Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online Application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

This is an exciting time to join the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). Our aim is to promote British trade and investment across the world which is vital for the prosperity of the UK. DBT 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 is a great opportunity to be part of an international team that contributes to the success of the UK’s trade goals.

The jobholder will lead DBT’s Trade and Investment work in Sri Lanka, leading and empowering a small team. The jobholder will also play an active role in support of the One HMG agenda in country, particularly working closely with the Prosperity Team and contributing through wider corporate responsibilities at post.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

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

• Proactively build market intelligence and a network of business contacts in Sri Lanka in order to support UK companies in market.
• Management and leadership of the team, playing an active role in supporting the One HMG agenda in country.
• Pre-positioning HMG for imminent privatisation opportunities and restructuring in Sri Lanka, which will present opportunities for UK legal and financial services.
• Engaging Sri Lanka on improving the investment environment and promotion of sustainable energy.
• Identifying opportunities for UK expertise and businesses to shape the green economy.
• Supporting the team’s engagement with and promotion of UK exporters in priority sectors, including financial and professional services, energy and infrastructure.
• Work with the team to implement Sri Lanka’s FDI strategy, identifying and working with key investors on FDI projects in Sri Lanka, docking into the South Asia FDI team.
• Contributing to building and improving the wider corporate culture at the British High Commission in Colombo, taking part in committees and taking a representational role where required.
• Build relationships with stakeholders in the government and business communities, including through Ministerial visits, and use expertise of local context to advise stakeholders in the UK.
• Work with Trade for Development on promotion of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and ODA funded trade programmes operating in the region.
• Lead trade policy work in Sri Lanka including driving implementation and resolution of market access barriers.
• Identify areas for collaboration on multilateral trade objectives.
• Representational work as and when required.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure) – NA

Language requirements: 
Language: English
Level of language required: Expert

Working patterns: The 40 conditioned hours per week includes 1hour lunch break.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

All new staff undertake a workplace induction and there are a number of mandatory e-learning courses covering areas such as diversity, health and safety, and information management.

The job is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact on the UK’s trade links with Sri Lanka building on the success of incumbent. We will give you the freedom and space to develop the sectors and build your networks, and we will support you to get the right learning and development. You will need to be collaborative and flexible too to fit in with the network’s ethos; and, importantly, focussed on delivering results and contributing to the wider corporate agenda. To be successful:

Qualifications:

• Graduate/Post-Graduate. Candidates without the required educational qualifications but with exceptional practical experience will be considered.

Experience:

• You will need to be a self-starter with track record of delivery, and worked in an international environment
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant commercial/business development experience.
• You will need to have strong analytical skills to apply this to identifying key opportunities and risks for the market.
• You will need to be strategically aware to identify emerging opportunities in Sri Lanka and match it to UK’s strategic priorities.
• You will need to have excellent interpersonal skills and be a credible and strong team player
• You will need to have experience of developing and managing productive relationships with senior stakeholders and partners including Government and Private Sector, and of using these to deliver.
• You will have strong commercial experience in a business facing role.
• You will need excellent verbal and written English skills. You will be expected to produce written work in Standard English to a very high standard.
• IT competent. Highly competent in standard MS Office tools, such as Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel and skilled at using digital and social media to gather information efficiently.
• Basic understanding of budget management.