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Job Description

Job Description/Person Spec

Food and Farming Consultant

It is currently a hugely exciting and challenging time to be involved in food and farming and rural land management. Rarely have so many factors combined to act as drivers for change, with significant climatic, economic and political challenges and opportunities. In order to provide our clients in the food and farming sector with the best advice and support possible, we are looking for agricultural consultants who are dynamic, motivated and enthusiastic individuals to continue our expansion of our Food & Farming team across the country.
The role offers great variety and involves consultancy and farm management across the whole of Scotland, as such the successful candidate could be based out of any of our Scottish offices in Perth, Dumfries, Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen.
The core tasks within the role will be the provision of farm business consultancy and farm management consultancy to farm and rural businesses across Scotland. This includes farm business reviews and appraisals, business, technical and environmental consultancy to farm businesses and land managers, consultancy and operation of ventures such as contract farming agreements, as well as financial reporting to clients, completion of SAF submissions and subsidy claims. It is also likely that the successful candidate will be involved in analysis and advice on emerging and evolving service lines relating to climate change mitigation and the key role that land management will play in this. As such, it would be advantageous for candidates to be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of climate change mitigation in general, and carbon auditing, natural capital reporting, regenerative agriculture, and agri-environment schemes in particular.
With consultants working across the whole of the UK and located in around 30 UK rural offices, Savills can claim one of the largest agribusiness teams in the UK. Savills Food & Farming provides consultancy services on all aspects of farming and food production and rural land use, covering farming businesses on large investment portfolios to small farms and other rural properties. The team has a deep knowledge base and Savills is able to provide a clearly defined long-term career structure and excellent training opportunities for the right person. Our clients include farmers, rural estates, public bodies and rural property investors.
The combined Savills Rural, Energy and Projects (REP) team in Scotland offer the widest range of property services in the region across farm consultancy and management, estate management, farm and estate agency, forestry, professional, planning, development, building surveying and more. There are approximately 130 staff in the REP teams across all offices in Scotland, of which currently 10 are in the Food & Farming team.
The REP team and the region is supported by the almost-limitless knowledge, resources and research within the national and international Savills network, and as a member of the team you will have the opportunity to liaise with your counterparts across the country and to contribute to business development throughout Savills both within and beyond the food and farming and rural division.
This role offers considerable opportunities for the candidate to progress their career. Savills offer unique training across a range of subjects which includes a comprehensive business management programme. There are also opportunities to be part of national committees and focus groups. Key Responsibilities
 Consistently deliver high performance in terms of client service, profitability and compliance
 Carry out Farm Consultancy and Management on behalf of retained clients, as well as providing one-off
consultancy to new clients.
 Prepare financial budgets and cash flows, monitoring forecast against actual income and expenditure
 Preparation of annual management reports
 Completion of SAF claims and ensuring Cross Compliance regulations are met
 Design and management of Rural Development Contracts and/or successor schemes
 Provide advice on how emerging regulations and practices may affect business plans
 Contribute to the development of the Food & Farming department through networking internally and externally, building close relationships with existing and new clients and their professional advisors
 Support the Head of Food & Farming in Scotland with the performance management of the department
 Actively lead business development opportunities for the office and provide support at Regional (Scottish) and National (UK) level
 To contribute to and support business development initiatives and tenders, targeting and winning new business, and agreeing the scope of instructions and fees as appropriate
 Take an active role in the marketing and promotion of agribusiness at office, national and UK level
 To help promote and deliver the firm’s compliance procedures and standards Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Skills and Knowledge
 Well connected and perceived within the industry
 Proven record of ability to manage time effectively, prioritising tasks to ensure deadlines are met
 Ability to quickly build rapport and long standing client and colleague relationships, at all levels
 An interest and track-record in generating new business
 Possesses vision and is able to develop complex strategies and solutions
 Commits to challenging goals and delivers consistently against these
 Financial and commercial acumen with excellent planning, budgeting and operational reporting skills
 Delivers efficiency in addition to effectiveness
 Self-starter, who relishes challenges and strives for the best
 Team player and proven leader who builds relationships and consults with others, quickly establishing trust and credibility
 Diplomatic and confident with a positive outlook
 Ethical with strong integrity
 Creative and lateral thinker, with the ability to problem solve and focus on solutions
 Commercially aware, but with the ability to vary approach dependent on circumstances
 Presentable and approachable and ability to engage with a variety of audiences
 Self-motivated, goal driven individual able to prioritise, work under pressure and meet deadlines
 Ability to work in a clear and logical fashion, with good organisational skills and attention to detail
 A proactive approach to work and a strategic thinker for departmental policy and strategy, both putting forward ideas and delivering

Technical experience

 Experience In a Similar Role (essential)

 Highly competent and skilled with Microsoft Office, including Excel; training will be provided in respect of internal systems
 Financially literate – business and profit focussed
 Capacity to analyse and present statistical information
 Clear written and verbal communication style
 Driving licence and own car essential Salary and Benefits
 Salary subject to experience.
 Mileage allowance for use of personal car for business
 Holiday dependent on level.
 Pension scheme
 Life Assurance.
 Discretionary bonus.
 Medical Insurance.