Company profile

Established in 2011, HJA has set out a plan to grow the business over the next five years. We are looking to recruit a Senior Economic Development Consultant with relevant qualifications and experience.

HJA is a specialist UK local and regional economic development consultancy with offices in Bristol and Cardiff. We advise public, private, and third sector clients on a range of issues. Our purpose as a business is to be trusted to provide expert analysis to inform and add value to our clients’ activities. This improves people’s lives by developing the economies they live and work in.

HJA is involved in delivering the following services to our wide-ranging client base:

• Preparing strategies and evidence: helping local government and other public bodies understand their economies and make plans to support their development. We work with pan-regional partnerships, combined authorities, unitary authorities, county councils, and local authorities.
• Assessing socio-economic impact: helping landowners, developers, and the public sector make the case for and against site allocations and permissions. We work with landowners, site promoters, property developers, town planners, and public sector organisations.
• Preparing business cases and securing funding: helping public and private sector organisations to define and develop projects to support economic growth, and secure funding for them.
• Supporting clean growth: helping public and private sector organisations understand the economic and social impacts of low carbon projects. We work with multinational energy companies, major infrastructure developers, multidisciplinary consultancies, and public bodies.

Over the lifetime of HJA, we have developed a strong culture based on the values we demonstrate:

• Putting client focus at the centre of all we do.
• Adding value and delivering value-for-money to clients.
• Being professional in all we do.
• Being inquisitive and engaged.
• Acting openly and honestly with each other and our clients.
• Being hardworking and thorough.
• Seeking to be accommodating and flexible with our clients and colleagues.
• Acting in a friendly and approachable manner.

Being encouraging and supportive of each other.

Role profile

We are looking to recruit a Senior Economic Development Consultant to contribute to the company’s growth ambitions and play a crucial role in the business’ success in the coming years.

Responsibilities

The growing status of HJA means that staff at all levels benefit from exposure to every aspect of the company, from delivering and managing consultancy activities across our range of services, to participating in business growth and development activities. Staff also enjoy a high degree of exposure to the company’s leadership personnel (including directors). Quick progression to a role with project management responsibilities is expected.

Key responsibilities include the following:

• Contribute to fee targets by providing expertise and services on client projects.
• Management of small to medium sized projects, contributing towards achieving profitability targets.
• Support senior colleagues as a member of client facing teams, and liaison with colleagues at all levels of the business to provide expertise on data collection, analysis, and report writing.
• Contribute to identification and development of new client relationships, effectively manage existing client relationships, and oversee the preparation if industry thought leadership materials.

Requirements

Applicants will need to demonstrate their ability to reflect HJA’s values in their day-to-day work. In addition, essential requirements include the following:

• At least 4 years’ experience in UK local and regional economic development.
• Excellent technical ability relevant to own role.
• Working knowledge of IT systems, particularly MS Office.
• Excellent report writing and drafting skills.
• Excellent verbal communication skills (meetings & presentations).
• Good project management skills.
• Good client management and consultancy skills.
• Experience of using GIS is helpful but not essential.
• We would welcome applications from those with experience of social and health impact assessment.

Benefits

• Pension contribution
• Bonus scheme
• Hybrid working – HJA operates hybrid working to optimise teamwork and learning, with around 60% of core hours in the office.
• 25 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata, plus bank holidays)
• Training and development opportunities
• Team activity days
• Membership of the Institute of Economic Development

The job will be based in central Bristol or central Cardiff (to be discussed), and there may be occasional travel within the UK.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a cover letter to contact@hardistyjones.com highlighting your relevant qualifications, experience, and interest in the role.

Closing date: we are open to applications as we grow the business. We will review applications on a rolling basis and respond within two weeks of application receipt.