Independent Cluster Facilitator

Independent Cluster Facilitator

Project: Industrial Digitalisation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing and Software Innovation in Northern Ireland.

Contract Type: Independent Facilitator assignment under the Invest NI Cluster Acceleration Programme (CAP). This is a temporary consultancy contract, delivered over approximately 12-16 months depending on the agreed number of days per week and project requirements.

Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland / Hybrid. This role will require travel to in-person engagements in Northern Ireland.

Reporting to: Lead Company (Galvia Digital) / Project Lead, with engagement from the Project Steering Group and Invest NI where required.

Galvia Digital is seeking a skilled Independent Cluster Facilitator to support delivery of an Invest NI Cluster Acceleration Programme (CAP) project focused on industrial digitalisation, advanced manufacturing and software innovation in Northern Ireland. This role is part of a time-bound CAP-funded feasibility and cluster development project. The facilitator will be responsible for supporting the day-to-day coordination and delivery of the cluster development activity, ensuring effective collaboration, structured engagement and clear outputs for participating SMEs and stakeholders. This is an opportunity to play a key role in supporting the development of an industry-led cluster that brings together companies with shared interests in digital and advanced technologies.

About the Cluster

The cluster brings together Northern Ireland SMEs working across areas such as industrial digitalisation, IoT, automation, data, analytics, cyber security, industrial software, connected systems and advanced technologies. The aim of the project is to explore how participating companies can work together more effectively, identify common challenges and opportunities, and assess the potential for a sustainable industry-led cluster that can support innovation, productivity and future growth. This is a feasibility and cluster development project. The focus is on collaboration, insight gathering, structured facilitation and the development of clear recommendations for future cluster activity.

Purpose of the Role

The Independent Cluster Facilitator will support the planning, coordination and delivery of cluster activity. The role will involve engaging with SME members, facilitating workshops and meetings, gathering insight, supporting research, and helping develop clear outputs to inform the future direction of the cluster.

The successful candidate will need to be independent, organised, commercially aware and confident working with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Objectives

Support the cluster to:

• Build engagement and collaboration across participating SMEs.
• Have structured discussions around shared challenges, opportunities and future priorities.
• Gather and summarise member insight.
• Develop governance and operating arrangements.
• Contribute to research and benchmarking activity.
• Produce clear written outputs, including reports and recommendations.
• Capture evidence for Invest NI reporting, monitoring and claims requirements.
• Shape a roadmap for future cluster development.

Specific Duties

The facilitator will:

• Coordinate cluster activity in line with the project plan.
• Support meetings, workshops, agendas, minutes and action tracking.
• Facilitate engagement between SME members and relevant stakeholders.
• Design and deliver structured workshops and collaborative sessions.
• Gather and analyse member input through interviews, surveys or other engagement methods.
• Support research into relevant cluster models and best practice.
• Help identify collaboration opportunities and future development priorities.
• Support the preparation of project reports, summaries and recommendations.
• Ensure activities are clearly documented and evidence is retained.
• Participate in relevant Invest NI facilitation / cluster business model support training, where required.

Experience and skills we need:

• Facilitating business groups, clusters, networks or multi-stakeholder programmes.
• Working with SMEs and senior business leaders.
• Stakeholder engagement and relationship management.
• Workshop design and delivery.
• Project coordination or project management.
• Producing clear reports, summaries and recommendations.
• Supporting funded programme delivery, monitoring or evidence requirements.
• Managing actions, timelines and outputs across multiple organisations.

Experience and skills we’d love:

Practical understanding of digital or advanced technologies. Applicants don't have to be a software developer or technical engineer, but should be comfortable supporting discussions around areas such as industrial digitalisation, advanced manufacturing, IoT, automation, data, cyber security, software-enabled services or innovation.

The ideal facilitator will be:

• Independent and neutral.
• Organised and reliable.
• Clear and confident in communication.
• Comfortable working with senior stakeholders.
• Able to manage different views and priorities.
• Skilled at turning discussion into practical actions.
• Commercially aware.
• Evidence-focused.
• Comfortable working to agreed deadlines and funded programme requirements.

Salary: To be negotiated based on agreed time requirements, available project funding, experience, qualifications and value for money. Applicants should provide their proposed daily rate as part of their submission and confirm whether this is inclusive or exclusive of VAT, where applicable.

Applicants must provide:

A detailed CV or relevant experience summary demonstrating relevant experience of relevant facilitation, cluster development, SME engagement or innovation programme experience.

• A short proposal of approximately 750-1,000 words outlining approach to delivering the role.
• Evidence of similar projects or outputs, where available with evidence of report writing, strategy development or similar written output.
• Details of any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest.
• At least two references from previous relevant projects or roles.
• Proposed daily rate.
• A value-for-money statement.
• Confirmation of availability for the project, including earliest available start date and any known periods of unavailability.

NB: This is an independent facilitator role for an Invest NI-supported Cluster Acceleration Programme project. The successful applicant will be appointed by the lead company (Galvia Digital) to provide independent facilitation services for the project. Appointment will be subject to the agreed selection process, project budget and Invest NI programme requirements. Independent Facilitator assignment under the Invest NI Cluster Acceleration Programme (CAP). This is a temporary consultancy contract, delivered over approximately 12–16 months depending on the agreed number of days per week and project requirements.

Deadline for Applications: Friday 24th July @ 5pm. Applications can be made via LinkedIn or by emailing CV to recruitment@galviadigital.com

For any questions about the opportunity, please contact: recruitment@galviadigital.com