Business Specialist

Are you a team player who is commercially minded, with a solid grounding in business operations and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by businesses on a daily basis? Do you have the skills and experience to take a lead role in providing support to ambitious businesses, maximising their potential and attracting investment to make the South of Scotland a world-class business environment?

About Us

South of Scotland Enterprise (also known as SOSE) is the dedicated Economic and Community Development agency for the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway. We’re specifically looking for a Specialist to provide support for businesses in Dumfries & Galloway, and the office base is located in Dumfries. Established by the Scottish Government, SOSE represents a fresh approach to driving growth across a very special region in a way that benefits all. We are the first of Scotland’s public agencies to promote a wider view of the economy and how it impacts all we do. Jobs, businesses, communities and the environment are all equally important to us. We want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to fulfil their ambitions, no matter who or where they are.

What You’ll Do Day-to-Day

As a Business Specialist you will act as the key point of contact providing a range of relevant support activities to ambitious businesses to maximise their potential and help them to respond to opportunities and challenges within the global marketplace. Although this role is focused on Dumfries & Galloway and will involve regular travel to business premises across the region, you may also be required to bring your skills to businesses across the south of Scotland including the Scottish Borders. We’ll need you to be pro-active and visible, working to identify which businesses have untapped potential and which could have a more positive economic impact in the South of Scotland. You’ll work with a range of partners in both the public and private sectors to support the attraction of new and secondary investment to the South of Scotland and to help create a world-class business environment.

The Skills, Experience and Personal Attributes You’ll Need to Have

We are looking for passionate, commercially-minded individuals who have experience of providing business advice options at a senior level with the ability to demonstrate credibility with others, including understanding of the issues customers face in growing and diversifying their business and dealing with challenge and change. It goes without saying that your relationship management, influencing, communication and interpersonal skills will be exceptional, with the ability to focus and achieve results through the development of strategic consultative relationships at a senior level.

What We’ll Offer You

We offer a competitive and varied reward package, designed to cover your wellbeing, your lifestyle, your working life and your future, including 43 days holiday annually and a generous pension contribution. Our salary ranges are designed to be competitive and new entrants will normally start on the minimum of the pay range, except in exceptional circumstances. At South of Scotland Enterprise, we celebrate and support differences. We are an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to offering equal employment opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestral heritage, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity and expression, or veteran status. If you need any adjustments to support your application, such as information in alternative formats or special requirements to access our buildings, or if you’re eligible under The Disability Confident Scheme please contact us and we’ll do all we can to support you.

We operate a hybrid working model balancing working from home with attendance at the office to meet the needs of our clients, our teams and our employees. And our flexible working practices support you to have a healthy work/life balance. This role is full time and permanent, although we will consider alternative working patterns. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 10th June 2025 at 11.59pm and interviews will be held as soon as practical thereafter. This position requires a new applicant pool, and previous applicants will not be considered. You will be required to travel regularly within your geographical area of responsibility, so access to a vehicle or other means of transport, for example access to work arrangements, is essential. If you are an Inclusive, Responsible and Bold individual who is always Striving for success and believe you have something to offer the South of Scotland as a Business Specialist, then we would love to hear from you.