Jill Hewitt PFIAgrM

Jill runs her own successful business, Springtime Consultancy, specialising in project management, lobbying and communications.

Previously Chief Executive of the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) for over 12 years, Jill is currently responsible for political lobbying, technical projects and communications at the NAAC, while also managing projects for major retailers, machinery manufacturers, specialist farming groups and writing for the farming press.

Jill grew up on a farm in Lincolnshire, has a degree in Agriculture and is passionate about all things farming. In 1999 she was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Scholarship and, in 2006, completed the Institute of Agricultural Management’s Leadership Development Programme.

How does Institute membership help you in your current role?

Contacts, contacts, contacts! The Institute is incredibly useful for networking and meeting people from all sectors of the industry and across the country helping broaden horizons.  Involvement in the Leadership Development Programme also helped me considerably.

Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years’ time?

I will definitely still be working in farming as I am passionate about the industry.  I am currently balancing work with raising my two boys but as they become more independent I would like to retain a senior position in the industry while also giving something back.

How will membership help you reach this goal?  What is the biggest benefit to you of membership?

I am a professional member of the Institute which gives me an additional focus on CPD and personal development.  This is something that can easily get lost when self-employed and also organising CPD events for others.

Being selected for the Leadership Development Programme was the biggest benefit I have had from my membership.  It was a fantastic boost for my confidence and career, and since then the Institute has continued to provide me with an invaluable network and lifelong friends.

How regularly do you attend regional/national events?

Not as many as I would like, purely because of other commitments.  I did attend the annual dinner and the John Alliston Memorial Lecture.  I always try and organise an annual reunion for my Institute Leadership year group.