
- Effective and confident communicator, including presentation skills
- Graduate with post-graduate qualification (financial, MBA, Marketing, CMI)
- Full UK driving licence and own transport although not essential, the ability to speak Welsh would also be advantageous for this role.

**The Package**

As a scale up adviser, you’ll be employed by a flexible and supportive employer that fosters a work-life balance culture and you will also benefit from:

- Permanent contract, working 37.5 hours per week within Monday to Friday
- A competitive salary in the range of £50,000-£55,000, with the level based on experience
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Company contribution pension scheme
- Life assurance x 2 salary
- Employee Assistance Programme with Welsh Hospitals
- Wellbeing Employer
- Option to join our employee share-ownership scheme

Based in either one of our offices in Bridgend or on Anglesey, we offer flexible working options

Pay: £50,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bridgend, CF31 1BE