Business Adviser

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

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Health and Wellbeing services

Flexible working (remote or hybrid)

Local Government Pension Scheme

Relocation support

Job summary

Norfolk County Council, via the New Anglia Growth Hub, seeks a Rural Business Adviser to support rural SMEs across Norfolk and Suffolk. You will provide expert rural guidance, help develop growth and sustainability plans, and collaborate with partners to deliver practical support and funding access.

You will also help interpret regulatory requirements and promote shared best practices. You will travel across Norfolk, apply your rural economy knowledge, and engage with stakeholders to deliver

Qualifications

• Experience in rural SME management.
• Ability to develop rural growth and sustainability plans.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of environmental issues affecting businesses.
• Knowledge of UK rural legislation, regulation and policies.
• Willingness to travel across Norfolk.
• SFEDI qualification in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist rural advice to identify growth potential and reduce carbon footprint.
• Assist rural businesses to access finance for new ways of working.
• Collaborate with partners to promote rural business support and peer learning.
• Refer businesses to specialist advice for regulatory compliance.
• Maintain accurate client records and follow up via CRM systems.
• Engage with stakeholders through workshops and events.

Skills

Rural SME management

Business planning

Communication

Environmental knowledge

UK rural policy

Travel willingness

SFEDI qualification

Education

SFEDI qualification in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Business Adviser (Rural) | 11284 | Permanent Contract | 37 hours per week | £41,177 to £43,149 per annum (Scale J) | County Hall / Hybrid working

Helping Rural Businesses to Grow and Diversify

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 rural business management to join our Business Adviser team to provide advice to rural businesses that wish to grow and diversify.

Could you help us support more SME owners to ensure they unlock their rural growth potential?

You will be experienced and motivated to support established Norfolk and Suffolk businesses to reach new heights and achieve their rural growth ambitions.

The Role

As a Rural Business Adviser, you will:

• Support rural and land-based businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk by providing specialist rural advice helping them identify their growth potential and reduce their carbon footprint.
• Help rural businesses access finance to implement new ways of working.
• 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 rural 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 a rural SME setting.
• Have skills/ knowledge/ experience in business planning for rural growth and sustainability.
• A confident communicator who can engage with diverse audiences, distil technical information into plain English, and build strong relationships.
• Have knowledge of environmental issues relating to businesses and how they can be addressed.
• Knowledge of UK legislation, regulation and policies related to the rural economy and clean growth, with an understanding of likely impacts and opportunities for businesses.
• Willing and able to travel across Norfolk, including areas not served by public transport.
• Be prepared to undertake further training to gain SFEDI qualification in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services.

If you would like to discuss or find out more about the role please contact Chris Sharman, Senior Business Growth Adviser at [e-mail] or on 07467 148481.

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.

You can also find information on our Terms and Conditions here.

Already a Norfolk County Council employee? See and apply for all internal and external vacancies via myOracle using your @norfolk.gov.uk or @nccal.ac.uk email.

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