Business Engagement & Support Manager

About Us

At the University of East London (UEL), we are reimagining education for the future. Our Royal Docks School of Business and Law (RDSBL) is a dynamic and inclusive community, rooted in one of the UK’s most diverse and entrepreneurial regions. We are committed to delivering a careers-first education that equips our students with the skills, experiences, and networks needed to succeed in an ever-changing world.

RDSBL’s student body is rich in diversity, drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and age groups. We are proud to offer a high-quality, innovative, and research-led teaching experience that is both relevant and empowering. We seek outstanding educators and professionals who are passionate about making a difference, those who inspire and motivate both students and colleagues, and who are dedicated to achieving excellent outcomes in a supportive and forward-thinking environment.

This is a particularly exciting time to join us as we expand our business engagement and enterprise activity, working closely with local industries, SMEs, and community partners in support of UEL’s Vision 2028 strategy.

About the Job

We are seeking a proactive and experienced Business Engagement and Support Manager to lead the development and delivery of high-impact business support programmes. You will play a key role in strengthening RDSBL’s engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), acting as a vital bridge between the university and the local business ecosystem.

This role involves managing business support initiatives such as incubators, accelerators, and the Help to Grow programme. You will be responsible for stakeholder engagement, community outreach, programme delivery, and partnership development. From coordinating impactful events to producing evaluation reports, your work will help enhance the university’s contribution to economic growth and innovation.

You will also collaborate closely with academic colleagues to integrate business engagement into teaching and research, and support student involvement in enterprise activities.

About You

You are an experienced professional with a background in business development, entrepreneurship, or SME support. You have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by local businesses and are passionate about helping them succeed.

You bring excellent project management and stakeholder engagement skills and have experience delivering multi-stakeholder initiatives. A relevant Master’s degree and a business coaching qualification are essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively across academic and external communities.

Ideally, you also have experience working in a university or higher education setting, and familiarity with government-funded business support schemes.

If you're committed to making a tangible difference to local businesses while supporting our students and staff in developing their enterprise skills, we’d love to hear from you.

Join us and help shape the future of business and enterprise at UEL.

Benefits Package

At UEL, we believe that a great role is about more than just a salary. It’s about the complete package, including our outstanding work environment and inclusive culture.

We offer a genuinely competitive salary, dependent on experience (DOE), and a range of excellent benefits. You can explore our full benefits package here: https://uel.ac.uk/benefits-professional-services-positions

Equal Opportunities

UEL is an inclusive equal opportunities employer and is proud of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion achievements, including a zero gender pay gap, membership in Stonewall, and winning Athena Swan awards. We expect all UEL employees to accept our EDI policy and will not tolerate discrimination in any form.

We're a disability confident employer and value all applications. Please let us know if you require any reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process.

If you're ready to join a University that values your outstanding skills and perspectives and is dedicated to making a difference, we invite you to explore a career with us. We are excited to welcome versatile individuals who are committed to advancing their careers while making a positive impact on the world.

Please note that this advert may close earlier than the deadline if we receive many applications. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Closing Date: 13 Feb 2026

Team: Support - UELPS Ltd

Salary: £52,307 to £59,913 per annum inclusive of London Weighting