Sector Development Manager
- Durham County Council
- Full Time
- Durham
Job Description
We are looking for a Sector Development Manager to join Business Durham which is the business arm of Durham County Council. This is maternity cover for 12 months or upon the return of the substantive postholder. Secondments from other organisations will be considered.WHAT IS INVOLVED?
The County Durham Inclusive Economic Strategy highlights the key opportunity sectors, where there is potential to build upon existing strengths and develop clusters to create high-quality jobs and opportunities for innovation and inward investment.
You will work with partners to develop and deliver a programme of business support activities to encourage and enable businesses in target sectors to connect with opportunities and to develop an ecosystem to support their continued growth within County Durham. The key opportunity sectors currently identified include Advanced Materials Electronics; Life Sciences including Medtech; and Advanced Manufacturing, especially Green Technologies.
You will work with businesses from within these sectors to identify need and barriers to growth; creating ecosystems to attract businesses including the development of appropriate packages of support; and liaising with key stakeholders, partners, and departments to ensure appropriate infrastructure is in place.
Other key elements of the role will also involve identifying key innovation trends in the identified sectors, managing events and attending trade shows as appropriate.
We encourage you to contact Kerry Walker, Business Growth Director via email at [email protected] to arrange an informal discussion about the role.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
You will be educated to degree level or equivalent and/or be able to demonstrate extensive relevant experience.
Recent experience of engaging with SMEs and delivering business support or business development services is essential. You will have knowledge of business operations and have the ability to recognise key issues.
Please refer to the attached person specification for the full criteria.
BENEFITS AND REWARDS
We offer generous rewards and benefits that are designed to help you perform at your best:
- Competitive salaries and 27 days holiday per year rising to 32 days after five years continuous local government service.
- Option to purchase up to 10 additional days annual leave per year.
- Excellent work/life balance through schemes including job sharing, compressed hours and flexi-time (allowing up to 13 flexi days per year).
- Hybrid working (home and office working).
- Excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Plus, top up options - Salary Sacrifice Shared Cost AVC scheme and standard AVC scheme for members of the LGPS.
- Wellbeing Portal and access to an Employee Assist Scheme.
- Wide range of learning and development opportunities including professional qualifications, coaching and mentoring.
- Employee Benefits Portal and Lifestyle Savings Scheme (discounts across a host of major retailers).
- Discounted DCC gym membership.
- Staff networks run by staff for our staff, including Race Equality and Diversity, Disability, LGBT+, Armed Forces, Carers, Menopause.
- Trade Union membership.
- A range of other salary sacrifice schemes such as car leasing.
