Industrial Project Lead (Incubation)

Our client in Port Elizabeth is looking for a talented Industrial Project Lead with experience in Incubation to join their team. You will design, implement, and manage structured incubation and acceleration journeys tailored to startups and SMEs operating in industrial sectors. Responsibilities: Design and deliver structured incubation and acceleration programs for industrial startups and SMEs. Support product development, prototyping, pilot projects, and commercialization readiness. Coach entrepreneurs on business models, market entry, and growth strategies. Facilitate access to mentorship, technical expertise, funding, and industry networks. Build and maintain relationships with manufacturers, research institutions, and ecosystem partners. Monitor venture performance through KPIs and prepare impact and M&E reports. Contribute to proposal writing, budgeting, and management of funded programs. Ensure accurate documentation, compliance, and audit readiness of program activities. Requirements Bachelors Degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology or related. 5+ years experience in business incubation, product development or industrial innovation. Experience supporting startups or SMEs in manufacturing, engineering or sustainability sectors. Understanding of industrial processes, product commercialization and innovation lifecycle. Experience with prototyping, fabrication, pilot production and industrial quality systems. Experience in grant writing and donor relationship management. Exposure to industrial development practices. Knowledge of local content and localization policies in South Africa.