View Vacancy - JPN - Regional Manager, Trade & Investment, North East Asia, Invest Northern Ireland D6(L)

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 identity, 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.
Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
Northern Ireland Bureau / Northern Ireland Group / Invest Northern Ireland

Main purpose of job:

Based in the British Embassy in Tokyo, the post-holder will lead a small team and represent Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Reporting to the Head of Asia Pacific (based in Shanghai), the post-holder will be Invest NI’s key representative in the region, responsible for developing and delivering an agreed market strategy with the ultimate goal of securing trade and investment wins for Northern Ireland. The primary focus of the position will be:

  • Trade development across all key business sectors, helping Northern Ireland companies to increase export sales to the region,
  • Promotion of Northern Ireland as a location for inward investment and infrastructure investment, and
  • To raise Northern Ireland’s profile for business and education purposes.

When carrying out his / her work, the post-holder will be required to forge effective working relationships with a wide range of businesses, our partners, Department for International Trade (DIT), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO),  the British Council and other UK stakeholders, senior officials and government and business representative organisations across North East Asia and Northern Ireland.

The post-holder will develop and co-ordinate targeted activities such as marketing, promotional events and exhibitions and represent Invest Northern Ireland at business conferences and speak at events as needed.  Outputs and outcomes activity reports will be submitted monthly to the Head of Asia Pacific.  Invest NI clients are primarily businesses and education establishments and the post-holder will undertake research and prepare reports and meeting programmes and provide advice to them about doing business in the North East Asia region. The post holder will be required to monitor expenditure and deliver activities within a pre-allocated budget.

The post holder will also work closely with the wider Invest NI teams based in its Belfast headquarters, Asia Pacific and other locations. The post-holder is expected to undertake travel on a regular basis, either within Japan, North East Asia region, Asia Pacific or to the UK and other countries as required.

 

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

  • Develop a market strategy for the North East Asia region to promote Northern Ireland’s trade and investment capabilities  which contributes to the overall goals of the Asia Pacific territory and Invest NI’s International and Business strategies;
  • Implement an agreed market strategy covering  Japan and the North East Asia region to promote Northern Ireland, help Northern Ireland companies to increase export sales and to secure investment wins;
  • Proactively identify relevant business opportunities for Northern Ireland companies through market intelligence, connections and research and promote the Northern Ireland capability to key decision makers;
  • Develop strong C-level relationships with targeted companies, stakeholders and influencers in the region and enable Northern Ireland companies to engage with them;
  • Build strong relationships within the British Embassies, DIT, British Council, Northern Ireland government representatives and other key stakeholders / business organisations and where appropriate work on the joint planning and delivery of events;
  • Engage effectively with colleagues and stakeholders based in Northern Ireland to provide market and sector briefings and to ensure that activity in the market aligns with corporate plans;
  • Support Northern Ireland companies interested in the region by providing the information they require to make informed business decisions by handling market research and assessment enquiries, conducting visits and setting up appointments and writing appropriate reports;
  • Oversee and manage in-market support for company visits, trade missions, events and exhibitions;
  • Co-ordinate VIP (including Ministerial delegations) visit programmes to Japan / North East Asia, prepare briefings and manage the necessary logistics and protocols;
  • Support business delegations and individual business visitors by providing access to effective English/Japanese  translation services;
  • Develop a network of Northern Ireland ex-pats that are living/working in the region and work with Northern Irish Connections to lever economic returns for  Northern Ireland;
  • Manage relevant information sources and maintain accurate records of customer and stakeholder information on Invest NI’s CRM and management systems;
  • Manage one other member of staff based in Tokyo and work effectively in partnership with wider teams based in Asia Pacific, Northern Ireland and other locations;
  • Prepare reports (including activity / performance / market reports) accurately and timely for management and clients.  

Resources managed:

  • The post-holder will manage one member of staff, who is also located in the British Embassy in Tokyo.
  • The post-holder will be required to liaise actively and regularly with the Asia Pacific and other Invest Northern Ireland offices.
  • The post-holder will manage a pre-allocated budget with the Head of Asia Pacific, monitor expenditure and perform various reporting.
  • The post-holder will be expected to make decisions delegated to him/her by the Head of Asia Pacific, and act within Invest Northern Ireland policies and guidelines.
  • Educated to degree level ideally in a business or related function;
  • Over 7 years’ working experience in a private or public sector organisation;
  • A significant and successful track record in Business Development, including market research, analysing market data, preparing reports, presenting information to clients and securing contracts / sales;
  • A sound commercial knowledge of Japan and the business opportunities across sectors, being aware of the issues (& solutions) relating to doing business in this region;
  • Experience in developing and maintaining effective working relationships at senior levels with excellent communication skills;
  • An ability to work collaboratively with business contacts and colleagues in the UK, Japan and other locations;
  • Excellent organisational, IT and administrative skills;
  • Successful team management experience and a good leader;
  • Ability to work at pace and independently as part of a remote team; and to prioritise and manage an often heavy workload in a multi-location environment and liaising with team members in these locations
  • Knowledge of UK / Northern Ireland’s key sectors and business drivers.
7 October 2018
Grade 7 (G7)
Full-time, Permanent
37.5
Asia Pacific
Japan
Tokyo
British Embassy
1
JPY
921,000
1 January 2019

Additional benefits:

·        1 month salary bonus equivalents payable in June and December.

·        Commuting allowance of up to JPY35,000 per month (paid on an actual cost basis).

·        24 days paid annual leave (calculated pro rata depending on employment start date).

·        Health Insurance and Employee pension (kenko hoken/kosei nenkin).

·        Employment Insurance (koyou hoken).

 

Salary / bonus may be reduced subject to the employee’s tax status.

The applicant must have work authorisation for Japan. However, the British Embassy/Consulate General will support a visa application for a non-Japanese national if required.

Non-Japanese nationals working in a diplomatic mission are not subject to Japanese income and residence taxes. Therefore, those without Japanese tax liability will be offered an equivalent abated salary amount.

All applications must be received before 7 October 2018 at 23:55 JST

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.


 

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.