View Vacancy - Senior Trade Attaché (CHEG22.584)

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UK Mission
Political, Policy

The United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other organisations in Geneva represents the interests and policies of the UK across the many international organisations. 

Who are we? 

The Trade and Economic team in the UK Mission in Geneva represents the UK in the WTO and other economic organisations in Geneva (e.g. WIPO, UNECE, ITU).  Working with DIT, FCDO and other interested departments, we execute HMG’s trade policy in Geneva. Our team also represent the UK in the WTO’s dispute settlement system and in the monitoring bodies of the WTO, and pursue HMG’s other economic and foreign policy objectives across other economic organisations in Geneva.

What we are looking for:

The Trade and Economic team are currently looking for a Senior Trade Policy Attaché to work on a number of key files at the WTO.

The primary focus of this role will be in the WTO where the team represent the UK in all committees and WTO negotiations including agriculture, environment, fisheries, IP, services and digital trade.

You will cover a range of areas that could include, but not be limited to, trade and environment, WTO accessions, trade policy reviews, trade and gender, trade and economic strategy and supporting the team’s overall work and approach to the WTO, including General Council. As part of this you will need to work with leads across the team, covering services, digital trade, goods and agriculture and trade and development, amongst other areas.

You will work with the Trade and Economic Counsellor and often act as the day-to-day lead for regular engagement, including preparation, attendance and reporting for regular committees, as well as having the opportunity to lead certain files and committees. This could include supporting the UK in the Committee for Trade and Environment and the various other discussions that the UK is party to, such as the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD).

Your work will also include leading on matters arising from your work at the WTO, such as coordinating notifications or leading bilateral engagements with relevant Members. 
In this role you will be working closely with relevant departments in London to help deliver the UK’s WTO priorities, as well as helping different parts of HMG to understand the positions and concerns of other Members at the WTO better.

You will also be expected to build good, and effective, relationships with the WTO secretariat and other organisations, business and civil society

Roles and responsibilities: 

  • Provide quality analysis, reporting and advice on issues affecting UK objectives on specific files at the WTO  and to provide advice to departments in the UK about regular developments, offensive and defensive interests and broader strategy;
  • Coordinate preparations for specific committees,  attending meetings and making interventions when required, and engage with other Members and the secretariat according; lead on other obligations stemming from the meetings (e.g. notifications);
  • Develop a high level of expertise of your work areas at the WTO, and of the multilateral trading system, as well as supporting the Trade and Economic Counsellor in intelligence gathering, advice to ministries, and strategic development;
  • Take on corporate roles across the broader UK Mission in Geneva and to support the wider Economic Team.

Essential on arrival:

  • Fluent written and spoken English (C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);
  • Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience (e.g. Business, Trade, Economy, Government, International Organizations) 
  • Experience of research, analysis, or public policy. 
  • Strong spoken and written communication skills; 
  • Excellent interpersonal and team-working skills;
  • Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with respect for diversity;
  • Willingness to undergo a mandatory process of security clearance.

Would be an advantage:

  • Specific experience of the WTO and/or environment and trade policy;
  • Economic background or qualification;
  • Fluent written and spoken French or Spanish;
  • Experience working on trade policy issues, and a strong interest in trade and economic policy.
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing
27 November 2022
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Full-time
40
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Switzerland
UK Mission to the Office of the United Nations, Geneva
International Organisation Delegation
1
23 January 2023

This is a 24 months (from start date) full-time fixed term contract with possibility of extension, 5 working days (40 hours) per week, at Senior Executive Officer (SEO) level.

The successful candidate will be subject to professional background check, security clearance and 3 months’ probation period.

Staff recruited locally by the UK Mission for the United Nations in Geneva are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Swiss employment law.

Please note that you must have the right to work and reside in Switzerland without visa sponsorship. (For information: EU nationals do not require visa sponsorship).

 

Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Switzerland and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract.

United Kingdom, European Union and EFTA nationals do not require visa sponsorship along with Nationals of: Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Principality of Andorra, Principality of Monaco, San Marino, Singapore and Vatican.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The mission and team strongly support continuous professional development for all employees. There are significant opportunities to learn “on the job” in areas relevant to the role and to the wider team’s – and mission’s – work, including potential for work-shadowing other colleagues and leading on cross-mission corporate initiatives.
The UK government provides a broad range of dedicated learning and development opportunities, including workshops and courses in areas directly relevant to this role. Some funding for tailored learning and development opportunities may also be available.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Please be advised that the UK Mission will not be able to meet any cost during the Recruitment and Selection process, Security Check nor the costs connected with relocation.

*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment  levels  please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.

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.