Business Advisor (Rural) | 9003 | Permanent Contract | 37 hours per week | £39,862 - £41,771 per annum | Scale J | Norwich, Norfolk
Helping Rural Businesses to Grow and Diversify
About Us
Norfolk County Council's Growth Hub, hosted within the Economic Development Team, is the go-to resource for Norfolk 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 businesses to reach new heights and achieve their rural growth ambitions.
The Role
As a Rural Business Adviser, you will:
1. Support rural and land-based businesses in Norfolk by providing specialist rural advice helping them identify their growth potential and reduce their carbon footprint.
2. Help rural businesses access finance to implement new ways of working.
3. Work with partners to foster economic growth and encourage collaboration between businesses and partners, promoting the sharing of best practices and recognizing the value of peer-to-peer learning.
4. 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.
5. Collaborate with stakeholders to promote available rural business support and represent Norfolk County Council at workshops, events and networking opportunities.
6. Maintain accurate client records and ensure timely follow-ups using CRM systems.
About You
You are:
7. An experienced business professional with a solid background in managing in a rural SME setting.
8. Have skills/ knowledge/ experience in business planning for rural growth and sustainability.
9. A confident communicator who can engage with diverse audiences, distil technical information into plain English, and build strong relationships.
10. Have knowledge of environmental issues relating to businesses and how they can be addressed.
11. 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.
12. Willing and able to travel across Norfolk, including areas not served by public transport.
13. Be prepared to undertake further training to gain SFEDI qualification in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services.
If you feel you have the skills and personality to help rural SMEs grow and are keen to use your experience to build the Norfolk Economy, please submit your updated CV and covering letter.
If you would like to discuss or find out more about the role please contact Chris Sharman, Senior Business Growth Adviser at
14. A for Fire Service and Social Care WorkersRelocation expenses (where applicable)An advance of your expenses if you travel for workLocal 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
Before you apply, we recommend reading the full to help you demonstrate you meet the criteria. You can also find information on our here.
Redeployment closing date: 20th October 2025 at 23:59
All other applications closing date: 27th October 2025 at 23:59