The British Embassy in Beijing embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation.  We value applications from people from the widest possible diversity of background, culture, experience and gender.   

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is seeking a Country Head for China. There is an expectation that the successful candidate will be required to maintain a permanent presence at the Beijing Embassy as well as undertaking occasional travelling throughout the country.

Finance is a critical part of promoting more trade and investment between the UK and our overseas partners and sometimes through third country collaboration. UKEF’s Country Head will contribute to shape long-term partnerships for prosperity and stability between the UK and China, in close collaboration with the Office For Investment (OFI), the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade  (BIST) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The Country Head for China will be part of a wider network of UKEF Country Heads across the globe.

About UK Export Finance 

• UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency (ECA) and operates in partnership with BIST. 
• UKEF’s mission is to advance prosperity by ensuring that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance and insurance, doing that sustainably and at no net cost to the taxpayer. In 2024/25, UKEF provided £14.5 billion worth of support for UK exports contracts to nearly 100 countries.

UKEF Business Plan 

• UKEF five-year business plan has 5 delivery objectives, which set out what we need to achieve to realise our mission, and five strategic enablers, which define the resources, skills and operational capabilities we will need to do that.
• You can read our Business Plan in full here, and find out more about the Department’s work in the latest UK Export Finance Annual Report and Accounts . 

Partners, stakeholders, and observers 

• UKEF works closely with partners within government, most notably BIST and the FCDO. In the private sector our principal partners include trade associations, financial institutions and contractors.
• Our work is varied and complex, spanning all business sectors and all corners of the world.

About the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

 BIST is the UK Government department that helps foster UK exports and inward investment. BIST officers at overseas Embassies, Consulates General and High Commissions liaise with the UK headquarters and other departments across the UK Government to generate commercial, policy and institutional collaborations.

About the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office

FCDO leads the UK’s diplomatic and development work around the world driving HMG’s growth agenda through partnerships to promote prosperity and security. 

Main purpose of job:

UKEF’s Country Head will be responsible for promoting UKEF’s export finance capabilities and developing new business opportunities in China and with Chinese stakeholders.

The purpose of the Country Head’s role is to promote export growth through finance. This will involve building relationships and partnerships with business, government, leading Chinese contractors and other stakeholders. The jobholder will proactively collaborate with BIST and FCDO officials in China, playing an important role on wider Government initiatives involving UKEF, including by strengthening the UK Government’s exports offer. 

As the sole UKEF representative in the relevant British Embassy, the jobholder will work as part of a wider team across British Government Departments, including local BIST and FCDO leads.

The Country Head will report into UKEF’s London headquarters and will join UKEF’s strong network of Country Heads across the world. The Country Head will form part of a dual reporting structure, reporting to both UKEF’s headquarters in London and BIST/ FCDO in Beijing.

To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as the British Embassy/Consulates may require.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

The Country Head’s key responsibility is to build UKEF’s business and profile overseas, helping to grow UKEF-supported exports by focussing on five areas of activity.   

In performing these objectives, the Country Head will form part of the wider Embassy or British Consulate General team and will contribute to BIST’s China trade and investment objectives. 

1. Build, expand, and progress new business opportunities for UKEF 
   • Build a diversified pipeline of bankable deal opportunities for UKEF, with a special focus on supporting Chinese FDIs in the UK and Third Country Collaboration (TCC).
   • In the context of TCC, the post holder will be expected to work closely with peers around the world and should have good understanding of Chinese investment and business flows into global regions.
   • Manage early-stage structuring and bankability assessments of new transactions, working in close coordination with UKEF’s London team to enhance the prospects of UKEF involvement in overseas projects.
   • Demonstrate a strong command of the UK supply chain in key areas such as renewable energy, infrastructure, and other sector demands.
   • Raise UKEF’s profile in China through engagement with C-Suite business leaders, Chinese EPCs and high-profile government representatives and senior leaders within regional and international banks.
2. Develop and execute UKEF’s growth strategy in China
   • Deliver UKEF’s future growth strategy in China.
   • Develop tailored strategies to expand UKEF’s track record and future business pipeline in China.
   • Represent UKEF at high profile speaker engagements, industry events and conferences locally.
   • Support BIST’s local strategic planning, ensuring alignment with UKEF’s strategy and embedding UKEF financing into BIST export campaigns.  
3. Build and share market knowledge
   • Gain insight into the strategic business objectives of key public and private sector stakeholders in China.
   • Integrate first hand market insights into UKEF’s strategic plans for China, sharing local market knowledge with the UKEF, BIST and FCDO teams.
   • Act as the lead source of UKEF advice to local BIST teams, including integration of UKEF objectives in priority campaigns led by the BIST in China.
4. Establish and maintain stakeholder relationships -
   • Build and expand UKEF’s business networks and enhance the profile of UKEF products across these networks.
   • Work closely with UKEF’s client coverage leads who oversee relationships with key sovereign wealth funds and multilateral development banks.
   • Integrate BIST sector leads in core UKEF outreach activities in China, creating cohesive business development strategies involving BIST and FCDO at a local and regional level. 
5. Build awareness of UKEF support capabilities 
   • Develop tailored presentations to enhance awareness of UKEF’s products and capabilities across the local business community. 
   •  Enhance BIST team members’ command of UKEF’s financing products through regular presentations, workshops, and joint meetings. 
   • Lead UKEF collaboration with the local BIST team.
   • Coordinate and support visits from UKEF management and support visits from ministers and senior officials from the UK government. 

This list is not exhaustive; the Country Head may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.  The Country Head would be expected to take on a wider corporate contribution to working life in the Embassy such as:

• Provide support where necessary in delivery of the wider objectives of the Corporate Operations and BIST China team, including on cross-cutting issues.  
• Promote and contribute to the China Country Business Plan and network values, actively and constructively participating in Post activities. 
  Corporate Contribution

• Detailed understanding of UKEF, its product offering, its mission and the wider financial ecosystem in which ECAs are active
• Knowledge of Export Credit Agency credit risk policy and business environment
• Good understanding of corporate financial and banking matters
• Strong team player, with an ability to contribute to a regional team across various UK Government departments, in a fast-paced environment
• Commercial skills, well versed structuring of export credit agency-backed projects 
• Prior experience of business origination/ business development
• Proven experience of structured finance / trade finance
• Proven experience analysing accounts and balance sheets and conducting preliminary credit / bankability analysis 
• Proven ability to take the initiative pursuing the objectives in the job description
• Proven competence in leading strategy development and business planning
• Proven advisory and negotiation skills at senior levels, with an ability to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication
• Experience working with exporters, project developers and contractors
• Competent in Microsoft Office applications and appetite to embrace data-driven pipeline management tools
• Confident public speaking and networking skills
• Recognition of the importance of developing a strong business network
•  Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the role and work outside normal office hours as required