LCRIBS - Project Manager

The five Liverpool City Region Local Authorities and Liverpool Vision came together with the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and a number of Chambers of Commerce to form a consortia to bid for European funding under ‘Priority Axis 3 : Enhancing the Competitiveness of SME’s’.

The resulting business support programme, ‘The Liverpool City Region Integrated Business Support Project’ (LCRIBS), will provide a range of no-cost business support services designed to build both the capacity and confidence within those SME’s reluctant to engage with existing business support providers for either lack of knowledge or understanding or simply because they are reluctant to pay for, or do not perceive the value of, existing commercial provision.

The Liverpool City Region Integrated Business Support Project will be positioned between ‘pre-start/start-up/post-start support’, delivered by a consortia led by the Women’s Organisation, and more specialist or bespoke support delivered by the private sector

The Project will provide participating SME’s with the following demonstrable outputs:-

? An intensive Business Diagnostic undertaken by suitably qualified and competitively procured external consultants
? An Action Plan for Growth focused upon the initial steps that a company must take, or the issues that the SME must address, to realise sustainability and growth
? The provision of a dedicated contact person within either Halton Borough Council or Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, who will initially work with the company to begin the process of delivering the Action Plan for Growth but who will support the company with any other elements of their development. Critically, that person will, wherever practical, remain a constant in the life of the business.
? The provision of an informed and managed Brokerage Service, complementing the service provided by the Liverpool City Region Business Growth Hub, which will connect participating SME’s with additional, follow-on, commercial business support.
? The Project will provide additional, more intensive, business support where a participating SME lacks the capacity, expertise or resources to begin the initial roll-out of their individual Action Plan for Growth. Support will be tailored to meet the needs of each individual SME and will focus upon the fundamental elements which businesses must have in place in order to be firstly, sustainable and secondly, to grow. Intensive support will be delivered by suitably qualified and competitively procured external consultants

In summary, the provision of a no-cost service by the Liverpool City Region Integrated Business Support Project will provide a valuable resource which will act as a pathway and catalyst for businesses in order that they are able to establish the financial and strategic foundations for future investment in their own sustainability and development.

The Halton element of LCRIBS is contracted to deliver the following outputs:-


Output Target
No. Of Enterprises receiving support (C1) 123
No. Enterprises receiving information, diagnostic & brokerage support (P13) 108
Employment increase in support of enterprises (C8) 11
Number of new enterprises supported (C5) 12

The project manager will contribute to these targets by designing and implementing the Halton component of LCRIBS. Specifically this will entail:

? Developing a range of business support interventions that both meet the needs of the local business community and are eligible under both UK and European competitiveness legislation
? The procurement of a network of competent external contractors and partners agencies to deliver specific aspects of the LCRIBS
? Coordination with other business support agencies, including Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, the Business Growth Service and others
? Ensuring integration between the LCRIBS Programme and the local Halton Growth Hub
? Liaison with colleagues across the Liverpool City Region to ensure synergy across the LCRIBS
? Liaison with the Accountable Body for the LCRIBS
? Liaison with other relevant departments within Halton Borough Council, including departments responsible for Finance, Audit and Procurement.
? Financial management and budgetary control of the project including responsibility for all payments and receipts
? Responsibility for the completion and collation of predetermined records for audit and programme compliance purposes
? Financial monitoring and the production of audited claims
? Responsibility for the predetermined outputs and outcomes associated with the project
? Line management responsibility for a full time Project Support Officer

The project manager appointed to this role is expected to be able to demonstrate the following essential skills and capabilities:

? Comprehensive project management skills
? Comprehensive financial management skills
? Ability to satisfy exacting audit requirements associated with projects
? Ability to monitor performance against agreed output and financial targets
? Broad understanding of business support and an ability to work with a wide range of businesses across diverse sectors
? Ability to develop and maintain working relationships with partner organisations, government departments and funding agencies
? Competence in using database, spreadsheet and word processing packages
? Awareness of local authority standards, procedures and practices

In addition it is desirable that the person appointed to the position will:

? Possess a recognised project management qualification or equivalent
? Be a full member of a relevant project management professional body or equivalent
? Be educated to NVQ Level 4 or equivalent level in a relevant professional discipline

It is important to note that this project is funded by the European Union using ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) and you will be required to complete and submit a range of monitoring and output forms as required by the funders.

The daily rate for this position shall not exceed £300 / day. This daily rate is inclusive of all expenses incurred by the appointed supplier. The appointed supplier will be required for a maximum of 3 days / week for the duration of the project.


HBC reserves the right to award the contract on the basis of a single supplier