Enterprise Advisor/Coach

Overview:

Do you want to make an impact on the lives of those from disadvantaged groups?

Do you want to help people achieve their dreams of entrepreneurship?

The Forward Trust is a fast-growing Matrix Standard, ERSA Employability Awards 2020 Highly Commended vocational training, skills and employability provider. We are delivering GLA, ESFA ESF, Young Londoners Fund, apprenticeships, JCP and other contracts in London. As part of our growth plans, we are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and committed Enterprise Coach/Advisor to deliver Enterprise support and information, advice and guidance to our cohort of amazing entrepreneurs who are all interested in becoming self-employed.

What you will be doing?:

As an Enterprise Coach, you will be working to our Head of Enterprise providing bespoke and individual Enterprise Support to our cohort of entrepreneurs focussing on what needs to be done to support and progress them through their self-employment journeys. Our clients come from a variety of disadvantaged backgrounds often facing multiple complex barriers to progression so some previous experience of supporting people from these groups is essential.

You will be part of a team that has supported over 200 nationally budding entrepreneurs in the last year. This will include both face to face and remote support using tools such as Zoom and MS Teams and will involve some planning and support with our delivery of remote Masterclasses and the Forward Enterprise Club. You will also work on our One File, Fuse and PICS systems and will need to achieve high standards of compliance and quality. We want an Enterprise Coach who can do more than just `tick boxes' or just go through the motions. We want an Enterprise Coach who will inspire, challenge and motivate our budding entrepreneurs and expect great things from them.

What we are looking for?: We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic individual with experience of delivering Enterprise Support to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It will be a bonus if you have worked on ESFA, NEA, DWP or equivalent skills/ self-employment payment by results contracts. As an Enterprise Coach, you must be committed to delivering high quality support, information, advice and guidance and progressing clients or learners into sustainable and good quality self- employment that will help them succeed in their lives.
Your role will also involve:

• 
  Review and manage enquiries and applications to the micro grants fund, including relationship management and working with applicants supporting applications to the fund.
• To work with our employability and vocational skills and training teams to access clients who are interested in self-employment
• To assist in the delivery of masterclasses/workshops/bootcamps/seminars on specific topics for the Forward Enterprise Club and enterprises
• Undertake diagnostic needs assessments with applicants, including analysing the needs of their businesses and working with the client to put an action plan in place
• Provide start up advice, guidance and coaching to assist enterprises to successfully set up and commence trading
• Work closely with our pool of Mentors and managing the relationships between Mentors and Mentee’s
• Work with Forward Trust colleagues, corporate employers/partners to provide business support mentoring and networking during the implementation of their business set up
• To support enterprises to access incubator programmes, managed workspace and other support programmes
• Use the management information system to produce reports

What we offer: We value the dedication and commitment of our employees by rewarding them with market-leading pay and benefits. We provide comprehensive training e.g. the Level 4 Employability Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard or other training qualifications for post 16. You will be part of the fast-growing Employment Services division with a go getting and also friendly and supportive management team.
We also offer:

• Flexible working
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days per year (Pro Rata'd for Part Time employees)
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

Person specification: Enterprise Advisor - Feb 2023