View Vacancy – Market Access and Trade Policy Officer, Mexico City, Trade Policy

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy is recruiting a B3 (L) Trade Policy and Market Access Officer to work in the Trade Policy Team and alongside Department for International Trade (DIT) colleagues, to support work to grow and deepen the UK-Mexico bilateral trade relationship. We are looking for an individual (with relative or transferable experience) to lead the Embassy’s market access work and to support bilateral trade policy work.  

Trade and Investment is at the centre of the British government’s foreign policy. Reducing market access barriers, implementing our Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) with Mexico, and starting talks on a new modern and ambitious UK-Mexico FTA, alongside the UK’s accession to CPTPP, are all priorities for the Embassy given their potential to open and expand markets for British products and services, while providing new opportunities for Mexico with the UK. Mexico is an important and growing partner for the UK and there is real potential to increase and diversify our trade and investment relationship over the coming years.

Roles and responsibilities:

Market Access – Strategy Development (50%)

• Identify and investigate market access barriers affecting UK-Mexico trade. Supported by DIT and FCDO colleagues analyse and understand these barriers to establish their importance to UK trade, their likelihood of resolution, and opportunities to address them bilaterally and through work with partners.

• Establish yourself as the Embassy’s market access lead with the British Chamber and UK companies, attending Chamber working groups and 1-to-1 meetings with companies (as appropriate) alongside sector leads and the Strategic Partnership lead.

• Lead on the development of Market Access Action Plans, working closely with the Embassy’s Sector leads, applying project management skills in overseeing their implementation, including through engagement with Mexican federal and state governments, other Embassies, business and industry bodies (as appropriate).
  

• Maintain an up-to-date record of our market access barriers, and our activity to resolve them, on the DIT Digital Market Access Platform (digital database), updating London periodically on progress.

• Lead on developing wider market access projects or activity aimed at unlocking identified barriers, including through UK capacity sharing with host authorities, visits of subject matter experts, and market analysis.
  

Trade Policy Support (50%)

• Support campaign and promotion work to increase business awareness and utilisation of the UK-Mexico TCA, and efforts to develop new institutional mechanisms with the UK and Mexican governments, business and industry, through which to undertake our bilateral engagement (including implementation of the TCA and engagement ahead of, and during, future trade negotiations). This may include organising bilateral trade dialogues, business-to-business activity and supporting DIT Ministerial and Senior Officials’ visits.

• Undertake research, and reporting on the Mexican trade policy environment and local context, providing advice on regional and bilateral trade policy issues, and partner countries approaches to key global and multilateral trade issues – including the global economic response to COVID-19 and WTO reform. Work as part of a team on reporting, analysis, briefings, and presentations on trade policy and market access issues.

• Lead on producing a regular bi-weekly update to Embassy, regional and London colleagues on the key trade policy issues affecting Mexico – especially in the context of UK-Mexico trade, and trade with regional partners.

• Support the Trade Policy Team on strategy building, planning, logistics and engagement linked to the UK’s CPTPP accession and future negotiations on a new modern and ambitious bilateral UK-Mexico agreement.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): N/A

1 x A2 Economic and Trade Assistant and countersign 1 x Intern

Essential on arrival: 

• Be qualified to at least degree (bachelor’s) level in related field (Economics, International Trade, International Business or related subject).
• Have a strong understanding of Trade Policy and Market Access principles with at least 2 years relevant experience.
• Have strong communication and relationship management skills.
• Have project management skills.
• Should be a proactive and creative self-starter with strong interpersonal skills and ability to deliver positive results through collaboration and networks.
• Excellent written and spoken communication (English and Spanish).
• Excellent data management and analytical skills.