KTP Associate

Role: KTP Associate in Judging Methodology for Entrepreneurship (Heriot-Watt University and Scottish EDGE; KTP Project Number 10155768)

Salary: £36,000 with a £1500 bonus on completion of the project

Contract: Full-time (35 hours per week), Fixed Term for 18 months

Detailed Description

The successful candidate will secure an 18-month collaborative Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) position. The Associate will learn about socio-technical systems and communication from experts at Heriot-Watt University, before leading a project that considers an optimal approach for Scottish EDGE expansion into new territories.

The role represents an opportunity to shape how Scotland supports entrepreneurs for the next decade. You'll be at the heart of national innovation strategy, working alongside competition judges, business founders, and policymakers to develop a scalable judging framework that's both rigorous and fair. This role might suit someone who thrives at the intersection of data, people, and purpose who's ready to translate theory into practice through collaborative experimentation.

This project, and its Associate, fulfils a critical role at Scottish EDGE and will be responsible for the transfer of knowledge from Heriot-Watt University to Scottish EDGE and contribute to market growth for the business. This shall include, but not be limited to, embedding knowledge and expertise within the Scottish EDGE team on optimal judging methodology. This is a strategic imperative for the project. External expertise from Heriot-Watt is required to develop a scalable and adaptable licensing framework without compromising core values.

This full-time position is funded by Scottish EDGE and InnovateUK. The successful appointee shall be based at Scottish EDGE's premises in Glasgow and work in a hybrid format. The project will also involve working with colleagues based at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus. If the project is successful there may be an opportunity to secure a permanent post at Scottish EDGE to take the project outcomes forward. This role will appeal to people currently engaged in work such as:

• Academic-Practitioners/Portfolio career academics
• Recently graduated with a top-class degree and already has some industry experience
• Recently completed (or completing) an MRes, MSc, MPhil, or PhD in: Innovation & Entrepreneurship; Business Analytics or Decision Science; Public Policy, Economic Development; Sociology / Social Research Methods; Education or Evaluation Studies
• Mid-career individuals working in: Business incubators or accelerators, innovation centres or enterprise teams in universities; Third-sector organisations focused on enterprise
• Policy/Evaluation Analysts
• People with experience in: Think tanks; Local or regional economic development agencies, public innovation funds or grant assessment
• Early-career Consultants or Design Thinkers

As a KTP associate you will receive training as part of a cohort, training on Scottish EDGE systems and processes and training time/budget for personal development.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The successful appointee will be expected to undertake the following:

• Plan and manage the activity of the project in line with the identified workplan. Produce a budget and risk register.
• Lead the analysis and interpretation of research data, and develop required outputs drawn from the research findings including;
  • Researching existing judging processes and carrying out a comprehensive literature review of existing decision making models.
  • Surveying Scottish EDGE judges and collating and reviewing feedback.
  • Mapping and documenting current Scottish EDGE judging processes and identifying potential areas for improvement.
  • Developing a methodology for gathering and applying insights from diverse territories
Create a judges
• ' toolkit and training workshop package.
• Develop a feedback model for the EDGE competition.
• Testing of the decision-making toolkit and judging framework in other territories in the UK
• Support with the creation of a licensing package for Scottish EDGE
• Create a library of promotional materials to distribute to potential licensees
• Contribute to, and lead, the dissemination of results from the project.
• Contribute to identifying business opportunities that the project opens up.
• Actively participate in the activities of the wider business as a full member of the EDGE Team.

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the salary of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve. A flexible working schedule may be required to meet all key duties and responsibilities.

The role will be based at the Scottish EDGE office in Glasgow with two days a week in the office and three days a week working from home. Travel to Edinburgh will be required from time to time throughout the project.

As a valued member of our team you can expect:

• £1500 bonus on project completion
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• You will get to work with experts in Entrepreneurship at Scottish EDGE and Heriot-Watt University to make real improvements to how judges make funding decisions to support early-stage businesses.
• As a KTP Associate, you will be part of the national Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (ktp-uk.org) scheme and entitled to specialist management training alongside other Associates, protected time for self-development and a professional development budget, which will be valuable to career development beyond the project.
• Opportunity to submit a paper to an international conference.

We will measure applicants based on the essential criteria, not by the key duties.

Education, Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

Desirable:

About Scottish EDGE

Scottish EDGE is a Community Interest Company (social enterprise), located in Glasgow. For over a decade the organization has been supporting companies by running a bi-annual funding competition aimed at helping to identify Scotland's up-and-coming, innovative and high-growth entrepreneurial talent.

Working collaboratively with the support eco-system across: Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, various Business Accelerators and Scotland's Innovation Centres, Scottish EDGE is a key business start-up organisation contributing to the National Strategy for Economic Transformation by helping to support and scale entrepreneurs for the benefit of the Scottish Economy.

Scottish EDGE has invested over £29.5 million in the form of grants and business loans and supported 712 Alumni, over 550 of which are still trading.

We are a values-based business and pride ourselves on being passionate about people as well as being edgy every day. As a small team everyone counts, and all the team contribute to the development of the organisation and can influence and change how we deliver our work.

About Heriot-Watt

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.

About The Edinburgh Business School

Edinburgh Business School (EBS) is a global hub of business expertise and research, with campuses in Edinburgh, Dubai, and Malaysia. We are committed to transforming lives and organisations through inclusive, practice-oriented education and applied, impactful research. At EBS, we believe world-class teaching and research go hand-in-hand. Our learning experiences are immersive and accessible, designed to equip ambitious learners with the skills to lead responsibly and make an immediate impact in their fields. Our research is grounded in real-world challenges and delivered in partnership with industry, policy, and communities, ensuring it remains relevant, actionable, and globally significant.

How to Apply

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) CV

Applications can be submitted until midnight on Wednesday 16th July 2025.

Shortlisting aims to be complete by 30th July, Interviews to be held 6th August (online competency interviews) and 14th August (In person interviews)

Candidates can make informal enquiries about this position to Dr Andrew MacLaren ( [email protected] ) and Evelyn McDonald ( [email protected] )

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.