View Vacancy – DXB – Senior Trade Policy and Market Access Officer C5(L)

The British Embassy Dubai has a vacancy for a Senior Trade Policy and Market Access Officer under the Department for International Trade (DIT) for a fixed-term contract of two (2) years.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity in a growing area of DIT work focused on trade policy. The position requires flexibility and enthusiasm to understand UK priorities and work in a wide range of areas, from details of economic regulation to bigger picture overviews of economic trends in the UAE.

One of the UK’s foreign policy objectives is to help build the UK’s prosperity by increasing exports and investment, opening markets, ensuring access to resources, and promoting sustainable growth. The successful candidate for this position will help lead the British Embassy’s work in the UAE in support of this agenda, with particular responsibility for government-to-government liaison to build a strong partnership to address barriers to trade. This will include a focus on, but not limited, to trade policy, regulation, economic reform, and drivers of economic growth including skills and innovation.

The jobholder will also be the Deputy for the region, reporting to the Head of Trade Policy and Market Access based in Saudi Arabia and will contribute to cross-team working with other British Embassies across the GCC. 

Duties and responsibilities:

This position is embedded within the DIT’s UAE country team, working across the Post (Embassy) and the region, working in the following areas:

• Use research and analysis skills, including building an effective network of local contacts, to understand where UK companies may face market access or other challenges in the UAE market; and the tools, including cooperation on regulatory best practice and UK standards, which may be used to address these. The jobholder will work closely with existing DIT Sector Leads on market access issues they have identified and lead on taking forward the issues and continuing to communicate any changes or gains made.
• Engage businesses and other stakeholders whilst working closely with colleagues across the DIT network (such as Analysis and Policy colleagues in London) to prioritise these barriers based on their economic value, resolvability, and strategic importance to the UK.
• Work with UAE government departments and other public sector bodies and their UK counterparts on all aspects of market access. As required, help facilitate formal government-to-government (G2G) agreements and arrangements to address challenges and realise opportunities.
• Produce succinct reports, including for senior staff at the Embassy, visiting ministers and officials, and UK government departments relating to these issues. Identifying key market access and trade policy issues and suggesting solutions on how to work with the UAE authorities and wider HMG (Her Majesty’s Government) on addressing them.
• Help arrange UK-UAE visits in both directions in support of the above activities.
• Acting as project manager as required for specific projects. The jobholder will also be required to take on corporate activity across the Post.
• Work with colleagues in other Posts/ Embassies in the GCC and with teams in DIT’s UK headquarters, as part of the UK’s trade policy agenda in the region, sharing knowledge and best practice, and cooperating where required on specific projects.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be 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:

• Leading and Communicating – Showing our pride and passion for public service, leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction, integrity, and enthusiasm. Being visible, establishing a strong direction and a persuasive future vision; managing and engaging with people in a straightforward, truthful and candid way, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
• Collaborating and Partnering – Being a team player who creates and maintains 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. Being approachable, delivering business objectives through creating an inclusive environment, encouraging collaboration, building effective partnerships including relationships with Ministers and welcoming challenge however uncomfortable.
• Delivering at Pace – Focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. Building a performance culture where staff are given space, authority, and support to deliver outcomes; and keeping a firm focus on priorities and addressing performance issues resolutely, fairly, and promptly.
• Seeing the Big Picture – Having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs. Focusing your contribution on the activities which will meet organisational goals and deliver the greatest value. Scanning the political context and taking account of wider impacts to develop long-term implementation strategies that maximise opportunities to add value and support economic, sustainable growth.

• Existing knowledge of the UK or UAE economy, and ideally both, with demonstrated ability rapidly to master a wide range of economic and trade issues.
• Good knowledge of economic and/or trade policy from working in a related role, including relevant higher education qualification.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely and ability to write to a high standard for a wide range of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with confidence to work on their own initiative and a proven ability to engage and influence at a senior level internally and with external contacts, and collaborate effective across Embassy teams.
• Have a proven record of organisational ability. Ability to prioritise own workload and meet deadlines, without compromising the quality of the work.
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).