View Vacancy – AUH – Trade & Investment Officer, Defence, Security and Cyber A2(L)

The British Embassy Abu Dhabi has a vacancy for a Trade & Investment Officer for the Defence, Security and Cyber sector under the Department for International Trade (DIT).

Defence, Security and Cyber exports are a crucial part of the UK’s Global Britain agenda and supports jobs and skills growth both in the UK and with our international partners.

As a Trade & Investment Officer, you will be at the heart of supporting the UK’s trade and investment interests in the United Arab Emirates. The UK’s offer in these sectors is exceptional but often relies heavily on a quality service being provided by our overseas missions, including in the UAE.

You will be joining a small but friendly team at DIT in Abu Dhabi, part of the wider, one-DIT team that also has staff in Dubai. The role may require some travel to the British Embassy Dubai and some opportunities for international travel may be available to support our activities in the UK. This role will provide excellent exposure to a range of stakeholders in both government and industry. You will work with and support a member of the diplomatic staff at the Embassy as part of your day to day role.

Duties and responsibilities:

This role will be varied and no two days will be the same.

You will be asked to assist with conducting research on particular areas and assist with delivering events such as networking opportunities, trade exhibitions, and senior UK ministerial and official visits to further our aims. You will be required to keep abreast of developments in the UAE and regional defence, security and cyber industry, and may be required to brief senior diplomats orally and verbally. Additionally, you will lead on maintaining records of our interactions with industry using our own records management software.

You will have the opportunity to build your own network of contacts and may be asked to deputise for the First Secretary in some engagements with stakeholders in the UAE. There will also be the opportunity to help shape our approach in other sectors such as space and aerospace.

You are also required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.

Key competencies required:

• Collaborating and Partnering – Being a team player, creating and maintaining positive, professional, and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the organisation to help get business done. Working collaboratively, sharing information appropriately, and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions.
• Making Effective Decisions – Using sound judgement, evidence, and knowledge to arrive at accurate, expert, and professional decisions and advice. Being careful and thoughtful about the use and protection of government and public information to ensure it is handled securely and with care.
• Leading and Communicating – Showing pride and passion for public service, leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction, integrity, and enthusiasm. Displaying enthusiasm around goals and activities; adopting a positive approach and engaging with people in a straightforward, truthful and candid way, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
• Managing a Quality Service – Valuing and modelling professional excellence and expertise to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. Effectively planning, organising, and managing time and activities to deliver a high-quality, secure, reliable, and efficient service, applying programme and project and risk management approaches to support service delivery.

We are looking for a motivated and reliable self-starter to join our busy team to help shape our future export and investment focus in the UAE.

You will need to be confident dealing with a range of stakeholders, both internally within the Embassy community and in industry and our host government. You will need to be able to maintain a range of contacts to build effective working relationships, and work closely with senior staff and their contacts. Excellent interpersonal skills will be essential in this role.

Excellent communications skills in English, both written and oral, is required for this role. You must have the ability to express and present your ideas clearly and concisely.

You will be required to be creative and ambitious in responding to challenges, thinking outside the box to land our desired outcomes with our customers. Taking a proactive approach to solving problems will also be essential.

You will need to be able to work flexibly and prioritise your own workload to meet multiple and changing priorities, deadlines, and objectives without compromising the quality of the work. You also need to be able to work independently and to take the initiative as well as able to work well with others.

Proficiency in using MS Office programmes (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) is also required for this role.