View Vacancy – Trade Adviser (Trade Project Management & Marketing), Milan (ITA20.453)

Note: Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign. We are working hard to minimise any disruption. You may find more information in the Additional Information section below.

The British Consulate General Milan is looking for a dynamic, customer focused, pro-active Trade Adviser (Trade Project Management & Marketing). If you are a highly organised person, with strong communication skills and who cares about customer satisfaction, this role is for you.

The main purpose of this job is to promote trade opportunities in the Italian market to help the UK industry gain new export opportunities (Export Wins) or to establish their presence in the market through an investment strategy (Overseas Direct Investment – ODI).

As part of the wider Europe Regional DIT team, the job holder will report to the Head of Trade Engineering Unit to assist with the implementation of DIT trade strategy in Italy and with the coordination of the Department of international Trade in Head Office. This will be a collaborative and flexible role, allocated to cross-sector work on key projects across the DIT Italy trade team requiring priority attention.

In agreement with the team leaders and in collaboration with DIT headquarters in the UK, he/she will ensure the development of a dedicated strategy to drive sustainable growth of UK exports to Italy. She/he will understand the criteria behind a clean economic recovery and a sustainable supply chain, and will identify opportunities and obstacles for UK companies in the Italian market. The resource will work within a team of expert trade advisers and will bring expertise in key trade campaigns which have been identified as priority for UK industry in Italy. She/he will support UK companies of all sizes who are currently faced with the challenges of post-Covid recovery and transition to a new relationship with the EU.   She/he will bring new industry contacts to the team and will open up collaborations with local trade associations, exhibition organisers, sectorial organisations.

This flexible role will focus on support for UK exporters adapting to the UK-EU Future Economic Relationship and post-Covid economic recovery, and on new opportunities arising from the future trading relationship with Italy. The successful candidate will hold responsibility for identifying and taking forward new strategic opportunities for export growth, as well as any future market access barriers facing UK exporters to Italy, and working to address these in collaboration with the existing Trade Policy Officer.

This role will work alongside with the Business Communications manager in their business-facing communications campaigns covering the future UK-EU trading relationship, and the promotion of growth opportunities in technology and clean growth. The successful candidate will be confident in external communications, promoting UK commercial strengths relevant to the post-Covid recovery in Italy and continued growth in UK-Italy trading relations. On both objectives, this person will be part of a cross-Europe DIT marketing team contributing to a Europe wide communications plan.

The successful candidate will be joining a dynamic team supporting trade across a diverse range of sectors, activities and key stakeholders. The job holder will strengthen and reinforce our Trade team in Italy, overseeing the in-market Customer Relationship Management (CRM) approach in collaboration with the existing team. The role-holder would capture and analyse company data in order to track previous account activities and ensure appropriate evidence is provided in support of the team’s performance objectives. In particular this role will act as reference point for the team’s Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) work, supporting UK industry to invest in the Italian market and expand their business overseas.

Members of the team are experienced and highly motivated to train and coach new colleagues in the team to deliver on their potential to reach common objectives and personal ambitions. The role will be based either at the British Consulate in Milan, or at the British Embassy in Rome depending on the successful candidate’s circumstances.

What you will do:

• Delivery: Introduction and implementation of a robust and a future-proof customer relationship management methodology in Italy, build on the overall CRM practice outlined by DIT HQ;
• Resources: Propose, discuss, agree and implement the CRM plans for clients in close cooperation with the existing Trade teams at Post taking personal initiative and ensuring cooperation with all relevant colleagues;
• Capture: Ensuring local data, knowledge, activities and plans are captured and presented using the DIT CRM templates, while sharing those with the relevant account team and key stakeholders; and kept updated at any time;
• Strategy: Using all means available to successfully deliver Trade projects, in particular Export Wins and ODIs. Establish procedures for agreement of selection criteria for CRM in Italy;
• Communication: As required by the Trade team, build solid rapport with clients in order to establish a regular dialogue with them aimed at managing a quality service and delivering value for money;
• Personal: Demonstrate personal ambition for DIT’s Trade team including the ability to maximise resource, introduce innovative ideas and enhance capabilities leading to increased performance and effectiveness;
• Flexibility: Seamless integration into the existing Trade team at Post and provide them with support on CRM guidelines.

Specifically:

• Identify and map business opportunities and needs in the market so as to facilitate market entry by new UK companies and grow business for current exporters – in line with UK industry strengths
• Manage and retain relationships with major importers and stakeholders in Italy to introduce new British companies or grow business of current British suppliers.
• Find opportunities for high-impact industry promotion projects, both physical and digital, through partnerships with key local stakeholders, such as exhibition organisers, industry associations, multipliers
• Propose, discuss, agree and implement strategic events, both physical and digital, in agreement with team leaders.
• Follow industry trends locally and internationally so to identify industry gaps and create new export opportunities for UK companies in Italy
• Wider collaboration with the whole DIT Italy team, demonstrating resilience and adaptability
• Collaborate with broader Consulate team and British Embassy on the occasion of major events involving Ambassador, VIP contacts, key stakeholders and manage relations with HQ/Post colleagues and policy teams to ensure efficient account management.
• Demonstrate personal ambition for DIT’s trade team including the ability to maximise resources, introduce innovative ideas and enhance capabilities leading to increased team performance and effectiveness;
• Actively engage in corporate activities and initiatives in the Italy Network.

The post holder will report to the Defence & Security and Advanced Engineering Trade Head of Unit. The role will require occasional travel within Italy, Europe and to the UK.

• Fluent oral and written English and Italian (Common European Framework level C1 or above, or equivalent*);
• Experience of business development;
• Excellent organisational, communication and team working skills;
• Marketing skills;
• Creative and strategic thinking;
• Experience in account / relationship management with business;
• Proven project management / CRM credentials;
• Ability to build rapport at all levels internally and externally;
• Strategic thinking;
• Event Management Skills;
• Analytical skills, including effective use of Excel and CRM tools;
• Having worked with teams, preferably for at least 5 years;
• Having worked in international environments;
• Excellent use of Microsoft programmes;
• Effective communication skills, both oral and written;
• Flexibility and ability to work on multiple projects.