Jim
Sims
Validated Lead Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
I possess over 20 years experience in sustainable urban development. Recently, I have been involved in developing a number of integrated place based economic development strategies, including
- The BTVLEP Strategic Economic Plan (http://www.buckstvlep.co.uk/strategic-economic-plan) and
- The BTVLEP EU Structural Investment Fund Plan (http://www.buckstvlep.co.uk/eu-investment-plan)
As far as thematic urban policy expertise is concerned, I possess considerable experience of developing and delivering a range of innovation and business support; workforce development; employability, community cohesion and social inclusion; property and infrastructure development; and low carbon projects.
Over my professional career, I have been responsible for facilitating, leading and participating in numerous transnational EU funded projects . I have experience of being both a partner and a lead partner. Through these various projects, many of which have been funded through Urbact, INTERREG, Structural Funding and Lifelong Learning Programmes, I have also developed considerable experience of designing and delivering transnational exchange and learning activities.
Much of this work has lent on my previous academic and practical Marketing experience/studies.
Through the above activities, I have developed considerable experience and expertise of designing and delivering integrated/participatory urban policies for a range of organisations, including local authorities.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
Through my work in the above Transnational EU funded projects, I have been involved in a variety of exchange and learning activities across a variety of domains, partnerships and countries, that have relied on a variety of partnership working and communication skills.
At the heart of many of the projects I have worked on has been a strong commitment to share learning, experience, best practice and knowledge across the European Union. This commitment to sharing learning across Europe stems from my early education, from when I attended the European School in Luxembourg.
In many of the projects I have been involved in, I have had cause to undertake presentations, identify and develop best practice material, share policy insights, organize transnational conferences/study tours and develop documents which have sought to harmonize EU policy. Similarly, I have been lucky to benefit from having worked with some very inspirational thought leaders across Europe, who have been similarly open to sharing their expertise.
In addition to undertaking exchange activities within the above projects, I have also been asked in the recent past to present my experiences of working in EU funded transnational projects by both the UK INTERREG contact point and the Urbact Secretariat (Meet the Cities, Riga, 2015).
Many of these activities have leaned on my academic studies in design, marketing and project management.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
As an English national, I like to think my proficiency in my mother tongue is very good. I have written numerous strategies, documents, plans and bids which have required me to demonstrate this expertise.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
I possess over 20 years experience in urban development and over 10 years experience in the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities . This experience spans project design/development, through delivery to project closure.
Past projects I have been involved in include http://urbact.eu/useact; http://www.span-europe.eu/; http://www.powerprogramme.eu/projects.php?project=TIMBER;http://www.nweurope.eu/index.php?act=project_detail&id=5349; and www.hissproject.eu.
In these various projects, I have lead and/or supported the exchange of learning and best practice across the partnerships, captured learning and supported partners to deliver a range of project deliverables/outcomes.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Local Economic Development
Summary Thematic expertise:
My expertise encompasses Local Economic Development; Research and Innovation; Entrepreneurship & Competitive SMEs; Skills & Employment; Environmental; and Sustainable Urban Mobility.
For ten years of my working life I was an employee of Business Link, the UK national business advisory service, rising to the role of Strategic Development Director of one on the 40 or so area franchises.
During this time, I developed my skills and experience in designing and delivering EU Structural Fund projects. During this time, I also acquired some experience of the Lifelong Learning Programme, Life + and Interreg.
Following this, I spent some time in a small economic development consultancy as Head of Innovation, Sector Development and Funding. During this time, I wrote a number of successful research strategies and bids.
More recently, I have been involved with the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership writing their Strategic Economic Plan, their European Structural Fund Strategy and co-ordinating the delivery of their growth programme. Throughout this period, I have been actively involved in developing and delivering a range of transnational European projects.
Theme / Policy:
Entrepreneurship and competitive SMEs
Summary Thematic expertise:
For ten years of my working life I was an employee of Business Link, the UK national business advisory service, rising to the role of Strategic Development Director of one on the 40 or so area franchises. During this time, I developed my skills and experience in designing and delivering EU Structural Fund projects. During this time, I also acquired some experience of the Lifelong Learning Programme, Life + and Interreg.
Following this, I spent some time in a small economic development consultancy as Head of Innovation, Sector Development and Funding. During this time, I wrote a number of successful research strategies and bids.
More recently, I have been involved with the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership writing their Strategic Economic Plan, their European Structural Fund Strategy and co-ordinating the delivery of their growth programme. Throughout this period, I have been actively involved in developing and delivering a range of transnational European projects.
Theme / Policy:
Research, Innovation and Knowledge Economy
Summary Thematic expertise:
For ten years of my working life I was an employee of Business Link, the UK national business advisory service, rising to the role of Strategic Development Director of one on the 40 or so area franchises. During this time, I developed my skills and experience in designing and delivering EU Structural Fund projects.
During this time, I also acquired some experience of the Lifelong Learning Programme, Life + and Interreg.
Following this, I spent some time in a small economic development consultancy as Head of Innovation, Sector Development and Funding. During this time, I wrote a number of successful research strategies and bids.
More recently, I have been involved with the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership writing their Strategic Economic Plan, their European Structural Fund Strategy and co-ordinating the delivery of their growth programme. Throughout this period, I have been actively involved in developing
and delivering a range of transnational European projects.
Theme / Policy:
Employment, Human Capital and Labour Mobility
Summary Thematic expertise:
For ten years of my working life I was an employee of Business Link, the UK national business advisory service, rising to the role of Strategic Development Director of one on the 40 or so area franchises. During this time, I developed my skills and experience in designing and delivering EU Structural Fund projects. During this time, I also acquired some experience of the Lifelong Learning Programme, Life + and Interreg.
Following this, I spent some time in a small economic development consultancy as Head of Innovation, Sector Development and Funding. During this time, I wrote a number of successful research strategies and bids.
More recently, I have been involved with the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership writing their Strategic Economic Plan, their European Structural Fund Strategy and co-ordinating the delivery of their growth programme. Throughout this period, I have been actively involved in developing and delivering a range of transnational European projects.
Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies
E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :
A number of the trans-national projects I have been involved in have involved the development of public sector policies for local authorities and have been built on participatory methods. In Use-Act, BTVLEP (which counts 5 municipalities at its core) developed both its Strategic Economic Plan and its Infrastructure Plan through part funding from Urbact. These strategies were built through a collegiate team prioritisation process. In this project we also established a new PPP Infrastructure delivery organisation, called Buckinghamshire Advantage.
In TIMBER, I facilitated a process to write a Biomass Action Plan for Buckinghamshire Council, in a process which involved a range of external partners.
Examples of theses various policies can be found at;
• http://www.buckstvlep.co.uk/strategic-economic-plan
• https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/949847/biomass_action_plan.pdf
Participatory methods used have included facilitated workshops, GAP Analysis, Problem Tree’s, Peer Review and Sandpits.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
Many of the projects I have been responsible for leading have required the development of a Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy at the early stage of the project, to ensure the goals of the project are clearly stated and the project delivers against its stated objectives.
Monitoring activities have often centred around developing a clear delivering plans setting out the inputs and outputs (activities and milestones) expected to have been delivered at any particular point in time and then monitoring the projects achievement of those goals. Milestone plans, Project Plans, Expenditure profiles and Monitoring Pans and Frameworks are all tools I am familiar with.
Evaluation activities have often necessitated the development of an evaluation framework to assess whether the project management arrangements were effective (process), whether the principles underpinning the project were sound (theory), whether the end goals were achieved (outcomes) and whether the scale of impact was achieved (impacts). Tools I have used to assess the impact of particular projects include surveys, questionnaires, focus groups, site visits etc.
As someone who has achieved the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma and a Prince 2 Qualification, I am well versed in research methods and traditional project management techniques.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
My awareness of policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level is strong.
I generally keep up to date on such matters through Social Media, subscribing to news alerts, attending info days, visiting Brussels during Open Days, asking our MEPs to organise visits to the EC, networking with peers etc.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
My work with the Local Enterprise Partnership is all about localising national frameworks and models. Just look at the work I have done developing a European Investment Strategy for Buckinghamshire, which has had to comply with commission regulations, and the emerging Operational Programme, whilst also trying to take account of the principles of Smart Specialisation, Localism and the wishes of the local community.
In addition to this strategy, I have also developed a number of CLLD strategies fin the past, albeit these were for rural LEADER partnerships, rather than urban ones. I am passionate about localism and often find these kind of projects much more fulfilling than those that don't require tailoring to the needs of local communities.
Summary Expertise:
I possess a strong, proven track record in the design and delivery of a number of domestic and transnational European Projects. At the time of writing, I have been subject to a number of inspections and Managing Authority appointed auditors and generally received a clear bill of health.
The majority of my technical expertise is in service design/economic development, developing economic development projects to plug identified market failures. I also possess a strong track record of developing revenue based business support, innovation and low carbon projects.
More recently, I have started to get into capital based urban development / regeneration, although I am still learning. I understand the commercial development and the regulatory planning process, although I am not a technical expert in these disciplines.
Informations
Residence location:
United Kingdom
Languages:
English - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
jrs-1@hotmail.com
Unavailable - already performing the role of Lead Expert for an URBACT network