Organisation and Workforce Development Advisor

This role has a starting salary of £53,713 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. This is a fixed term contract or internal secondment until 31/03/2027.

This is a unique opportunity to shape Surrey’s economy and the wider South East region. Join our dedicated Economy and Growth Team and make a meaningful impact on businesses and residents. If you're a strategic thinker with strong organisational and workforce development expertise, passionate about supporting business growth and innovation, we encourage you to apply.

This role will work remotely, visiting businesses in your caseload with regular travel across the region. There may be scope for individual Organisation and Workforce Development Advisors (OWDAs) to concentrate the majority of activity within a broad geographical area of the South East (e.g. west or east).

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary‑related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for health and wellbeing
• Access to a comprehensive learning and development hub
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Team

The Economy & Growth team is focused on sustainable economic development across Surrey, working collaboratively as ‘One Council’ to deliver strategic priorities that benefit the county’s 1.2 million residents. We provide valued services in business support, innovation, skills, and place‑based development, working with major employers such as Amazon, Asahi, WWF‑UK, Samsung and McLaren. Surrey is home to 110,000 businesses and contributes £50 billion annually to the UK economy.

Surrey County Council is the accountable body for the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the South East. The Programme Delivery Team is responsible for delivering the programme across a wide geography including Berkshire, Brighton, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Oxfordshire, Solent (incorporating the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton), Surrey, and West Sussex.

About the Role

Surrey County Council is seeking experienced and dynamic Organisation and Workforce Development Advisors (OWDAs) to support the delivery of the innovative Made Smarter Adoption programme. These pivotal roles will directly contribute to driving strategic initiatives that enhance economic growth, foster innovation within businesses, and ensure the programme’s success through collaborative partnerships.

As an OWDA, you will play an essential role in delivering organisational and workforce development advice to manufacturing SMEs, supporting them to transform their business through the adoption of Industrial Digital Technologies (IDTs). You will work closely with Technology Adoption Specialists (TAS) to ensure leaders and staff are equipped to adapt to digital transformation.

You will form an integral part of a remote specialist team, delivering ambitious targets at pace to support business growth across the South East network.

Your Application

To be considered for shortlisting, your application must clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• Significant understanding and technical knowledge of organisation and workforce development, particularly in relation to manufacturing SMEs and digital transformation
• Practical experience diagnosing organisational or workforce development needs, including HR‑related activity
• A track record of delivering OD/HR programmes or advisory support to businesses, including one‑to‑one and workshop delivery
• Experience working with senior management in manufacturing or other sectors, ideally with product/service/process development exposure
• Experience engaging with organisations across the skills ecosystem (HEIs, FE colleges, training providers)
• Understanding of the national and regional digital skills landscape
• Ability to deliver high‑quality outcomes in a fast‑paced, target‑driven environment
• Excellent communication, networking, and collaboration skills

To apply, please submit a CV and respond to the following 4 questions:

1. Please describe a situation where you assessed an organisation’s workforce, skills, or organisational development needs. What methods did you use, what issues did you identify, and how did your recommendations support improvement or change?
2. This role supports SMEs through change linked to technology adoption. Can you give an example of when you helped a team or organisation prepare for or adapt to a significant change? What actions did you take to support people through the transition?
3. Please describe a time when you worked with a range of stakeholders who had different priorities or perspectives (e.g., business leaders, educators, public-sector partners, or technical specialists). How did you build alignment and ensure progress?
4. This role requires managing a portfolio of organisations, working remotely across a large region, and meeting programme targets. Can you share an example of how you have organised your workload and maintained high‑quality delivery in a fast‑paced or autonomous working environment?

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 20/05/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Bryan Vint by e-mail at bryan.vint@surreycc.gov.uk.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.