[Hiring] County Farming Adviser @NFU

Role Description

Leading a team of NFU Group Secretaries (who also have a role with the NFU Mutual as an insurance agent), you’ll support local farmers, growers and food producers by managing the NFU’s work in your allocated county. That means:

• Developing plans to recruit and retain members.
• Ensuring their voice is heard by lobbying and influencing on their behalf with a range of stakeholders across the county.
• Leading all NFU activities in your county.
• Supporting and managing the local NFU democratic structures.
• Leading the recruitment of local NFU Group Secretaries.
• Managing their performance and advising them on member engagement activities.
• Promoting policy work to members.
• Liaising regularly with regional and HQ colleagues on regional and local matters, including farming, food, rural matters, and the environment.
• Building a strong network of local stakeholders, media, and political contacts across your county.
• Overseeing local NFU lobbying.
• Taking the regional lead on certain aspects, including policy work in specific commodity areas (e.g., crops, dairy, livestock, or poultry).

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge and experience of farming businesses.
• Experience in agricultural, supply chain, or other rural professional roles is an advantage.
• Ability to build and manage effective professional relationships.
• Experience in influencing and delivering agricultural or rural policy.
• Persuasive communicator with the ability to manage objections calmly.
• Confidence in speaking to people at all levels, both in person and through the media.
• Proven experience of managing, recruiting, motivating, and developing a remote team.
• Adept at evaluating complex issues effectively to reach the best decision.
• Flexibility to work irregular hours and drive extensively throughout the allocated county and region.

Benefits

• Company car or car allowance.
• Generous holiday allowance (starting at 25 days a year + Bank Holidays, rising to 30 days with length of service), plus 1 annual Christmas company day.
• Option to buy and sell up to 5 days annual leave.
• Company funded health Cashplan.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave.
• Performance-related pay.
• Competitive Pension and Life assurance.
• Access to interest-free loans for cars, bikes, season tickets, and driving lessons.
• Employee Assistance program to help deal with life’s challenges.
• Discounts on new vehicles, holiday rentals, wellbeing and lifestyle, and many more.

Company Description

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is the biggest farming organisation in the UK. We're proud to make a difference for all our members by shaping attitudes towards British farming and leading the charge on a range of major issues, from climate change and food standards to rural crime and broadband rollout.

Every day, we're the voice of around 43,000 British farmers and growers who produce food, making sure their concerns are heard at the heart of government both online and locally. This means developing strong relationships with everyone from NFU colleagues to government ministers.

We are the face of the NFU to local members, focusing on understanding their day-to-day concerns and influencing the local and national agendas on their behalf.

Join us

We’re committed to recruiting a diverse and highly-talented workforce. We’ll support you by providing extensive learning and development opportunities and building a career that balances your professional ambitions with your personal commitments.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If we decide we've found the right person for the role, we reserve the right to withdraw this advert and close applications before the closing date.