Business Adviser

Superfast Business Cornwall - Business Adviser

Remuneration: £28-33,000 + Pension
Office: Plymouth and Cornwall extensive travel in Cornwall
Employer: Peninsula Enterprise - a business unit of Serco

Superfast Business Cornwall (SFBC) is a new service; delivered by Peninsula Enterprise, part of Serco's Employment Skills and Enterprise division and funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). From June 2016 to March 2019 Superfast Business Cornwall offers SMEs across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly a tailored programme of high quality information, advice, and specialist ICT support as well as grant funding. It aims to boost business competitiveness and we will be working with hundreds of businesses to help them to understand adopt and fully exploit the benefits of digital technologies.

The role of Business Adviser will be largely working face to face with both new and established businesses to help them understand and exploit digital technology to develop new markets, reduce costs, develop new products/services and enable remote working to enable growth.

The successful candidate will require a good understanding of business structures, the factors that influence success in business and digital technology applications. This role is fully funded by the ERDF.

Principal Duties:

Working as part of an advisory team of 6 including one Online Business Adviser the successful candidate will: 

• Conduct an ICT diagnostic; examine in detail the elements and requirements of the business to identify opportunities for growth, with specific reference to the effective use of digital technologies, utilising online tools and conducting a website review
• Develop an action plan including referrals to the appropriate publicly funded business support and upskilling programmes via the Growth Hub and provide links to private sector support.
• Follow up the support plan with additional specialist support if required and help  to scope and select any suppliers
• Identify businesses with projects suitable for investment and support the business in preparing an application for funding
• Work with SMEs to overcome barriers during the implementation of their action plan, in order to sustain momentum towards exploiting technology to achieve growth
• Attend workshops and master classes to work with businesses to engage or progress them through the service
• Accurately complete action plans/ templates and related paperwork. Ensure support hours are delivered, documented and signed off
• Monitoring the outputs of any work completed by specialists and ensure sign off, feeding back on performance
• Attend business networking events to introduce the service to potential beneficiaries and strategically important companies 
• Keeping up to date with latest developments in business and ICT and attend upskilling sessions
• Ensure that all activities are carried out in an honest, ethical bias free manner
• Deliver an inclusive service in line with Serco values and contractual requirements

Essential technical and professional skills, knowledge and qualifications

• Have a good understanding of digital ICT and the opportunities for businesses to exploit superfast enabled technologies to catalyse improvement and growth
• Have relevant business and IT adviser experience with an understanding of the challenges and opportunities for SMEs in the region
• Analytical, diagnostic, problem-solving and project management skills
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate with people at all levels (written and verbal) both internally and externally
• Excellent communication, listening, influencing and negotiating skills, able to deal with client enquiries and liaise with intermediaries and stakeholders
• Either a degree or equivalent level qualification or work experience in a small to medium sized business
• Previous applicant are welcome to re-apply, please submit a new application today. Any applicants who meet the benchmark criteria will be invited to interview.