A Project Administrator to join our team
Catalyst is recruiting a Project Administrator to help support the delivery of a major, cross-border innovation programme funded through PEACEPLUS. This role is vital in supporting 955 SMEs across Northern Ireland and the border counties to build innovation capability, drive change and create impact.
This is a unique opportunity to shape the region’s innovation landscape by enabling SMEs to build capabilities, introduce new products and services, and contribute to a more connected, resilient innovation ecosystem.
This is a PEACEPLUS funded project. This four-year programme is about enabling innovation where it is needed most. We will be working with SMEs from all sectors and backgrounds to assess capability, co-design innovation plans and connect them to the right supports which will include training and internships. The approach is hands-on. SMEs will be grouped into cohorts, supported through their journey, and encouraged to collaborate, share learning and grow together.
Catalyst is one of the core delivery partners and will lead engagement on the ground. Our job is to bring SMEs into the programme, help them navigate their innovation journey and ensure they get the support they need to make progress. We bring years of experience working with founders, innovators and scale-ups.
Innovate+ is a new cross-border initiative funded through the PEACEPLUS Programme and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), with support from the European Union, the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government.

We’re looking for a highly organised and proactive individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys supporting collaborative project delivery. The ideal candidate will have strong administrative and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, maintain accurate records, and keep projects on track. You should be a confident communicator, comfortable liaising with internal teams and external stakeholders, and have a keen eye for detail. Experience in a project support or administrative role is desirable.
Criteria may be enhanced to aid shortlisting. Exceptional candidates who do not meet the criteria may be considered for the role provided they have the necessary skills and experience
We are a non-profit organisation that supports science and technology innovation in Northern Ireland with buildings and hubs in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry where companies can use our flexible workspaces to operate from. We use the profits generated from our property portfolio to deliver entrepreneurial support programmes, facilitate funding, inform policy and accelerate technology-based research and development, by linking with academia and government.
Diversity and inclusion aren’t boxes to tick on a CSR list. At Catalyst, they are part of our DNA, lived, breathed, seen, and heard across our community, projects, and co-working spaces.
We not only want to foster and empower a culture of innovation, but also an environment where people can be their true, authentic self and thrive, and we are proud to be recognised by the Diversity Charter for achieving silver status, with ambitions to progress to Gold.
As an equal opportunity employer, we recruit based solely on the individual’s ability to perform the role, and that’s allowed us to create an inclusive workplace which celebrates the diversity of our teams and community.
A certified Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of the top 100 Workplaces in the UK for 2024, receiving awards for Best Place to Work, Best Workplace for Development, Best Workplace for Employee Wellbeing, and Best Place to Work for Women, Catalyst is one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting employers.
With a strong vision of Opportunity for all from world-leading innovation, this is a workplace brimming with ambition to create social, cultural, and economic advantage. We are a force for good, bold in our approach with integrity at our core and passion in everything we do.
We approach everything with a straightforward, open and honest attitude. Every new challenge requires a brave, smart, and flexible way of thinking and we put integrity at the heart of every decision. Our strong moral code intuitively understands what doing the right thing means in every situation.
We love what we do. We are committed to our members and partners, ready to go above and beyond for the future we are building together. This is the ‘Catalyst Way’. We sharpen our senses, take calculated risks together and work hard for a brighter future.
Be ambitious and dare to be different. We are the catalyst that connects entrepreneurs and businesses to an eco-system and community that transforms ideas and innovation into real-world reality with global impact.
HR Officer