Jobs

We are looking for an experienced individual who can establish excellent relationships with rural County Durham business owners, to join our team. You will empower rural businesses to achieve success by accessing support through the North East Rural Growth Programme and other funded programmes.

This vacancy is temporary until 31 March 2029.
 
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
 
You will use your expertise in rural enterprises or other sectors to engage directly with businesses, understand their unique needs, and unlock their potential. You will provide essential connections and guidance to help them thrive and collaborate with partners to raise awareness of opportunities through workshops and events. 
 
You will build trust and apply commercial insight to develop tailored solutions to help businesses achieve sustainable growth. You will maintain comprehensive knowledge of the economic landscape to provide targeted, up-to-date guidance. 
 
We encourage you to contact Jenny Sutcliffe, Team Manager – Business Engagement and Account Management via email at jenny.sutcliffe@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role. 
 
WHAT WILL I NEED?
 

• A degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant business discipline, and/or be able to demonstrate relevant experience.
• Experience of engaging with businesses, particularly micro and small businesses, and delivering business support or business development services
• Experience of engaging, developing and managing business relationships.

Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria. 

INTERVIEWS
 
Interviews will be held on Tuesday 23rd June
 
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 and neurodivergent 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.

Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support your application and for guidance on completing your application.
 
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentREG@durham.gov.uk
 
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
 
CONNECT WITH US
 
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Company: Durham County Council

Salary: Career Grade 8 to 10 - G8 £32,597 - £36,363 / G9 £35,412 - £39,152 / G10 £38,220 - £41,771

Location: Durham, Durham

Sector: Education

Job Role: Officer