View Vacancy - AUH/ DXB - DIT Trade Service Unit Advisor B3L/ EO (maternity cover)
The British Embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have a vacancy for one (1) Trade Service Unit Advisor under the Department for International Trade (DIT). This is to cover a period of maternity leave for nine (9) months.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the Trade and Investment arm for the UK. We promote British trade and investment across the world, support UK business overseas, and attract foreign investment to our shores. We have over 3,000 staff across the globe in over 100 countries.
DIT divides the world into nine (9) regions, each led by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC). The Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MEAP) region is led from Dubai and represents 12 markets with a team of some 120 staff.
The MEAP Trade Service Unit is MEAP’s universal entry point for UK business. The Trade Service Unit Advisor is a role that functions on a regional basis yet is based in UAE, providing support to both colleagues in DIT in the UAE and the wider MEAP region, whilst working with International Trade Advisors in the UK and our SMEs. The main purpose of the role is to help UK SMEs enter the MEAP market and win business.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Working with the MEAP Trade Service Unit Operations Manager, you will support the running of the MEAP Hub.
- Review and answer enquiries sent to the MEAP Hub, adopting an effective relationships management approach for UK SMEs.
- Working with colleagues, you will be responsible for various defined tasks in support of UK companies currently in-market or looking to enter the market; helping them to spot opportunities as well as navigate the challenges. This could include organising visit programmes and attending either virtual or face-to-face briefings, trade missions, and/ or exhibitions in the UAE.
- Act as an advocate for the MEAP Trade Services Unit Hub externally and internally, and embed the Hub into MEAP team’s ways of working.
- Record, allocate, track and trace, and report all SME approaches; manage follow-up actions from enquiries and facilitate consultative client discussions with DIT MEAP colleagues and other key stakeholders.
- Work with the DIT MEAP Marketing and Communications Team to create materials to promote the Trade Service Unit.
- Conduct market research either by sector, country, or region, and prepare documentation and data to support SME business and internal DIT MEAP reporting tools, including devising metrics and compiling reports.
- Provide ad hoc administrative support to the Operations Manager as required.
The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.
Key competencies required:
- Managing a Quality Service - Valuing and modelling professional excellence and expertise to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. Effectively planning, organising, and managing time and activities to deliver a high quality, secure, reliable and efficient service, applying programme and project and risk management approaches to support service delivery.
- Collaborating and Partnering - Being a team player who creates and maintains positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the organisation to help get business done. Working collaboratively, sharing information appropriately, and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions. Being approachable, delivering business objectives through creating an inclusive environment, encouraging collaboration, building effective partnerships including relationships with Ministers and welcoming challenge however uncomfortable.
- Changing and Improving - Being responsive and innovative, and seeking out opportunities to create effective change. Learning from what has worked well and what has not, being open to change, suggesting ideas for improvements to the way things are done, and working in ’smarter’, more focused ways.
- Achieving Commercial Outcomes - Maintaining an economic, long-term focus in all activities. Having a commercial, financial and sustainable mind-set to ensure all activities and services are delivering added value and working to stimulate economic growth. Identifying economic, market, and customer issues and using these to promote innovative business models, commercial partnerships, and agreements to deliver greatest value.
Eligibility:
- Applications will only be considered from those who are currently residing in the UAE and with a current and valid UAE resident visa. Applicants will be asked to provide evidence of their UAE resident visa/ Emirates ID as part of their application.
- Applicants must have a current passport that is valid for the next 12 months, i.e., will expire after March 2023.
- At least 2 years’ experience working in a trade-related and investment field or a relevant customer-facing role.
- Relevant professional or hands-on trade related experience in MEAP region and/ or holds a relevant undergraduate degree.
- Experience of market/ business data analysis and interpretation.
- Track record of delivery through collaboration and partnering in complex environments.
- Ability to prioritise own workload and meet deadlines without compromising the quality of the work.
- Ability to multi-task and respond quickly and flexibly to meet multiple and changing priorities.
- Strong interpersonal skills. Confident and comfortable dealing with senior officials and business people.
- Resilient, decisive with a can-do attitude, and calm under pressure and with a proactive approach to problem solving.
- Team player who is capable of working on their own initiative as well as with others, including in a fast-paced and changing environment.
- Excellent communication skills in English. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
- Strong IT skills and well-versed in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams).
- Experience of working in virtual teams.
- Experience of working in the private sector.
The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including: 25 days of leave per annum (calculated pro-rata); on-site swimming pool, gym, and sports facilities (subject to COVID-19 restrictions).
Salary is at AED 16,871 per month.
There are no other allowances payable as part of this package. No accommodation and relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.
Effective 01 January 2022, the Embassy will be open from Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 18:00. Conditioned working hours are 38 hours per week (including breaks), and specific working hours for this role will be confirmed at a later time.
Whilst the role may be based in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the jobholder will be required to visit the Embassy in the other Emirate, subject to COVID-19 restrictions and to operational needs. The jobholder will also be expected to visit to take part in relevant meetings and events, which may also require out-of-hours work (evenings/ weekends). Flexible working arrangements may be considered based on operational requirements and agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Embassy policies.
The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy's sponsorship.
How to apply:
Interested candidates must attach 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and 2) a covering letter to their online application form.
Your application must also include examples of when you have demonstrated the required competencies in the Competence Based Questions section of the online application form.
Applications that do not include these information will not be considered.
Closing date for applications is at 23:55 (local time) on 04 April 2022.
Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.
Process:
The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two months. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.
Due to the large number of applications we receive, only those shortlisted for the next step of the recruitment process will be contacted.
Interviews are tentatively planned for the week of 19 April 2022. Interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action.
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.
The British Embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
