Business Engagement Team Manager

Durham County Council; North East; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional local government authority in England is looking for a skilled professional to manage business engagement and account management services. You will play a key role in developing strategies to support economic growth and building relationships with various partners. Expect a competitive rewards package, flexible working arrangements, and a commitment to equality and inclusion.

Benefits

27 days annual leave (increasing to 32)

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Must have experience engaging with SMEs and managing business support services.
• Significant recent experience of engaging and developing business relationships.
• Experience in the North East economic development landscape.

Responsibilities

• Manage business engagement and account management services.
• Develop and drive the strategy for business engagement activities.
• Establish strong relationships with external organizations.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication

Business engagement

Understanding of economic development

Education

Degree in business-related discipline

Job description

Overview

We are looking for an experienced individual who is able to establish excellent stakeholder relationships and communicate effectively with a wide range of partners, to come and join our team.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

You will manage business engagement and account management services for Business Durham to drive productivity and growth across the county. You will be instrumental in guiding the team to develop and drive the strategy for business engagement and account management activities, refining approaches and delivering business support services.

You will be responsible for developing and maintaining knowledge of the key sectors and the wider economic landscape in the county, and establishing strong relationships with external organisations and partners to support the growth of County Durham businesses.

We encourage you to contact Kerry Walker, Business Growth Director via email at [e-mail] to arrange an informal discussion about the role.

What will I need?

• A Degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant business-related discipline, and/or be able to demonstrate extensive relevant experience.
• Recent experience of engaging with SMEs and managing business support and enterprise/business start-up delivery services.
• Significant recent experience of engaging, developing and managing business relationships.
• Experience and understanding of the economic development and business support landscape in the North East, especially in relation to business growth and key sectors.

Please refer to the attached person specification for the full criteria.

Interviews

Interviews will be held on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 November 2025.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

Our offer to you

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

How to apply

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail]

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.

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Visit our website: durham.gov.uk/jobsandcareerswithus

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