Main purpose of job:

This is an exciting opportunity to join the British High Commission (BHC) in Singapore as the Co-Head of Inward Investment at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). DBT works with British businesses to increase exports around the world and promotes investment opportunities in the UK for overseas businesses.

The successful candidate for this role will play an important role in the local DBT Singapore team, which comprises export and investment advisers focused on strengthening the UK’s prosperity through growing commercial partnerships with Singapore. As Co‑Head of Inward Investment, you will work alongside an incumbent counterpart, and together you will be responsible for promoting UK opportunities and driving capital investment into the UK. The expansion of this team through the creation of this role reflects the positive upward trend in Singaporean investment into the UK, now valued at £340 billion when foreign direct investment and portfolio investments are combined.

Your primary measure of success will be defined by the scale and strategic value of the investment projects you secure. Effective relationship management is key to this role – you will engage and influence a wide range of decision-makers in Singapore, using strong interpersonal and commercial skills to build trusted relationships with senior executives. You will also need to develop effective networks across UK government departments, particularly the Office for Investment, to provide the best possible support to investor clients.

This position is ideal for a dynamic and ambitious self‑starter who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and who will relish the opportunity to engage with senior business leaders across both established and emerging sectors that are critical to the UK’s prosperity- and in doing so, directly contributing to the continued growth of the UK-Singapore bilateral relationship.

In addition to working closely with government departments in the UK, you will be part of a supportive, collaborative and high-performing network in the BHC, collaborating with regional DBT colleagues, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office colleagues, and economic development agencies from the devolved administrations of the UK including Invest Northern Ireland and Scottish Development International.

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

You will be responsible for developing a strategic campaign plan and delivering agreed KPIs. To achieve this, you will focus on the following areas:

Relationship Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders in Singaporean target companies and existing investors with the goal of influencing decision makers to invest further into high value UK projects.
• Develop a deep understanding of investors’ business models, international plans and strategic priorities, allowing you to present compelling UK opportunities that align with their investment theses and to inform UK policy design in support of a stronger investment environment.
• Champion UK strengths and investment opportunities, working where appropriate with mayoral/combined authorities in the UK to highlight local propositions.
• Develop impactful and strategic engagement plans for your assigned accounts and sectors. In addition to working-level activity, this will include UK Ministers and local senior HMG representatives such as the British High Commissioner to Singapore and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia-Pacific. Prepare high quality written and oral briefings as appropriate.
• Represent at and lead investment-related meetings and events (which may occasionally require being able to be present at early evening receptions and dinners).
• Build a strong network across UK government key stakeholders to support investor clients, including sector and thematic specialists, the economic development agencies of the UK’s devolved administrations, delivery partners and colleagues across the BHC and wider UK government.
• Shape and contribute to the programming of UK ministerial visits to Singapore, ensuring these moments drive meaningful engagement with senior decision-makers. Inversely, support Singaporean investor visits to the UK, ensuring exposure to relevant UK opportunities and securing high quality engagements.
• Ensure accurate reporting in our bespoke CRM system and provide insights on any opportunities or barriers to investment to UK policy units and senior officials.

Strategy Development and Delivery of the Business Plan

• Identify and secure high value investment projects from Singapore into the UK in line with your KPIs, ensuring every engagement contributes to a strong, growing pipeline.
• Use research, data and analysis to focus activity on the highest value sectors and accounts, designing targeted campaigns across priority sectors aligned with the UK’s Industrial Strategy. Build strong sector expertise, including understanding opportunities, barriers and relevant trade policy developments.

Learning and Development 

• With the investment environment constantly evolving, continually build knowledge and understanding of the UK’s priority sectors for growth under its Industrial Strategy, policy messages and milestones; as well as the business models of Singaporean target companies, investor profiles and Singapore’s growth sectors.

We reserve the right to review and amend roles and responsibilities from time to time to reflect business needs.

Staff management is currently under review and to be discussed with successful candidate upon arrival.

• At least five years professional experience with successful and proven track record and experience in relationship management, lead generation, business development and commercial delivery.
• Commercial skills, versed in how companies contract and structure projects. Broad understanding of Singaporean corporates, institutional investors, venture capital, technology and financial services sectors.
• Excellent facilitation, convening, networking, communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate and confidently communicate (both orally and in writing) with senior stakeholders, commercial clients, and a wide and diverse BHC team.
• Strong diagnostic analysis skills to break down complex information and to present key points to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work at pace, prioritise tasks and work independently to delivery high quality outcomes while meeting deadlines.
• A proactive, can-do approach, combined with high standards for delivery and meeting deadlines.
• Good judgement and political awareness.
• Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the role and work outside normal office hours as required.