The Creative and Digital Industries D2N2 Consortium for Increased SME Competitiveness Project - Competitive Call Out for Creative Business Coach to support the Big House Real Creative Futures - Digital Project

In 2016, a joint consortium called the Big House, involving eight partner organisations across Nottingham and Derby, was successful in attracting c£4.5m European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Creative Local Growth Fund from Arts Council England (ACE) and partner matched funding to deliver a programme of support to promote increased SME competitiveness. The programme period was January 2017 to September 2019.

The Big House consortium are in the process of finalising an extension to funding for the programme for the period October 2019 to September 2022. New Art Exchange working in partnership with the other partners will jointly deliver The Big House: Real Creative Futures-Digital commencing in January 2020.

The project will deliver through a comprehensive programme of business support advice, coaching, workshops, showcase events and networking opportunities.

NAE is looking to employ a qualified Creative Business Coach for the Big House: Real Creative Futures project based at NAE starting in January 2020 for a period of two-and-a-half-years up to June 2022.

The role of the Creative Business Coach would be to provide general and specialist business coaching to individuals or SME's in the creative and digital sector participating in the Big House: Real Creative Futures programme. Specifically, this will involve:

• Facilitating the exploration of needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes to assist the individual or business in making real, lasting change to their business, to produce an individual Business Development Plan to guide their progress through the programme • Using questioning techniques to facilitate client's own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions rather than takes a wholly directive approach • Supporting clients in setting appropriate business goals and methods of assessing progress in relation to these goals • Observing, listening and asking questions to understand the client's business situation • Creatively applying tools and techniques which may include one-to-one business training, facilitating and networking • Encouraging a commitment to action and the development of lasting business growth and change • Producing Action Plans, Business Plans and reports where necessary in language that is easily understood • Collating financial and other information to evidence outputs