Project Assistant (Business Support)

Kirklees Council are advertising this role on behalf of West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The Organisation

We are looking to recruit a Project Assistant to work with the Project Manager on the ERDF funded Strategic Business Growth Programme which aims to support SME businesses in the Leeds City Region to develop high growth strategies and access grants to support investment to achieve that growth.

Our current Strategic Business Growth programme (SBG) has been approved for a three-year extension following its successful first phase. An external company will be awarded a contract to deliver the business advice and coaching.

The Combined Authority brings together district partners, the business community via Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership and also takes in the former Passenger Transport Executive (branded Metro). Overall, the Combined Authority covers a population of around 2.5 million people and represents the largest economy outside London.

The role

We are looking to appoint an outstanding Project Assistant in the Business Support team to support delivery of the Strategic Business Growth Programme.

You will support colleagues across the programme with a particular focus on:

• Undertaking compliance checks at key stages of the customer journey, with a specific focus on eligibility and procurement.
• Co-ordinating grant application and approval processes, and the issuing of business grant funding agreements.
• Checking and verifying funding claims from businesses, undertaking monitoring visits to ensure funding & compliance obligations are met.
• Tracking programme progress and spend against contractual targets, highlighting exceptions and assisting the Programme Manager to take rectification actions.
• Updating and proactively developing and maintaining project records.

The person

You will be educated to degree level or suitably experienced in a similar role, preferably with a passion for supporting businesses in the Leeds City Region to grow.

You will have demonstrable experience of project management support and with have excellent attention to detail, ideally gained through working on projects with rigorous compliance and funding requirements.

For more information about the work of the Combined Authority please visit www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk

Our offer

We offer an excellent benefits package including access to a generous employer-contribution, local government pension scheme and fully funded travel throughout West Yorkshire by bus and rail with the MCard. We also offer an encouraging environment that will allow you to achieve your best work/life balance and career goals.

The Combined Authority’s aim is to attract people from diverse backgrounds to build on our inclusive culture. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, race, gender, religion or beliefs, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met.

We are committed to inclusivity and will consider requests for flexible working including part time and job share arrangements.

To submit your application form online please visit http://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/jobs/ by 11:55pm on 12 June 2020.

Please note that whilst it is our policy to recruit at SP1 for all appointments, each role includes career salary progression, with incremental increases applicable in most cases, on an annual basis.

Given the high volumes of applications we receive we are unable to respond to every applicant, therefore if you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Candidate information will be retained by the Combined Authority for six months unless you make a request for this to be deleted.

The post is part-funded by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the Northern Powerhouse Growth Deal.