Job Profile: Rural Adviser

Name: Helen Dale

Employer: Country Land and Business Association (CLA). www.cla.org.uk 

Location: Regionally based across the Midlands 

The CLA is the membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural England and Wales. Our aims are to champion, protect and enhance the rural economy, environment and way of life. Our members range from smallholders to mid-size farmed landholdings and large country estates.

As well as a team of professional solicitors, chartered surveyors and land use specialists based in London, the CLA also has a number of regional offices. Within each region is a small team of professional advisers. These are either rural chartered surveyors or rural advisers, with a background in the countryside/agriculture/land management sector.

 

Job Responsibilities:

Overall my job is to provide professional advice, support and guidance to members relating to land and rural businesses.

Key roles include:

• Advising members on a wide range of issues related to rural matters, including agri-environment, planning, land, taxation and rural business.
• Contributing to regional events and activities, and responding to consultations which may affect members.
• Representing members at external meetings such as AONB boards, nature partnerships, and rural crime boards.
• Contributing to CLA national consultations and identifying regional issues for lobbying or campaigning action.
• Contributing to the planning and content of regional technical events, seminars and conferences.
• Preparing guidance notes, magazine article and presentations on relevant issues.

 

As an adviser, my time is spent equally between advising and getting to know members, and representing CLA at external meetings. Time is spent predominantly indoors, but the role also involves visits to members. A lot of time is spent ensuring advisers are up to date on rural issues and policy changes.

 

Qualifications needed: 

I have a degree in Biological Sciences and a Post Graduate Diploma in Conservation Management, but previous experience in land and estate management or rural issues is probably more important. Regional surveyors are generally members of RICS. The advisers have more wide-ranging backgrounds relating to rural land and property management including estate management, nature conservation, agronomy, agriculture and rural business advice.

 

Skills needed:

Staff need to be flexible to be able to advise on a wide range of rural issues within the regional team but also understand the role of other experts within the national team. They also need to ensure they keep up to date on changes to legislation and national policy and have an approachable and supportive manner in supporting members.

 

Advice to anyone looking at similar roles:

The CLA is a relatively small organisation, but with a significant amount of national political clout when it comes to rural issues. Working closely with the London team means you are fully up-to-date with current policies and emerging issues in the rural sector. There is a huge diversity of interests within the CLA membership and there is opportunity to visit and support some of our inspiring and forward-thinking CLA members.

 

If you have any queries about this role or would like to ask a question of the job holder please contact Helen Dale on helen.dale@cla.org.uk