Head of International Engagement and Delivery
Manchester, UK
Posted 5 weeks ago
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Job Description
The Growth Company’s (GC) have an exciting new opportunity for a Head of International Engagement and Delivery to join our team. The successful candidate will develop the strategy for Greater Manchester’s international inward investment missions, in conjunction with senior decision making and the wider system. This involves coordinating the planning and delivery of c.2–4 international missions per year, ensuring they are strategically aligned, operationally rigorous and deliver measurable outcomes for the city-region. This could include investment pipelines, partnerships, innovation collaboration and global profile.
At Marketing Manchester, we promote Greater Manchester nationally and internationally as a leading place to visit, invest, meet, and study. We work to raise the profile of the region through targeted marketing campaigns, major events, and strong partnerships. We support the visitor economy by attracting tourists and high-profile conferences, while collaborating with businesses and stakeholders to showcase the region’s unique strengths and opportunities. Through everything we do, we aim to drive economic growth and enhance Manchester’s global reputation.
To understand more about Marketing Manchester, please visit: marketingmanchester.com.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and lead a three-year strategy for international missions, working in close partnership with city leaders.
- Design compelling mission propositions, setting clear objectives and partner value exchange aligned to priority markets, sectors, and opportunities across culture, sport and connectivity Lead the end-to-end mission lifecycle, from initial scoping and programme design through to stakeholder mobilisation, communications, delivery and post-mission follow-up.
- Maintain robust programme management across all missions, including schedules, workplans, interdependencies and overall delivery readiness.
- Establish and embed a consistent operating model for missions, including governance, decision-making frameworks, delivery standards, templates, and evaluation methodologies.
- Ensure the high-quality execution of all mission activity, including roundtables, receptions, bilateral meetings, site visits and sector showcases.
- Lead through influence to coordinate cross-functional teams and external partners, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, deliverables and timelines.
- Convene and chair mission planning groups, driving pace, alignment, and accountability across all stakeholders.
- Build and maintain senior relationships across GMCA, local authorities, UK Government, embassies and consulates, business leaders, universities, cultural institutions, diaspora networks and international partners.
About you:
- Proven ability of building strategy utilising evidence.
- Provide guidance on protocol, cultural norms and diplomatic context risk management.
- Ability to navigate complexity and sensitivities with discretion, tact and professionalism.
- Experience of setting managing and reporting outcomes and impacts.
- Experience in the economic/international business development/inward investment arena.
- Skilled negotiator, influencing a wide range of public and private organisations at senior levels.
- Understanding of public sector with a commercially focused approach.
- Creating and managing large-scale B2B promotion/marketing campaigns.
Skills required:
- Demonstrates a strong understanding of target audiences and markets, placing insight at the heart of planning and decision-making.
- Conceptual thinking – ability to interpret, connect and apply abstract concepts to real-world challenges and strategic outcomes.
- Engages clearly and persuasively to build understanding, confidence and buy-in from colleagues and stakeholders.
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, creating strong networks across key partners and influencers.
- Maintains a consistent focus on high standards, ensuring outputs are delivered with accuracy, rigour and excellence.
- Fosters a high-performing environment, strengthening team capability and driving effective delivery.
- Shows appropriate perseverance, navigating obstacles constructively to achieve outcomes.
- Takes initiative, raises issues proactively, and demonstrates accountability for delivery and outcomes.
We are currently unable to provide sponsorship for work permits or visas. Therefore, we can only consider candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK.
Artificial intelligence can assist you during the application process, but every example and statement you include must be honest, accurate, and based on your own real experiences. If plagiarism is detected, meaning you present someone else’s ideas or experiences, or AI‑generated content, as your own, your application may be withdrawn, and internal applicants could face disciplinary action.
At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate.
Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.
We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.
If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.
We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage or the recruitment process, please contact careers@growthco.uk or call us on 0161 237 4447.
Examples include:
Meeting the hiring manager or touring the venue in advance.
Extra time for tasks.
Interview questions shared beforehand.
Accessibility software or equipment for assessments.
We’re proud to support the Ban the Box campaign, which helps people with convictions access job opportunities. As part of this, we’ve removed questions about convictions from the initial application stage.
GC is committed to fostering a culture of flexibility and agile working. Many roles will increasingly support full agile arrangements. If you require more permanent flexibility, we encourage you to discuss this during your interview so your request can be considered early in the process.
All GC colleagues will work in line with the Health and Safety at work act and the GC Health and Safety Policy.
The Growth Company
The Growth Company drives forward economic, personal and professional development within communities by boosting employment, skills, investment and enterprise for the benefit of all.As a not-for-profit, we’re driven by success - not shareholders - which means we reinvest any money we make and are dedicated to making a positive difference and leaving a legacy of growth.We’re at the heart of placemaking in the UK and seek to drive inward investment and encourage international companies to set up shop on our shores.The Growth Company also plays a key role in developing fruitful business relationships between British cities and both developing and mature economies in the likes of China, India and the United States.
