Career Opportunity: Senior Innovation Catalyst at PorterShed

Innovation Catalysts are proactive, adaptable, and collaborative. You must balance a passion and deep understanding of innovation with superior execution and deliver outstanding results.

The Role 

The PorterShed is seeking an Innovation Catalyst to work as a member of our cross-functional Innovation team. We guide, mentor and work collaboratively with entrepreneurs and startups across the West and North West of Ireland. Our team applies innovation standard practices and delivers breakthrough solutions that drive balanced regional growth. You’ll serve as the lynchpin for the startup scaling Journey, a process of immersive regional engagement, conceptualisation and rapid experimentation. Working alongside a team of ambitious, curious people, you will play a vital role in building a culture of innovation –  If you’re motivated by both guiding and rolling up your sleeves this is a phenomenal role.

Main Responsibilities:

Start-up Engagement:

• Identify and select promising start-ups with innovative solutions.
• Actively scout for innovative startups and Founders throughout the region through on-site and remote programme support and engagement.
• Provide mentorship, coaching, and resources to start-ups to enhance their growth and success.
• Establish and build technical relationships within the startup ecosystem, including the incubators and VCs.
• Develop technical content, such as blog posts to assist startups in solving technical problems and reduce time-to-market.

Partnership Facilitation:

• Collaborate with corporate organisations to identify innovation needs and opportunities.
• Foster strategic partnerships between start-ups and corporations to enable knowledge exchange, joint ventures, and investment opportunities.
• Engage with founders and entrepreneurs to introduce them to startup programs and initiatives
• Facilitate their participation in various support programs to enhance their skills, networks, and access to resources.

Accelerator and Innovation Programmes:

• Working with the PorterShed Programmes team, to design and deliver startup-related industry events such as hackathons and user groups.
• Utilise your expertise in the tech industry to identify high-potential ventures with innovative ideas and products.
• Develop and deliver world-class startup innovation programmes to accelerate ideas: Including Programme design, refinement and execution to meet the needs of partners and participants.
• Manage relationships with partners and teams to ensure both are achieving maximum value from the programme.

Required Experience

• Practical operational experience including managing the budget, design and implementation of innovation programmes.
• Previous start-up, incubator, innovation lab, growth accelerator and/or design and innovation firm experience.
• A passion for startups and a genuine desire to make an impact on the West and North West startup ecosystem.

About You 

• You are passionate about helping Startups and have a unique combination of entrepreneurship experience, business acumen and strong interpersonal skills. 
• You are passionate about the potential for accelerator programmes to enable entrepreneurship, startups and new technologies to make a positive impact on companies, the economy and society. 
• You are excited about playing a role in accelerating the Irish startup ecosystem.
• You are interested in how innovation is driven in large established organisations and how this can be facilitated to create win-win scenarios with startups.
• A people person. You are an effective communicator and have the ability to collaborate across departments and audiences.
• You are the founder or have senior leadership experience in a high-growth startup. Preferably you also have experience running a startup engagement programme.
• A champion for Diversity and Inclusion.

Contract Duration: 3 years with option to renew
Competitive total compensation package for the right candidate
Travel requirements up to 30-35%

To apply, please send your CV (cover letter optional) to work@gcid.ie
Closing date for applications: December 14 at 4 pm. For queries, please email work@gcid.ie

GCID is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and mindsets because we know the strength of our team lies in its diversity.

*Subject to EI Funding Approval*

PorterShed at Galway City Innovation District Overview:

The Galway City Innovation District (‘GCID’) was founded in 2015 to develop an innovation district in downtown Galway City and accelerate the growth of the regional technology ecosystem. The primary focus of GCID is to create high-value sustainable tech jobs in the West of Ireland. In 2016, GCID opened its first building, the PorterShed A Naide,  In 2022 GCID continued its expansion by opening PorterShd A hAon and A Dó in downtown Galway. The Board and management team at GCID are ambitious and driven, but most importantly we love what we do.