Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
DIT
Note: Due to COVID-19, you may experiment some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign. We are working hard to minimise any disruption. You may find more information in the Additional Information section below.
The British Embassy in Paris is looking to appoint a Regional Specialist Overseas Champion – Europe Region.
The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) aim is to promote British trade and investment across the world, which is vital for the prosperity of the UK. DIT brings together policy, promotion, and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment in markets across the world to help businesses succeed. This role is for a new regional specialist champion for the Midlands Engine region with a focus on key priority sectors for the region in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, food & drink and in consumer & retail services It has been created as part of the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, which includes increasing trade and investment support for key UK regions.
The role will lead on exports for the Midlands Engine in Europe and the job holder will need to engage and deliver across the region in response to strong business opportunities in the prioritised sectors. An initial focus will be on Southern and Central Europe (including France, Spain, Italy, and Poland). They will be primarily responsible for helping Midlands Engine companies to win business and will work closely with the DIT Midlands Trade team; relevant DIT Midlands Specialist ITAs (e.g. automotive, education, fast-moving consumer goods, food & drink and healthcare & life sciences); local trade partners in the Midlands; and the East and West Midlands International Trade Teams to achieve this. In Europe, a close working relationship with DIT country teams and with the Europe Trade Hub will be essential; as well as productive relationships with local businesses, business organisations and other stakeholders.
The Midlands has a working population of over 4 million, over 500,000 of whom are involved in manufacturing and engineering. The region provides 20% of the manufacturing output of the UK. It is home to the largest cluster of rail manufacturers and the world’s second largest jet engine manufacturer (Rolls-Royce), with 400 companies involved in the aerospace supply chain. Every major car manufacturer is represented in the Midlands, including Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover, with strong component supply capability. Alongside global brands such as JCB, Bombardier and Walgreen Boots, hundreds of companies specialise in sectors ranging from rail, mechanical engineering to battery technology, food & drink and medical devices.
The role provides opportunities to work at the strategic and operational/delivery levels. This is a challenging and rewarding job and we are looking for an experienced professional with a generalist knowledge of a range of sectors across Europe, if possible. Ideally, that person will have a well-established range of high-level contacts in a range of sectors, which will allow them rapidly to acquire a sophisticated knowledge of the opportunities and challenges for Midlands Engine companies in the market.
The post holder will need strong business development skills and acumen, and be energetic and creative, with good judgment to prioritise and keep focused on the delivery of objectives. Importantly, they must have strong communication and influencing skills to be credible with business and to expand their network to support their goals. As a senior role in the network, the post holder will also play a role in engaging with, guiding and supporting other export staff in the UK and Europe in the delivery of ambitions and goals.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Export campaign development and delivery aimed at increasing the demand for Midlands Engine sector specific goods and services in market:
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Use personal knowledge, connections, and analysis to develop and deliver targeted sector campaigns to increase Midlands Engine exports to Europe. A key feature of the role will be to promote Europe in the Midlands and to develop a campaign for Midlands Engine exporters: presenting the market as one of the most open and accessible regions for business.
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An important part of this will be to facilitate Midlands Engine trade missions, webinars, and events, and to connect visitors with senior stakeholders in market. While the focus will be on key sectors outlined above, the post holder will be required to support other priority sectors or wider Midlands strategic priorities (e.g. the 2022 Commonwealth Games), as necessary. This will include ensuring that Midlands Engine sector propositions are fed into HMTC Europe’s trade campaigns (via the Exports Growth Steering Committee).
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For incoming missions, provide strong on the ground support by working in collaboration with colleagues in DIT Europe’s teams and external partners like British Chambers and banks. This will include designing mission programmes, organising seminars/workshops and securing possible buyers and speakers. Work alongside the East and West Midlands’ International Trade teams to organise and deliver mission programmes.
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Support the planning of inward market roadshows to the Midlands Engine region and ‘Meet the Buyer’ events: helping to raise awareness of opportunities and recruiting businesses to join. This will include using own knowledge of regional sector strengths to target substantial buyers to bring to the UK.
Building awareness of Midlands Engine capability:
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Use a good and expanding understanding of Midlands Engine capability to build capacity and awareness in Europe’s DIT teams to support the objective of winning more export business for Midlands Engine companies. Utilise newly developed Midlands Engine Trade Sector propositions actively to market the region to perspective buyers and European business networks.
Reporting:
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Provide a range of reporting and analysis to the DIT Midlands regional team and local partners, including contributing to briefing. Produce a monthly progress report on activities for DIT Midlands, as well as input to a quarterly steering group looking at the overseas champions programme as a whole. Input activity data on to Data Hub for appropriate activities.
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Support dedicated quarterly review meetings between the DIT Europe team and DIT Midlands Head of Trade to ensure continued alignment of shared objectives.
- Fluency both oral and written in English and French (Common European Framework level C1 or above, or equivalent);
- A good knowledge of key sectors within the European market along with a substantial network of high-level contacts;
- Minimum five years’ business development/commercial experience, with a strong
- functional knowledge of the local business environment;
- Experience of developing relationships and building influence with multiple stakeholders at a senior level in the public and private sector;
- Good computer skills and the ability to use data management systems;
- Ability to draft succinct reports and provide briefing for generalist and specialist audiences, often to very tight deadlines;
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong team player who can work on their own initiative and across virtual teams;
- Willing to travel.
- Fluency both oral and written in Spanish and/or Italian (Common European Framework level C1 or above, or equivalent);
- Experience of working in trade/export promotion;
- Account management experience;
- Knowledge of key sector capabilities in the Midlands region;
- Previous experience of working with the UK Government;
- An understanding of Midlands Engine political landscape and/or experience of working with Midlands Engine local partners.
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace
6 December 2020
C4 (L)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
35
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
France
Paris
British Embassy
1
4819 (gross)
1 February 2021
This is a fixed-term contract of 18 months with the possibility of extention.
All appointments are subject to professional background check satisfactory security clearance. The successful applicant will be required to provide a copy of his/her passport or national identity card for all nationalities held, an up-to-date criminal record (casier judiciaire) for recent countries of residence (which can be obtained online at casier-judiciaire.justice.gouv.fr), two written proofs of address (utility invoices and/or bank statements) and two references.
Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in France are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local French employment law and FCO guidance for Local Staff. The posts we offer are not an entry point into the UK’s Diplomatic Service.
Your application will only be considered if you follow the guidance below:
•Your application must be sent in English only.
•Your application must clearly indicate all nationalities you hold.
Visa/Passport requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in France and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Additional requirements may become necessary after 31st December 2020.
Please note, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment indicates Level C1 as Mastery or proficiency Level which comprehends that a person can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation; can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. For more information please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.
Please be advised that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
Please also be advised that the British Diplomatic Missions will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a job.
Additional Information (due to Covid 19):
•You may experiment some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption
•Interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action
•Starting date may be delayed depending on circumstances at the time and it will be agreed with the selected candidate.
To help us with our recruitment effort, please indicate on the application form /cover letter where (ngotenders.net) you saw this job posting.