Business Adviser

Norfolk County Council; East Suffolk; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible working

Pension scheme

Relocation support

Employee discounts

Job summary

Norfolk County Council is seeking an experienced Business Adviser to support East Suffolk SME growth and resilience as part of New Anglia Growth Hub. The role is based at County Hall with hybrid working, focusing on growth planning, finance access, and collaboration with partners.

You will engage diverse businesses, translate complex regulations into clear guidance, and maintain client records in a CRM system. Prior SME experience and SFEDI qualification are desirable.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing in an SME setting.
• Experience in business planning for growth and sustainability.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Knowledge of UK legislation and policies affecting businesses.
• Willingness to travel across East Suffolk and beyond, including areas with limited public transport.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice helping businesses identify growth potential.
• Help businesses access finance and grants, including area-specific schemes.
• Collaborate with partners to foster economic growth and peer-to-peer learning.
• Refer businesses to specialist advice for regulatory compliance and standards.
• Promote available business support and represent New Anglia Growth Hub at events and workshops.
• Maintain accurate client records and timely follow-ups using CRM systems.

Skills

Business planning

Communication

UK legislation knowledge

Travel willingness

SFEDI qualification

Job description

Business Adviser | 11285 | Fixed Term Contract until 31 December 2027 | 37 hours per week | £41,177 to £43,149 per annum (Scale J) | County Hall / Hybrid working

About Us

New Anglia Growth Hub, hosted within the Economic Development Team at Norfolk County Council, is the go-to resource for Norfolk and Suffolk businesses looking for business advice and support.
We are looking for a professional person who has experience in business management to join our Business Adviser team to provide advice to East Suffolk based businesses that wish to grow, diversify and mitigate the disruption caused by the development of Sizewell C.

Could you help us support more SME owners to ensure they unlock their growth potential?
You will be experienced and motivated to support established East Suffolk tourism and visitor economy businesses to safeguard against the challenges and issues faced throughout the build and development of the biggest clean energy investment in a generation.

The Role

As a Business Adviser, you will:

• Support businesses in East Suffolk by providing specialist advice helping them identify their growth potential.

• Help businesses access finance to implement new ways of working, including through a dedicated Tourism and Events grant scheme for the area.

• Work with partners to foster economic growth and encourage collaboration between businesses and partners, promoting the sharing of best practices and recognising the value of peer-to-peer learning.

• By understanding upcoming regulatory requirements and how businesses can comply with standards, you will refer businesses to a range of more specialist advice and support.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to promote available business support and represent New Anglia Growth Hub at workshops, events and networking opportunities.

• Maintain accurate client records and ensure timely follow-ups using CRM systems.

About You

You are:

• An experienced business professional with a solid background in managing in an SME setting.

• Have skills/ knowledge/ experience in business planning for growth and sustainability.

• A confident communicator who can engage with diverse audiences, distil technical information into plain English, and build strong relationships.

• Knowledge of UK legislation, regulation and policies related to the economy with an understanding of likely impacts and opportunities for businesses.

• Willing and able to travel across East Suffolk district, including areas not served by public transport.

• Be prepared to undertake further training to gain SFEDI qualification in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services.

These are some benefits you can enjoy by working for Norfolk County Council:

• Competitive salary

• Generous holiday entitlement

• Health and Wellbeing services including fast-track physiotherapy and a free counselling service

• Flexible working opportunities including flexi-time, part time, remote and hybrid working – dependent on your job role and business need.

• Financial benefits such as:

  • ‘Norfolk Rewards’ our employee discounts programme which helps you save money on almost anything, from everyday groceries and clothes, to holidays, new technology, gym membership, trips to the cinema and days out.

  • A Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers

  • Relocation expenses (where applicable)

  • An advance of your expenses if you travel for work

  • Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service payments and dependants’ pensions

  • Tax efficient ways of getting extra pension and new bikes

  • Access to our tax efficient car lease scheme for greener travel enabling you to lease a brand new, ultra-low emission vehicle (subject to eligibility)

  • A payment if you refer someone you know to a hard to fill job

We want our people to be inspired and motivated to work well together, make the most of our workspaces, enjoy a healthy work-life balance, and deliver excellent services to Norfolk and its people. Flexibility is built into the way we work, with hybrid working a key feature for many roles. Our technology platform and equipment are first class, enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We ask that you have in place good Broadband connectivity.

We would like to make you aware that priority consideration for this post may be given to current employees who are at risk due to restructure within the organisation or are in a redeployment position.

Redeployment closing date: 22 September 2026 23:59

All other applicants closing date: 06 October 2026 23:59