Join the GFirst LEP Board as Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Champion

Are you passionate about Gloucestershire, its economic wellbeing and future success?

Do you have extensive experience in the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing sector?

At GFirst LEP, our primary goal is to grow the economy of Gloucestershire and we have achieved significant success since our formation in 2011. We have successfully bid for over £113 million in capital projects and over £35 million of European funding.

We are looking for a new Board member who has extensive experience in the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing sector. This is a hugely important sector for the county, it represents 14% of the county’s GVA contributing £2.6 billion (2020) and employing over 35,000 people across Gloucestershire.

The role of this voluntary position as a Board member will be to:

Actively promote, celebrate and raise awareness of the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing sector including any current issues within it.
Champion the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing sector at Board Level.
Work with our dedicated Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Business Group to identify areas in which the LEP can help this sector, whether that is in the skills arena, access to finance or fine-tuning the offer from our Growth Hub network to the sector.

We are committed to ensuring that our Board represents the diversity of Gloucestershire and we welcome applications from anyone aged 18 and above who can broaden our diversity. GFirst LEP is committed to ensuring that by 2023 at least 50% of Board members of the LEP are women.

Ruth Dooley, Chair of GFirst LEP, said

This role has come at a pivotal time for GFirst LEP as we play our central part in the government’s Levelling Up Agenda. The Government clearly recognises the vital role LEPs have played in sustaining local economic growth through the pandemic and supporting businesses throughout the country. The LEP’s actions will continue to be essential going forward as we navigate the upcoming challenges our economy faces on a national and local scale. Taking over the reins from long-standing Board member Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien plc, this position on the GFirst LEP board offers an exciting opportunity to represent the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing sector within the collective independent voice of Gloucestershire.

We want to continue GFirst LEP's success so we’re looking for a board member who has the drive, passion and commitment to help our partners and our great executive team make that happen.

GFirst LEP is led by the business community in partnership with the voluntary, education and public sectors to help Gloucestershire realise its economic potential.

For further information on the current GFirst LEP Board, please visit https://www.gfirstlep.com/about-us/the-board/

If you are interested in applying, please send a copy of your current CV along with a cover letter to info@gfirstlep.com. Closing date for applications is Monday 31st October, 2022