Description
UCL Advances
UCL Advances was launched in August 2007 to enhance UCL’s role as a hub of technical innovation benefitting its status as one of the top 10 universities in the world. UCL Advances, UCL’s center for entrepreneurship, has been formed to develop new links between UCL and businesses of all kinds, with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and small and medium–sized enterprises (SMEs).
Programme Summary
UCL Advances, has won a bid from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) to work on a programme called DECIDE (Digital Enterprise: Collaborative Innovation, Development and Evaluation) which will deliver a unique, in-depth service helping innovate London SME’s to test their new products and services, gain customer feedback and ensure its technical feasibility. UCL DECIDE will help them achieve that by offering access to UCL as a “living-lab” that provides controlled conditions for testing their innovations through access to UCL’s 32,000 members, extensive physical estate, IT infrastructure and other assets.
The DECIDE programme was approved by the ERDF in October 2012. It was launched in October 2012 and runs until September 2014.
The importance of evaluating and validating the efficacy of products for early stage businesses cannot be underestimated. UCL DECIDE will assist SMEs to interact with customers in demanding client settings, to commercially develop and validate their products and provide a sustainable commercial base from which to create jobs, secure expansion capital, export revenue and additional customers.
The key outputs from DECIDE will flow from enabling innovative new products and services to make it to market with validated impact on potential customers. This will protect jobs, create new innovation-led roles and help develop London as a leading centre for innovative small businesses.
In summary, UCL DECIDE will:
1. Assist 200 small businesses in two years
2. Deliver a new model for university-SME engagement
3. Leverage huge additional resources from commercial partners for the benefit of London’s SMEs
4. Support key policy initiatives, including the development of a world-class digital businesses cluster at TechCity
5. Stimulate new economic development, create jobs and safeguard existing workers
Activities
The main activities under the Programme will be to assist in pre-market validation of new digital products and services. Each company will need a different package of activities to come together to allow their idea to be tested and validated. After the trial is complete, an evaluation process will determine whether the outcome is sufficient for the participant SMEs requirements of if a modified version needs to be considered, which may be possible where some of the factors that could be changed are comparatively minor.
2. The Role
Job Title DECIDE UX Service Assistant
Location IDEALondon, 69 Wilson Street, LONDON, EC2A 2BB
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
Assist the Service Co-ordinator with testing, finance and administrative work including:
Principal Responsibilities:
2.1 Administrative:
• Assist with the design, build and interstation of web and/or mobile based platforms used to deliver a “Living Lab” concept to students and staff by implementing trials and experiments.
• Research, develop and market incentive structures for students and staff (and the general public) to increase engagement with these trials and experiments.
• Conduct and analyse user testing sessions with SMEs, both on UCL campus and “in the wild” at appropriate locations.
• Carry out testing with the Service Co-ordinator and assist in running any errands as necessary for this
• Responsible for the day-to-day administration and coordination of the service together with the Service Co-ordinator
• Liaise with UCL staff, students and external small businesses in the development of DECIDE services as directed by the Service Co-ordinator
• Book appointments with potential new clients and make the initial meeting
• Arrange collection and distribution of incentives from SMEs for participants
• Arrange meetings, meeting rooms & catering as required
• Take minutes during meetings, file appropriately & follow up on actions to be taken
• Correspond and liaise with clients to ensure all information and paperwork required is on hand
• Collect outputs for the project
• Data entry and ensuring the existing data in the database is accurate
• File service records
• Research, create and check reports
• Assist the programme team on analysis of data and subsequent report writing, publication and dissemination of programme results
• Assist with events, which may take place outside of regular office hours
• Work with the Advances marketing team to promote news and events
• Assist in compiling data for our regular e-newsletters
• Prepare and update the website and blog content as needed
• Keep up to date with testing and pre-market validation for digital SME’s and use this to prepare content for social media
• Man the reception desk and welcome visitors as and when needed
• Assist with enquiries received via email, phone or in person
• Develop and maintain a full and up to date knowledge of all Enterprise services / partnerships, their applications and benefits
• Adhere and comply with the provisions of the College’s Health and Safety Policy
• Any other duties as may be reasonably expected and which are commensurate with the level of the post
2.2 Other Duties
• To continue to develop skills and knowledge in work practices, policies and procedures
• To undertake other tasks as appropriate as directed by the Service Manager or Programme manager
3. Person Specification: Knowledge, Skills and Attitude Required
Relationships
You will work closely on a day-to-day basis with all members of the UCL Advances Team and their clients.
You will develop key relationships with staff in other UCL Departments.
Person Specification
You must be able to demonstrate excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, the ability to take on responsibilities and to have a hands-on attitude to the post.
Specifically you need to be able to demonstrate the following experience and competencies, or their equivalents in other fields:
Essential
• Applicants must have a minimum of 5 A-C GCSE passes or equivalent
• A high level of oral and written communication and numeracy is required
• Proactive with an ability work on own initiative, with minimal supervision and able to prioritise own workload and that of the Service Co-ordinator
• Excellent use of all Microsoft Office-suite programmes and the internet
• Tact and discretion in the handling of highly confidential and sensitive information
• A high level of accuracy and consistent attention to detail
• Proven flexibility and an ability to prioritise a busy workload
• Ability to successfully manage a variety of tasks to deadline and to work calmly under pressure
• Ability to communicate well with people and develop effective working relationships
• Outgoing and able to engage with strangers in order to carry out testing
• Strong interest in digital SME’s and the startup culture in London
• Readiness to engage in continuous professional development activities to keep knowledge base and skills up to date and to develop them further.
• Relevant technical knowledge in the UX areas of specialty.
Desirable
• Administrative experience within a Higher Education Institution
• Experience of taking minutes/notes of meetings
• Experience of admin/finance of a number of years
• Experience of working in a commercial environment, particularly a small business
• UX industry sector knowledge.
• First hand Start-up and SME product development cycles and Agile methodologies
• Strong interest in pre-market validation and testing for startups and SMEs
• Technical undergraduate or post-graduate degree
Salary:
£26.186 - £30,668 per annum / 18.25 hours per week (50% FTE)