View Vacancy – Senior Commercial Attaché

The British Embassy in Doha is part of a worldwide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is looking to appoint a Senior Commercial Attaché grade C4 (L). An excellent opportunity for a dynamic, energetic and highly-motivated individual to play a key and impactful role in the Embassy’s Department for International Trade (DIT) team.

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow

Main Purpose of the Role:

The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying, supporting and developing opportunities for new and extant British companies seeking to enter or expand in the Qatari market.

The role in context will be responsible for leading on the Technology (including Agritech), Infrastructure (Smart Cities), and non-Defence related Cyber Security sectors, although may be re-assigned based on needs and priorities of the team.

Additionally, they will be supporting wider DIT responsibilities including handling market research enquiries, coordinating events, and recording business interactions, providing tailored reports and proactively identifying business opportunities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities shall include:

• Leading on sectors as a Senior Commercial Attaché, to develop a deep understanding of UK and Qatari market, including key players, market opportunities, market access issues and competition.
• Provide competent support and advice to British companies wishing to enter Qatar.
• Build strategic relationships with organisations (private and public), that increase British trade by identifying export opportunities and future economic partnerships
• Engaging the respective sectors’ network, including briefing British and Qatari businesses, responding to enquiries, including market access, local engagement and doing business in Qatar.
• Build and manage a pipeline of high value projects.
• Organise key events and activities, which support British trade work in Qatar including webinars, roadshows, trade missions, and Ministerial visits. Build upon relationships with key stakeholders whilst proactively seeking out new clients and opportunities to build the sector pipeline(s).
• Deliver against agreed targets, including Export Wins, OMIS (Overseas Market Introduction Service) revenue, Export Opportunities, and case studies / success stories published.
• Travel to the UK for trade promotion activities.
• Initiate engagement with Qatari clients to identify market trends and emerging opportunities.
• Build and maintain senior and operational relationships within the Embassy, across the wider MEAP region and with DIT/Whitehall.
• Collaborate with UK and Regional teams, including sector specialists to deliver high quality outputs and support to British businesses.
• Working independently on achieving aims of the post, while reporting directly to the Country Deputy Director.
• Promote, where relevant, the financing products offered by UK Export Finance, the British government’s Export Credit Agency, to support companies win contracts.
• Maintaining a log contact with customers on our global ‘Data Hub’ database.
• Ensuring robust forecasting of event and submitting timely budget requests.

Additional DIT team duties include:

• Providing support to wider team events, including Senior/Ministerial visits
• Updating the DIT key contact database to be used for invites to events
• Providing administrative support to the wider Trade and Investment team as required
• Any additional duties as required by the Director/Deputy Director of International Trade

Key Competencies:

• Delivering at Pace: Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. It’s about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. 
• Collaborating and Partnering: People skilled in this area create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done.
• Managing a Quality Service: Effectiveness in this area is about being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. 
• Leading and Communicating: Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. It’s about supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.

• University Qualification, minimum bachelor degree or equivalent.
• 5-10 years’ experience in business development.
• Proven track record of cross-team collaboration.
• A self-starter who can hit the ground running and quickly adapt to the role.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with confidence to establish connections and build senior level business and government relationships, and ability to initiate and maintain a wide range of working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Ability to work well under pressure, to tight deadlines, in a highly challenging and demanding environment.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to work quickly, reliably and proactively with attention to detail and limited supervision.
• Demonstrated experience meeting and/or exceeding challenging targets.
• Analytical skills acquired in an international market context with a consultative sales approach to achieving results.
• A fast learner who can demonstrate initiative, resilience, and project management skills.
• Excellent written and oral English is essential with an eye for detail, and a confident communicator.
• Strong IT computer skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Office and conducting internet searches.