Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
DIT
Main purpose of job:
The British High Commission (BHC) in Singapore is recruiting an EISS Senior Market Advisor to join its Department for International Trade (DIT) team. The Enhanced International Support Services (EISS) programme is the UK’s Trade Support services programme, ensuring the delivery of a quality service to around 5,000 small and medium sized businesses looking to export overseas each year. In APAC, there will be an EISS APAC Hub managing and triaging enquires who will work with EISS market advisors across the region to guide local delivery of the service.
This position is an exciting opportunity for an outgoing, proactive and creative individual to make an impact on the Singapore-UK commercial relationship. You will head-up a newly formed two-person unit, reporting to the Deputy Director – Trade & Investment, and have line management responsibility for the EISS Market Advisor role. You will play a key role in DIT’s objectives of supporting UK companies exporting goods and services to the Singapore market and the wider APAC region.
EISS market advisers will ensure local delivery of service to UK companies with export enquiries. You will conduct free market research services for companies, working with them to understand their requirements, undertaking desk research and supplying relevant market information. You will be asked to cover a cross-section of sectors and types of enquiry and will need to be adaptable to this – providing credible advice to a range of companies, whilst not being able to be expert on every sector. As such, you will lead on engagement with UK businesses, analysing their options in the market. You will utilize a wide range of external sources of information and where relevant suggest companies suitable for B2B meetings.
You will, with support from the Hub, manage the local Overseas Referral Network (ORN). The ORN is composed of potential suppliers of follow up advice and support for UK businesses, who can work with companies to get them set up in country. Your role is to source potential suppliers, meet with them, and have an oversight of the services delivered. Though ORN services are delivered outside of DIT, you will monitor customer satisfaction and will be able to add or remove companies from the ORN.
Located within BHC in Singapore, DIT supports UK-based businesses to export globally and encourages overseas investment into the UK. In Singapore, in addition to EISS, our 17-person team focusses on the supporting trade across Infrastructure, Technology, Financial Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences and Maritime sectors, alongside scoping new and emerging sectors.
Roles and responsibilities:
As this is a new role to deliver a new service, roles and responsibilities may evolve and the jobholder will need to be flexible and adaptive. Below is an indication of the likely core aspects of the role:
Account Management and Market Enquiry
- Increase the value of UK exports by being the main point of contact for small and medium sized businesses (particularly in sectors such as consumer & retail, education, and food & drink) looking to export to the market, providing advice on the complexities of gaining entry to APAC markets. This requires an in-depth review of the market, research and knowledge of the UK businesses looking to export.
- Providing guidance to senior grades and stakeholders in identifying their route to market in Singapore, assessing their market entry needs, and advising on options for making progress. Through technical knowledge and expertise, this role has a direct impact on the EISS programme, raising quality of service and securing good external relationships.
- Work proactively to build demand within the local market, seeking out export opportunities and tenders, and identifying and building relationships with major local businesses and importers.
- Produce, research and keep up to date various ‘off the shelf’ market information products. These may include overviews of key sectors of interest, as well as ‘how to’ guides relating to core aspects of setting up operations in country.
- Ensure export account management processes are followed and businesses are linked in to the International Trade Advisor Network.
- Join EISS, Regional, and Devolved Administration teams’ UK facing promotional opportunities when they occur, and support visibility of market opportunities to SMEs.
- Help UK businesses establish effective export strategies and if needed, recommend additional options from the local Overseas Referral Network, ensuring regular follow up to remain a key player in their client’s export journey, tracking the service delivery to ensure it is fit for purpose and identify if further help is needed
Overseas Referral Network
- Work with the APAC EISS Hub to maintain and increase market intelligence to promote dialogue with clients and build promote relationships with business in each region, including with a view to updating and expanding the Overseas Referral Network
- Maintain a thorough and in-depth knowledge and analysis of all of the markets in their region working closely with UK missions and directing business to opportunities not just in the primary market.
People Management
- Line Manage one B3 Market Advisor in region, supporting their development of their own market approach, offering guidance on relationship management, and working directly to oversee delivery in some cases.
- Agree and support managed staff in building capacity for themselves and smaller markets as required, and agree with EISS senior management an L&D approach.
Resources managed:
- Line manage one B3 Market Advisor.
- At least 4 years’ experience in a customer facing and/or trade related job
- Strong stakeholder management skills, comfortable dealing with senior officials and business people
- Ability to produce clear and accurate work with attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and use initiative to solve problems
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
- Experience working with regional and virtual teams
- Ability to adapt and work in a start-up environment
- Strong skills in Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint
- Familiarity with UK business and/or UK culture.
Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace
3 January 2022
C4 (L)
Fixed Term, Full-time
37.5
12 months
Asia Pacific
Singapore
Singapore
British High Commission
1
SGD
7,331
14 February 2022
This is a fixed-term role until 31 March 2023.
We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary of SGD 7,331 per month and annual wage supplement [an additional 2 months’ salary paid out in December each year], 23-day annual leave entitlement in pro rata and insurance plan.
We welcome applications from candidates in countries from which travel to Singapore is feasible under the prevailing Covid-related border restrictions. Singapore will only allow entry for those fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved under the WHO EUL. Successful overseas applicants are responsible for all costs associated with relocating to Singapore.
We offer time and financial support for the successful candidate to take advantage of professional learning and development opportunities inside and outside of the organisation.
The BHC has an active Learning & Development Committee which works hard to provide a comprehensive L&D offer. There is a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job-shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the International Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all available opportunities.
All new hires undertake a workplace induction and there are a number of mandatory e-learning courses that must be completed in order to pass probation.
Normal working hours are 37.5 per week: 8.30am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday.
BHC Singapore supports and promotes flexible working as a crucial part of our inclusive offering.
In addition to the duties which this job normally entails, you may from time to time be required to undertake additional or other duties as necessary to meet the needs of the High Commission, including playing a part in the corporate life of the mission and supporting any crisis response.
We welcome applications from candidates in countries from which travel to Singapore is feasible under the prevailing Covid-related border restrictions. Singapore will only allow entry for those fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved under the WHO EUL. No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. You must be eligible for a local work permit, which we will apply for and sponsor.
Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Singapore employment law. Applicants should be aware that Singapore has mandated that from 1 January 2022 only employees who are fully vaccinated, or have recovered from COVID-19 within 270 days, can return to the workplace. Singapore will require unvaccinated employees to have a negative Pre-Event Testing (PET) result at their own expense before coming to the office.
Only short-listed applications will be called for interviews. Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks.
The British High Commission is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation. Our values of Collaboration, Opportunity, Respect and Excellence (CORE) are our guiding principles. We aspire to live our values consistently in order to make the British High Commission a great place to work where staff feel valued, supported and inspired to be their best.
Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.
To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.
The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.
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