Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
DIT
On behalf of UK Export Finance, the Department of International Trade at the British Embassy in Belgrade is seeking a Head of Export Finance Manager.
The UK Government is adding to its commercial resource base in the Central Europe in order to grow UK trade with the region in a mutual beneficial manner. Finance is a critical part of the picture of promoting more business between the UK and our overseas partners. UK Export Finance has already shown how effective it can be in helping other regions deliver on their trade and investment plans, and in so doing opening opportunites for UK companies. This role provides an opportunity to further that, helping to shape the new, long-term UK partnership for prosperity and stability with the Central Europe.
About UK Export Finance
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency (ECA) and operates in partnership with the Department for International Trade (DIT).
UKEF’s mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance, while operating at no net cost to the taxpayer. In 2010/21, UKEF provided £12.3 billion of support to help 549 exporters sell to over 100 countries..
UKEF helps UK companies:
- Win export contracts by providing attractive financing terms to their buyers
- Fulfil contracts by supporting working capital loans and guaranteeing performance bonds
- Get paid by insuring against buyer default
UKEF Business Plan
In June 2020 UKEF published its new four-year business plan. In this plan, we have 4 delivery objectives, which set out what we need to achieve to realise our mission, and 3 organisational objectives, which define the resources, skills and operational capabilities we will need to do that.
You can read our Business Plan 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 the Department for International Trade and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. 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 Magazines. 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 International Trade
Active in 14 markets in Central Europe, DIT promotes exports to the region of British goods and services, two way investment between the UK and Cental Europe, and mutual improved market access to help grow our bilateral trade. This role will focus particularly on the first of these, supporting developers and enabling access for UK exporters.
Main tasks and responsibilities
- The jobholder will be the sole UKEF representative in Belgrade. The jobholder will have responsibility for the Western Balkans markets, and will also be expected to assume responsibility for selected regional markets of Central Europe to be agreed.
- The jobholder will be responsible for developing strategic relationships and partnerships with businesses, government, and other key stakeholders in order to promote export growth. The jobholder will support UKEF and the Department for International Trade (DIT) in providing specialist market advice to potential exporters.
- The jobholder will support Her Majesty’s Ambassadors in the region in delivering their trade and investment objectives. He/she will also collaborate with the DIT and UKEF management teams to deliver the aims of the Origination/ Business Development team, UKEF, and DIT as a whole. The jobholder will act as the eyes and ears of UKEF supporting the objectives of the Origination team to grow UKEF supported exports by focussing on five (5) key areas of activity:
1) Build awareness of UKEF support capabilities
- Lead local campaigns to raise the profile of UKEF internationally through engagement with the business community, government bodies, and other stakeholder organisations.
- Deliver UKEF marketing plans, ensuring that messages are appropriate to the audience. Remove complexity and build understanding. Develop a localised message where possible.
- Develop and implement promotion activities that educate the local/ regional business community on UKEF products.
- Develop UKEF knowledge base within the local DIT team.
2) Build and share market knowledge
- Develop detailed knowledge and insight of public and private sector organisations, including their strategic business planning and development objectives. Implement findings into UKEF strategic plans.
- Understand and interpret host government trade policy, priority sectors, and projects.
- Ensure timely export intelligence and insight for Origination, enabling opportunities for UKEF.
- Act as the lead source of UKEF advice to local DIT teams, including integration of UKEF objectives in priority campaigns (current campaigns include Clean Energy, Infrastructure, Defence, Education, Healthcare, Financial and Professional Services).
- Take the lead in leveraging expertise, knowledge, and networks of local staff, business chambers, and other local channels in their capacity as multipliers.
- Identify the competitive framework (Export Credit Agencies and Supply Chain), articulate the difference of the UKEF offer. Seek collaboration where appropriate.
- Exploit local knowledge, experience, and networks to gather intelligence of local commercial banking sectorial focus and appetite for risk.
3) Establish and maintain stakeholder relationships –
- UKEF primary stakeholders are buyers, UK exporters, project sponsors, host government departments, etc. This role will be required to:
- Identify key buyers and sponsors in the target markets.
- Exploit knowledge and experience to build robust business networks and develop calling plans to enhance the profile of UKEF.
- Oversee the development of mechanisms to record and coordinate business outreach activities.
- Maintain and develop regular contacts with local senior sponsors, banks, public sector organisations, government bodies, and UK businesses to identify export opportunities that could benefit from UKEF support.
- Engage with UKEF’s global network to identify opportunities of mutual interest in third markets with international sponsors and contractors
- Build and maintain relationships with other countries’ export finance bodies to learn lessons.
4) Create and deliver strategic plans
- Support DIT Managers in country strategic planning aligned to UKEF organisational objectives, supporting export campaigns where ‘leading with finance’ could be an important driver.
- Embed UKEF offer into DIT export campaign plans.
5) Progress business development opportunities
- Lead the local coordination of UKEF local campaign activities.
- Engage the UK Export Finance Manager (EFM) Network to ensure seamless coordination between the UK supply chain and local sponsor.
- Lead UKEF local relationships with providers of trade finance and risk mitigation products (e.g., banks, credit insurers, brokers, and others) and to introduce customers/ sponsors who require their services.
- Lead UKEF collaboration with the local DIT team to develop innovative export solutions for UK companies.
- Coordinate and support visits from UKEF management.
This list is not exhaustive; the International Export Finance Executive may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.
- This role would suit a self-starter who has experience of working in a financial services background and/ or in credit finance. Trade background in a similar or business development role and knowledge of Export Credit Agency instruments and experience of trade finance are essential
- Understanding of local capital markets and experience of navigating emerging/ growth markets with the ability to support complex financial service projects are also required for this role.
- Degree and/or equivalent professional financial or accounting qualification
- At least ten years professional experience
- Financial services career experience
- Current and relevant commercial management skills and well versed in contracting and finance oversight.
- Proven experience of leading structured finance
- Proven ability to take the initiative pursuing the objectives in the job description
- Proven competence in leading strategy development and business planning
- Proven experience of leading structured finance transactions and delivering against financial outcomes
- Proven advisory and negotiation skills at senior levels –able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication
- Management experience of autonomous operations in a sector servicing exporters in financial and credit risk products; or in a relevant role in an exporting business
- Confident public speaking and networking skills
- Able to influence and network confidently with industry leaders, government officials, and senior business people
- Competent in Microsoft Office applications
- Experience of project delivery in the Central European context.
- Client facing experience, for example with a professional services business. (managing businesses, understanding issues and pursuing strategies together).
- Knowledge of UKEF’s credit risk policy and business environment.
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Achieving Commercial Outcomes
17 October 2021
D6 (L)
Fixed Term, Full-time, Temporary
39
12 months
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Serbia
Belgrade
British Embassy
1
EUR
4500
1 December 2021
30 November 2022
The successful applicant will have access to a range of Learning and Development opportunities with in-house and e learning, with the potential for overseas training. From time to time, there will be requirements to assist other teams within the Department, working with other members of the team to build overall experience through delivery of training and awareness session.
A training programme will be provided with UK Export Finance in London.
This is a full-time position of 5 days (39 hours net per week). Embassy core hours are from 08.00-16.30 Mon-Thu and 08.00-13.00 on Fridays.
The Embassy supports the work-life balance of its employees, and is open to flexible working.
This is for a full time employment, on a fixed term basis for one-year with a view for extension.
The salary is gross and subject to payment of all mandatory social security contributions (19.9%) and tax (10%), in line with local regulations.
In addition to monthly salary, staff receives a meal allowance of €70 per month and transport allowance of 4,040 dinars per month (review each February) as per Terms & Conditions.
The successful candidate will be subject to professional background and security clearance and must have pre-existing work authorization for Serbia in order to apply.
The successful candidate will be hired as a temporary/ permanent member of staff under the terms and conditions which apply to all Country Based Staff (CBS) in employment relationship; tax and social contributions will be paid accordingly.
All contributions are deductable at the source. If for any reason the Employee is required to work for periods longer than the conditioned hours overtime may be paid.
Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Serbia are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Serbian employment law.
No accommodation and relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.
The successful candidate must have the right to live and work in Serbia.
Interested candidates must fill out the online application form in full.
Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.
* Please note Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment indicates Level C2 as Mastery or proficiency Level which comprehends that a person can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation; can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. For more information please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.
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