Policy Advisor / Customer Service Advisor (Farming) 

Our client is the voice of British farming and their members are at the heart of what they do. On their behalf they lobby government and other stakeholders, develop policy and provide a range of frontline services. 

Position: County Adviser 
Location: Essex 
Job type: Full Time, Permanent 
Salary: circa £37,000 per annum plus Company car 

Closing date: 12th May 2019 
Interview date: 24th May 2019 at Newmarket 

About the role: 

As County Adviser, you will be coordinating all activity within your area. You will work with elected office holders, the regional team and be a key local source of knowledge as well as being able to offer advice and guidance on matters of policy and membership. You will be able to network effectively, bringing individuals together to energise lobbying campaigns and promote causes. You will support the work of allocated Boards or Forums to ensure that sector views from across the East Anglia Region are fed into national policy. 

Reporting to the County Network Manager, you will manage a diverse team of Group Secretaries, who promote them and their services at a local level. Your role is to manage your group secretary network in order to achieve their membership objectives around income, acres and member numbers to grow their representative power. Experience of managing a team is therefore advantageous. 

Most importantly, you will be able to establish a firm connection with the local membership, and ensure their views are heard. To make that member connection, you will have an in-depth knowledge of current farming issues and a real passion for agriculture, whether gained through your education, your background or your experience. 

With the growth in road, rail and energy infrastructure projects across the region, an understanding of how these impact on their members’ businesses and experience in managing this process would be advantageous. Knowledge of the local area and its agricultural / land-based industry landscape would be ideal but not essential. 

About you: 

You will need to be sociable, friendly, outgoing and a good communicator. One of your strengths is that you are people orientated and build lasting business relationships, with a positive outlook and approach. You have strong influencing skills, you are driven, are keen to get things done and prepared to work under your own initiative. You like variety and are energetic in your work approach, and you are keen to develop yourself professionally. An awareness of the key areas affecting farming would be desirable. 

You may have experience of the following: Policy Advisor, Membership Association, Farming, Agriculture, Rural Affairs, Membership Advisor, Stakeholder Management, Legislation, Member Adviser, Lobbying, Farmer, Customer Service, Customer Service Coordinator, Relationship Management, etc.