View Vacancy - Senior Trade Policy Officer - Trade and Agriculture Policy team, Washington D.C.

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.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)

Main purpose of job:
The British Embassy in Washington, DC, is seeking a Senior Trade Policy Officer to join its Trade and Agriculture Policy Team based within the Global Issues, Trade and Economic Group.  The team is responsible for all bilateral and multilateral global and trade issues and works to promote the UK’s trade policy interests in the US, and to inform UK policy development. This team works closely with trade promotion and investment colleagues and you will have a key role in working across teams.

The main aim of this role will be to support development and drive successful delivery of a pan-US strategy to deepen the UK’s trade and economic relationships at a State level.  You will work with the DC team and the trade policy and promotion teams based at British Consulates General across the US to deliver on this strategy and design bespoke state level arrangements, including trade and economic MoUs, that improve the trade policy environment for HMG and British companies.  

You will also have responsibility for the UK’s market access strategy in the US, collaborating with colleagues across all policy sections in the Embassy and at British Consulates to identify significant Federal and State-level market access barriers and opportunities and turning this into a strategic plan that supports UK-US trade liberalisation in priority sectors.

As part of this you will take the lead in the Trade Policy Team on procurement policy, which will require becoming an expert on “Buy America” and “Buy American” and tracking the potential opportunities and risks of new legislation, as well as building relationships with the Administration, Congress and national business and procurement bodies.

The fast moving nature of trade policy means that you will be willing and able to get to grips with new and emerging aspects of trade and regulatory policy quickly in order to be credible with subject matter experts, and be able to support other members of the team. 

You will work closely with, and need to deliver through, other sections of the Embassy and colleagues across the US network.  You will also liaise with trade policy colleagues at the British High Commission in Ottawa to ensure a joined-up approach across North America. You will form close relationships with policy leads in London and be their first point of contact in the Embassy on the issues which you lead (in  particular in the Department for International Trade, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.).   

Externally, you will be expected to engage with a wide range of US stakeholders, including business, academia, Administration and Congress. 

There will also be opportunities for travel across the US.

The US Network offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme.  It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to better maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses hybrid working, including working from home and flexible hours, where possible.  In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment side-by-side with UK diplomats, armed forces personnel and other country based staff operating across the British Government’s network of Consulates and Government Offices in the United States. This network provides a platform for approximately 30 Government departments and agencies to conduct their work in the United States and is made up of over 900 staff with a rich and diverse background, skill sets, and experiences. 
The ideal candidate will be a team player, clear/effective communicator, and have strong attention to detail, with a background in/history of (one or two references to the essential criteria)].

Roles and responsibilities:

Fundamentally, this role seeks to change the trade policy environment for the better on behalf of UK companies.  To deliver this objective you will:

  • Provide strategic leadership, working with others, on HMG’s state-level trade policy strategy for trade teams in British Consulates across the US – translating HMG’s strategic aims into practical advice and representing regional views, priorities and opportunities in delivery plans.
  • Be a key member of an official-level strategy board, led by the Department of International Trade, to offer intelligent and targeted advice on the direction and delivery of HMG’s state trade policy strategy in the US.
  • Provide strategic advice for Seniors in the Embassy, network and London departments on how UK Ministerial and Senior Official visits can support the UK’s State-level trade priorities.
  • Work with and through colleagues across the Embassy and the UK’s network of Consulates in the US to keep abreast of legislative changes and other developments (at both a Federal and State level) in relation to market access issues in the US and assess how this might affect UK Government policy and businesses.  Turn this into timely reporting on specific market access policy issues to colleagues across the network, as well as senior Embassy officials, HMTC North America, British Government departments in London.
  • Work with and through colleagues across the Embassy and network to identify market access barriers and opportunities in priority sectors at Federal and State-level, and assess these against political and economic criteria to develop a targeted strategy to support UK-US trade liberalisation.
  • Lead responsibility for procurement policy for the Embassy and network, including tracking trends, developments, risks and opportunities in the US attitudes to the WTO Government procurement Agreement, “Buy America” and “Buy American” legislation and the Infrastructure Bill.  Assess how this can represent opportunities for UK business and, collaborating with trade promotion colleagues, feed into policy development and strategic plans in London departments (including on a potential UK-US FTA).
  • Build and maintain relationships with a broad network of US influential contacts in the Administration, Congress, think tanks and national business and procurement organisations.  Represent HMG directly with these external US stakeholders in 1:1 meetings and at larger external events (e.g. round table discussions).
  • Building capacity on market access work across the UK’s network in the US by providing regular updates on progress/ raising awareness of market access issues and successes and seeking opportunities for targeted learning and development.
  • Working with other Embassy colleagues, design and deliver impactful trade policy focused visit programmes UK Ministers and Senior Officials.

Resources managed:

  • Staff: not currently foreseen but there will likely be opportunities in future.
  • Budget to cover project expenditure, hospitality and travel.

Essential on arrival:

  • A minimum of 3-4 years relevant commercial, government or legal experience is preferred.  Fewer years of experience will be considered for candidates with advanced degrees or exceptional, relevant experience.
  • Previous work experience in an international business or government relations environment. The successful candidate would ideally have detailed knowledge of some or all of the following: trade policy; stakeholder engagement; Congress and the Administration; and the US legislative/regulatory process.
  • Proven ability to form professional relationships and build trust with a wide range of contacts.
  • Must be a proven self-starter with the ability to work independently and as a part of a team.
  • Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) and a proven track record of translating a wide range of data and political reporting into concise briefing is essential.  
  • Attention to detail, strong judgement, problem-solving abilities and service delivery.

Language requirements: 

Language: English

Level of language required: fluent

Desirable:

  • A minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant field is preferred however, relevant professional experience will be accepted in lieu of a degree.
  • Knowledge of/ experience managing a similar market access/business focused portfolio.
  • Existing network of government/business contacts.
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
29 September 2022
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
$ 85,686.00
14 November 2022

Learning and development opportunities:

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

Working patterns:

Occasional working from home may be possible but constant links to cross government contacts in the Embassy will be key in delivering this role.

Any other information:

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. • A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas

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This opportunity is closed to applications.