Head of Investment

Job description

Job title: Head of Investment – Entrepreneurship & Investment 
Location: Any Scottish office with home working options
Grade: 3
Salary: £74,036 – £83,706
Hours: Full time
Status: Permanent
Closing date: 28 May 2025
Job ref no: R00624

Be part of building Scotland's future

The opportunity

At Scottish Enterprise, we’re focused on supporting Scotland’s most ambitious companies to help them innovate and scale to transform the economy.

The next five to ten years will be a defining time for Scotland’s economy. In the face of global challenges and constrained public finances, it’s more important than ever that we focus on high-growth opportunities. 

And we’ll be leveraging these by prioritising three missions:

• Developing an internationally competitive energy transition industry in Scotland that benefits the wider economy.
• Scaling the impact of Scotland’s innovation strengths into high growth industries of the future.
• Driving up levels of capital investment to deliver a step-change in Scotland’s productivity performance, leading to more jobs with higher value.

To deliver on these, Scottish Enterprise is changing. We’re refocusing our leadership, people, support, networks, and partnerships across Scotland, the UK, and internationally. This will help us ensure that we’re fully focused on the transformational opportunities that can deliver a more successful, greener, and fairer Scotland.

Flexible and patient investment into Scotland’s most ambitious, high-growth and scaling companies is at the heart of our strategy. Building on our successful co-investment model, we are fostering strategic investment partnerships, developing new innovative solutions to de-risk investment opportunities and identifying opportunities to attract capital to support the growth of our ambitious companies. 

The role

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Entrepreneurship & Investment Team in a senior leadership role where you will drive impactful commercial investments in the early-stage market and fuel Scotland's economic growth.

You’ll take responsibility for leading strategic investment initiatives, growing important partnerships, and playing a pivotal role in Scotland’s vibrant early-stage investment ecosystem.  

As Head of Investment, you’ll successfully lead a portfolio of investment functions across our debt, equity, and investment support activities. 

As the head of a high-performing team of 20-25 colleagues (including direct oversight of up to four team leaders), you’ll form an integral part of the Entrepreneurship & Investment department’s senior team, and wider Scottish Enterprise leadership group. 

The Head of Investment will be responsible for shaping and delivering against our organisation’s strategic mission priorities, providing operational leadership for complex, transformational investment programmes, and projects that deliver long-term, strategic value.

Your responsibilities will include:

Operational leadership

• Lead up to three operational teams across our commercial investment functions
• Set clear and ambitious strategic and operational priorities and objectives
• Support, develop and mentor colleagues
• Drive excellence in operational delivery aligned with our overall risk management framework

Strategic investment leadership

• Work with the Director of Entrepreneurship & Investment and senior colleagues across Scottish Enterprise
• Develop and deliver investment strategies and new transformational programmes
• Create initiatives to support early-stage, high-growth businesses
• Align activities with our strategic mission priorities

Strategic Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and strengthen strategic relationships with important investors
• Build partnerships in the early-stage investment ecosystem
• Optimise opportunities for leveraging additional investment into Scotland's most ambitious early-stage businesses

Who we're looking for

As Head of Investment, you’ll need a blend of strategic expertise, leadership acumen and investment knowledge. These traits will help you drive impactful commercial investments that support the continued development and growth of Scotland’s early-stage investment ecosystem. 

Your skills and experience should include:

• An ability to shape, develop and oversee the delivery of new innovative approaches to support the continued growth of Scotland’s early-stage investment ecosystem
• Demonstrable financial and commercial acumen gained through senior-level experience in investment or debt markets and a commitment to sustainable, ethical investment practices
• Senior-level experience in the negotiation and management of complex investment decisions and structures that drive meaningful outcomes
• Experience operating at senior levels and cultivating strategic relationships
• Strong engagement and influencing skills in challenging or sensitive situations
• Agile decision-making and an ability adapt to evolving market conditions and investment trends through the strategic development and delivery of innovative approaches
• Adaptable, resilient and proactive leadership experience with an ability to drive performance and outcomes in a high-pressured environment
• Strong commitment to mentoring and coaching colleagues, promoting professional growth, developing high-performing teams whilst fostering our organisation’s culture and values
• An excellent understanding of Scotland’s economic development, funding, and investment landscape with expertise working with early-stage, high-growth businesses in growth sectors
• Proven strategic mindset with an impact and results driven approach
• An ability to balance Scottish Enterprise’s economic impact priorities in a commercial investment context
• Educated to SCQF Level 11 or equivalent relevant professional experience

How to apply

If you're interested in this role, please complete your application by Wednesday 28 May 2025.

Interviews will take place on the week commencing 9 June 2025.

Life at Scottish Enterprise

As one of Scotland’s Top 10 Flexible Employers, we pride ourselves on empowering our colleagues to work when and where they can best deliver their role in support of our corporate plan. Learn more about working with us.

Our values

Being part of Scottish Enterprise means being open to new ideas and trying different ways of working. We support each other to reach our full potential. We celebrate shared success and learn together when things don’t go so well. And we always treat each other fairly, with respect and understanding. Together, we are the difference.

Apply now and build your future with us

At Scottish Enterprise, we’re proud to celebrate difference. Diversity of experience and thought is vital to the success of our vision for the future of every community across Scotland. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from a wide range of individuals, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, gender identity and expression, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We commit to providing any reasonable adjustments required, not only during the application and assessment process, but throughout your employment with us.

We have the following networks, which are open to all colleagues to help drive inclusion: Disability Positive, Gender Balanced, Multi-Cultural, Multi-Generational and Pride (LGBTQ+).