Global Underwater Hub (GUH) is the leading trade and industry development body for the UK’s underwater sectors with a vision to transform the sector into one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the country, accelerating the energy transition to net zero, creating high value jobs, technology and exports.
GUH represents the diverse range of businesses operating in the UK’s £9.2 billion underwater industry. We facilitate cross-collaboration and growth across the underwater industry, which comprises offshore energy, aquaculture, defence, telecoms and subsea minerals.
Led and governed by industry, GUH represents, promotes and supports all sectors of the underwater industry by providing companies with the market information, connections and access to specialist expertise that they need to grow.
Role description
The Regional Membership Manager’s primary responsibility is to attract, retain and grow the GUH membership in the North of the England and Wales The Regional Membership Manager will help to develop strategic relationships and projects with existing and potential service users (members and partners) from across the respective underwater industry sectors. These extend to large corporations, SMEs, OEMs, start-up companies, trade, industry and academic partners. A significant focus of this role will be in the defence and offshore energy sectors including marine renewables and floating offshore wind.
This role will be crucial to identifying, developing and implementing the key membership targets for GUH locally, while supporting development of national and international relationships where appropriate. As such the role holder will work closely with the Regional Director and GUH senior management team (SMT) to develop and implement aligned membership targets to support the GUH growth plans.
These activities will be particularly important in the early stages as existing partnerships need to be developed and maintained whilst new partners and new service users also need to be attracted from across the UK and across multiple blue economy sectors.
The Regional Membership Manager is also accountable to the SMT and has further responsibility to support the development and delivery of the organisation’s annual business plan with regard to activities in the North region. Role responsibilities also include agreeing and facilitating the range of internal and external activities such as supporting new and existing member engagement activities, supporting the delivery of events and supporting communications and commercial activities.
This is a key role that is central to meeting GUH operational performance and financial targets. The role will cover the whole of the north of England and Wales. This role will also act as the operational location leader within the North hub and will be responsible for day-to-day line management of the local GUH team in the region.
The Regional Membership Manager will be responsible for day-to-day operational line management of the local north of England region team.
Key Accountabilities:
- Develop and maintain strategic relationships with members and potential members in the region, including the North East Combined Authority, local councils, Society for Underwater Technology, NE Defence Cluster etc
- Manage the day-to-day relationships with member companies and representatives maintaining good open communications with all members building on existing relationships and securing partnership agreements with complimentary service providers.
- Promote the value proposition of membership and play a leading role in new business development, membership recruitment and retention.
- Manage and drive membership renewals and ensure full and proper maintenance of membership records and internal membership databases.
- Secure new service users (members and partners) from across the respective sub-sectors and deliver appropriate partnership agreements with complimentary service providers.
- Ensure that the needs and expectations of the membership are fully understood, and any required customisation or adjustment to GUH support and services is implemented.
- Ensure that existing and potential new members key drivers, organisation and current plans are known, understood and shared within the wider GUH organisation.
- Support strategic initiatives in driving the organisation forward and provide data gleaned from existing, new and prospective members to support business cases and initiatives.
- Work closely with GUH's communications team to ensure timely, accurate and informed communications, member engagement and media management activities are maintained and delivered at all times.
- Work closely with GUH's market intelligence team and sector specialists to ensure that strategies are aligned, and provide data input from market intelligence gained via member companies as appropriate.
- It is the north of England team’s responsibility to make sure that the north hub, located in Wallsend, Newcastle, which is a hotdesking and meeting facility, is open as much as possible. To that end, unless travelling to an event or at a member meeting, it is expected that you will work from the office a minimum of four days out of five.
- Encourage collaboration within the global underwater community.
- Other duties as directed by the Regional Director or senior management team.
GUH core values
- Trustworthy – We are an open and welcoming organisation
- Strategic – We are an intelligence led organisation providing stakeholders with access to information relevant to the underwater marketplace.
- Expertise – We are industry subject matter experts, providing specialist knowledge of all sectors of the underwater industry
- Insightful – We ensure our stakeholders have access to relevant data and market analysis to allow them to harness opportunities in a growing global marketplace
- Collaborative – We work across industry sectors to facilitate and support collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders.
All our activities are underpinned with a demonstrable focus on our own personal health and safety and the health and safety of our colleagues and stakeholders. We always demonstrate safety leadership in our words and actions.
Person specification
Qualifications and experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience in an operations, marketing or business-related discipline
- Strategic and operational experience within relationship management
- Demonstrable relevant experience in a similar role / environment
- Knowledge and experience of underwater business environments across defence and energy.
- Has proven ability to interact and develop respect with a broad range of stakeholders and senior level management.
Specific training / specialist skills
- Ability to act as the main relationship management contact for the GUH membership
- Coordinate and deliver membership relationship management activities across the GUH organisation
- Ability to establish and implement GUH relationship management plan for existing and potential new member organisations across the Subsea sector
- Ability to represent and build relations at trade fairs and GUH customer events.
- Shaping and safeguarding of internal relationship management agenda
- Can demonstrate a track record of successful project delivery, on time and budget
- Ability to manage multiple projects at the same time
- Personal computer proficiency, Microsoft Office 365 skills essential.
Personal skills
- Has proven ability to interact and develop respect with and range of stakeholders and senior level management
- Has the proven ability to facilitate and support collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders.
- Is strategically aware but action orientated
- Is a proven self-starter, capable of working under own direction
- Commands respect from peers and demonstrates the ability to lead, motivate and develop diverse staff
- High level of integrity and discretion in dealing with sensitive information
- A keen attention to detail
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Excellent organisational skills.
Next steps
If you are interested in applying for this role, please send a CV and covering letter to
Ricci Boston, Regional Director (North of England), Global Underwater Hub -
ricci.boston@theguh.co.uk.
If you have any requirements or adjustments that you may need assistance with throughout the application process, please contact Angus Brechin or call 01224 506600.
