View Vacancy - Senior Investment Advisor, Financial and Professional Services

The British Embassy in Dubai has a vacancy for a Senior Investment Advisor, Financial and Professional Services, Grade C4 (L) position.

Background:

DIT Financial Services Organisation

The Department for International Trade's Financial Services Organisation (DIT FSO) is the department’s sector team that helps overseas companies bring high quality direct investment into the UK’s dynamic financial services economy, widely acknowledged as Europe's best place from which to succeed in global business.DIT FSO supports foreign companies from the sector to land and expand in the UK as well as UK based companies to export and invest internationally via its vast network of international trade advisors and overseas networks in the UK’s consulates and embassies abroad.

DIT FSO comprises of a team of dedicated professionals from both the public and private sector. Through global campaigns, DIT FSO covers a number of sectors, including insurance, asset management, capital markets, Islamic Finance, FinTech, Business Process Outsourcing and related professional services. DIT FSO supports foreign companies from the sector to land and expand in the UK as well as UK based companies to export and invest internationally via its vast network of international trade advisors and overseas networks in the UK’s consulates and embassies abroad.

DIT FSO comprises of a team of dedicated professionals from both the public and private sector. Through global campaigns, DIT FSO covers a number of sectors, including insurance, asset management, capital markets, Islamic Finance, FinTech, Business Process Outsourcing and related professional services.

Objective:

The job holder will be responsible for delivering a regional investment campaign in financial and professional services for the Gulf (based in Dubai).

This includes leading on account management of the key financial and professional services companies based in the Gulf, developing a pipeline of these companies that want to set up in the UK and promoting the UK’s strong brand in financial services and professional services.

This is a great opportunity to lead a new regional financial and professional services investment campaign from Dubai for the Gulf (covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain).

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for developing a strategy to generate new and high value financial services investment. This will include coordinating and leveraging the existing regional network, working alongside DIT Directors and investment leads across GCC, to map out and scope potential financial services investment from the region.
• Responsible for managing an existing pipeline of well identified investment opportunities and generating new opportunities through your engagement with financial services companies across the GCC. You will be required to account manage and build a strong network of companies and contacts that will allow you to identify and pursue investment opportunities.  You will also be responsible for leading on the relationships with the financial free zones, including DIFC, ADGM, QFC and others.
• You will be expected to leverage Ambassadors and Consuls General (as well as other senior staff) to secure access to senior decision makers and influencers.  This position will see you exposed to Ministers and CEOs and you will need strong communication skills that will allow you to pitch your approaches appropriately.
• Responsible for promoting the UK as a leading destination for financial services investment. This includes supporting the delivery of high profile events, managing relevant inward missions (including Ministerial visits) and leveraging marketing resources to help achieve the campaign’s objective.
• You will be supported by the Financial Services Organisation in DIT and will have to liaise closely with and report back to the team on campaign planning and performance. You will lead on the annual business planning process which records current performance and identifies future opportunities. You will ultimately accountable for delivering Financial services investment target for the region.

Key Competencies:

• Managing a Quality Service- Effectiveness in this area is about being organized to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements.
• Leading and Communicating - Display enthusiasm around goals and activities – adopting a positive approach when interacting with others.
• Collaborating and Partnering: Requires working collaboratively, sharing information and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions.
• Achieving Commercial Outcomes- It’s about having a commercial, financial and sustainable mindset to ensure all activities and services are delivering added value and working to stimulate economic growth.

Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Economics, Investment, Finance and/or Accounting;
• Experience in international investment or a background in the Financial Service Industry;
• Minimum of 3 years in sales and/or customer relations;
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written in English;
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Experience in Microsoft Office and SharePoint;
• Team player who is capable of working on their own initiative;
• Knowledge of wider business and political environment that might influence investment decisions;
• Strong communications, interpersonal, sales and problem solving skill;
• Collaborative approach to colleague and stakeholder partnerships.