UK Export Finance (UKEF) is seeking a Country Head for Qatar and Oman, however, there is an expectation that the successful candidate will be required to maintain a presence in both embassy’s as well as undertaking significant travelling throughout the region.

The successful candidate will be based in the British Embassy in Doha, Qatar

The UK Government is expanding the commercial team in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with a focus on growing UK trade with the region. Finance is a critical part of promoting more trade between the UK and our overseas partners. UKEF’s Country Head will shape long-term partnerships for prosperity and stability between the UK, Qatar, and Oman. 

UKEF’s Country Head will join a regional team across UKEF, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). 

About UK Export Finance 

UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency (ECA) and operates in partnership with DBT.  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 DBT and the FCDO. In the private sector our principal partners include trade associations and financial institutions. 

Our work is varied and complex, spanning all business sectors and all corners of the world. UKEF is delighted to have been named best Export Credit Agency by Global Trade Review and Trade Finance Global. This is a recognition of our innovative approach to supporting exporters, comprehensive product offering and substantial appetite to take on new business. 

About the Department for Business and Trade

DBT is the UK Government department that helps foster UK exports and inward investment. DBT 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 Qatar and Oman. 

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, and other stakeholders. The jobholder will proactively collaborate with DBT and FCDO officials in Qatar and Oman, 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 DBT and FCDO leads. 

The Country Head will report into UKEF’s London headquarters and will join UKEF’s strong cross-Middle East network of Country Heads based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the United Arab Emirates. The Country Head will form part of a dual reporting structure, reporting to both UKEF’s headquarters in London and the DBT/ FCDO in the Middle East and Pakistan (MEaP).

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 DBT’s MEaP trade and investment objectives. 

• Build, expand, and progress new business opportunities for UKEF
• Build a diversified pipeline of bankable deal opportunities for UKEF in Qatar and Oman.
• 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 Qatar and Oman through engagement with C-Suite business leaders, high-profile government representatives and senior leaders within regional and international banks.
• Develop and execute UKEF’s growth strategy in Qatar and Oman
• Deliver UKEF’s future growth strategy in Qatar and Oman.
• Develop tailored strategies to expand UKEF’s track record and future business pipeline in Qatar and Oman.
• Represent UKEF at high profile speaker engagements, industry events and conferences locally and across the MEaP region as relevant.
• Support DBT’s local strategic planning, ensuring alignment with UKEF’s strategy and embedding UKEF financing into DBT export campaigns.  
• Build and share market knowledge 
• Gain insight into the strategic business objectives of key public and private sector stakeholders in Qatar and Oman.
• Integrate first hand market insights into UKEF’s strategic plans for Qatar and Oman, sharing local market knowledge with the UKEF, DBT and FCDO teams.
• Track project and sector development plans and priorities of the governments of Qatar and Oman.
• Act as the lead source of UKEF advice to local DBT teams, including integration of UKEF objectives in priority campaigns led by the DBT in Qatar and Oman. 

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 DBT sector leads in core UKEF outreach activities in Qatar and Oman, creating cohesive business development strategies involving DBT 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 DBT team members’ command of UKEF’s financing products through regular presentations, workshops, and joint meetings.
• Lead UKEF collaboration with the local DBT 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 or Consulate General, as applicable.

Candidates will need to demonstrate the following Key Behaviours and Diversity & Inclusion during the interview:

Key Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions – Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
• Working Together – Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.
• Delivering at Pace – Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
• Communicating and Influencing – Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
• Seeing the Big Picture – Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The British Embassy Doha has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination and is fully committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive work environment for all.

We are committed to valuing diversity and to equality of opportunity. Our aim is to create and promote an environment in which all staff are treated fairly and with respect and feel able to contribute to the best of their abilities.

• Degree and/or equivalent professional financial or accounting experience   
• At least ten years’ professional experience in a banking, finance, or export credit agency/ project finance advisory role 
• 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 
• 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  
• Extensive 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 and project developers 
• 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