View Vacancy - Head of Export Finance, Morocco

The British Consulate in Casablanca invites applications for the position of Head of Export Finance grade D6 (L).

UK trade with and investment into Africa is growing, and the UK Government is committed to increasing those trajectories still further. At the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London on 20 January 2020 we undertook to become the investment partner of choice for Africa and similarly to boost our trade. The opportunity is there; eight of the world’s 15 fastest growing economies are in Africa. We want modern partnerships that deliver mutual benefit by supporting African-led ambitions with British expertise.

To match this ambition the UK Government is adding to its resource base in Africa including increasing the number of UK Export Finance roles. Finance is a critical part of the picture of promoting more business. UK Export Finance has already shown how effective it can be in helping Africa deliver on its plans, and in so doing opening opportunities for UK companies. This role provides an opportunity to further that, helping to shape the new, long-term UK partnership for prosperity and stability with Africa.

About the Department for International Trade

You will join the Department for International Trade’s Africa network. Active in 23 markets across Africa DIT promotes exports to the continent of British goods and services, two way investment between the UK and Africa, and mutual improved market access to help grow our bilateral trade. This role will focus particularly on the first of these supporting developers and enabling access for UK exporters.

About UK Export Finance

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency (ECA) and operates in partnership with the Department for International Trade (DIT).

UKEF’s mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance, while operating at no net cost to the taxpayer. In 2018/19, UKEF provided £6.8 billion of support to help 181 exporters sell to 72 countries.

UKEF helps UK companies:

• Win export contracts by providing attractive financing terms to their buyers
• Fulfil contracts by supporting working capital loans and guaranteeing performance bonds
• Get paid by insuring against buyer default

Main purpose of the role:

The role will focus first and foremost on Morocco. There you will get to know Moroccan buyers and the local financing environment to market the suite of UKEF products and identify opportunities for UKEF support. You will also help UK exporters access the Moroccan market.

You will also get to know Moroccan project finance banks and other local financiers further to inform our picture of the opportunities and relationships we may need. You will also explore how Morocco is developing its trade with its African partners through finance.

You will be expected too to contribute your wider experience to inform the DIT team’s understanding of the Moroccan market, helping to explain the regulatory and financing environment and to consider the opportunities and barriers to be tackled in each sector.

As one of a small network of UK Export Finance executives in Africa you will also have responsibility for other selected regional markets in Francophone Africa. You will look at the legal and regulatory Francophonie systems to understand how British companies could better access opportunities within, and you will build a pipeline with buyers and developers across Francophone Africa.

As a member of the DIT in-country team, you will also be required to mentor and inspire the DIT trade advisors to understand UKEF’s products, and to develop UKEF engagement seeking opportunities for export finance support in their sectors.

You will be part of the International Export Finance Network, with UKEF functional and task leadership from UKEF Business Originations team in London. The International Export Finance Executives lead the engagement with local buyers, project sponsors and associated stakeholder networks to develop export growth through the provision of trade finance and credit insurance available from UK Export Finance. The International Export Finance Executive will guide and support UK Export Finance teams in the UK, DIT colleagues and other third parties to provide this specialist market advice.

You will be Casablanca based sitting with the Department for International Trade’s Commercial Team. This includes the Director of Trade and Investment for Morocco and three other team members. You will be expected to travel to Rabat, the Moroccan capital, often and also frequently to other parts of Africa. The team works closely with the Ambassador and other Government Department officials on the British Embassy platform a number of whom support the trade relationship in their work.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Build and deliver a UKEF project pipeline in: 1. Morocco, 2 other selected regional markets. Identifying buyers and project sponsors, working to raise their awareness of UKEF, finding opportunities for UKEF support, delivering commercial outcomes. You will need to plan and monitor to ensure delivery.
• Inform HMG commercial work in Morocco and wider: working across sectors you will also seek better to understand for UK the Moroccan and Francophone laws and regulations in the commercial environment to inform UKEF and HMG’s approach to business support.
• Raise awareness of UKEF support capabilities. In Morocco and across the Francophone region you will set the framework for what UKEF can deliver and embed the vision, skills and understanding within DIT and wider HMG staff. Raise the profile of UKEF through engagement with the business community, represent the UK Government at project finance events, and give clear, instructive guidance on UK tools, generate new leads and ensure maximum visibility of the UK finance offer.

Key Competences:

• Seeing the Big Picture – Is about having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs.
• Making Effective Decisions – Effectiveness in this area is about being objective; using sound judgment, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice. It means showing clarity of thought, setting priorities, analysing and using evidence to evaluate options before arriving at well-reasoned justifiable decisions.
• 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.
• 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. 
• Achieving Commercial Outcomes – Being effective in this area is about maintaining an economic, long-term focus in all activities. It’s about having a commercial, financial and sustainable mind-set to ensure all activities and services are delivering added value and working to stimulate economic growth.
• 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.

• Degree and/or equivalent professional financial or accounting qualification.
• At least eight years professional experience.
• Financial services career experience.
• Current and relevant commercial management skills, well versed in contracting and finance oversight.
• Proven experience of leading structured finance / project finance transactions
• Proven ability to take the initiative pursuing the objectives in the job description.
• Proven competence in leading strategy development and business planning and business origination
• Proven advisory and negotiation skills at senior levels –able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
• Management experience of autonomous operations in a sector servicing exporters in financial and credit risk products; or in a relevant role in an exporting business.
• Competent in Microsoft Office applications.
• Confident public speaking and networking skills.