View Vacancy - Senior Commercial Attaché

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.
Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
DIT

The British Embassy in Doha has a vacancy for a Senior Commercial Attaché C4 (L). An excellent opportunity for a dynamic, energetic and highly-motivated individual to play a key and impactful role in the Embassy’s Department for International Trade (DIT) team.

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, 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.

Main Purpose of the Role:

As a Senior Commercial Attaché the jobholder will be responsible for identifying, supporting and developing opportunities for new and existent British companies seeking to enter or expand in the Qatari market.

The role in context will have a primary responsibility for leading on the Healthcare & Life Sciences sectors.

In addition, the role will extend responsibility to the Education & Corporate Training and Food & Drink sub-sectors, although may be re-assigned based on needs and priorities of the team and market.

The role will be required to support wider DIT responsibilities including handling market research enquiries, coordinating events, and recording business interactions, providing tailored reports and proactively identifying business opportunities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Leading on sectors as a Senior Commercial Attaché, to develop a deep understanding of the UK and Qatari market, including key players, market opportunities, market access issues and competition
  • Provide competent support and advice to British companies wishing to enter Qatar
  • Build strategic relationships with organisations (private and public) and relevant Ministries that increase British trade by identifying export opportunities and future economic partnerships
  • Engaging the respective sectors’ network, including briefing British and Qatari businesses, responding to enquiries, including market access, local engagement and doing business in Qatar
  • Build and manage a pipeline of high value projects
  • Organise key events and activities which support British trade work in Qatar including webinars, roadshows, trade missions and Ministerial visits. Build upon relationships with key stakeholders whilst proactively seeking out new clients and opportunities to build the sector pipeline(s)
  • Deliver against agreed targets, including Export Wins, OMIS (Overseas Market Introduction Service) revenue, Export Opportunities, and case studies / success stories published
  • Travel to the UK and region for trade promotion activities
  • Initiate engagement with Qatari clients to identify market trends and emerging opportunities
  • Build and maintain senior and operational relationships within the Embassy, across the wider MEAP region and with DIT/Whitehall
  • Collaborate with UK and Regional teams, including sector specialists to deliver high quality outputs and support to British businesses
  • Working independently on achieving aims of the post, while reporting directly to the Country Deputy Director
  • Promote, where relevant, the financing products offered by UK Export Finance, the British government’s Export Credit Agency, to support companies to win contracts
  • Maintaining a log contact with customers on our global ‘Data Hub’ database
  • Ensuring robust forecasting of events and submitting timely budget requests
  • Line manage 1 Trade and Investment Officer

Additional DIT team duties include:

  • Providing support to wider team events, including Senior/Ministerial visits
  • Updating the DIT key contact database to be used for invites to events
  • Providing administrative support to the wider Trade and Investment team as required
  • Any additional duties as required by the Director/Deputy Director of International Trade

Key Competencies:

  • Delivering at Pace: Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. It’s about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. 
  • 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.
  • 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. 
  • 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.
  • You will need to be a self-starter who can hit the ground running and quickly adapt to the role
  • University level of qualification or equivalent in a science related subject
  • 3-5 years’ experience in business development ideally in healthcare/life science sector
  • Proven track record of cross-team collaboration
  • Demonstrated experience meeting and/or exceeding challenging targets
  • Analytical skills acquired in an international market context with a consultative sales approach to achieving results
  • Fast learning, self-starter who can demonstrate initiative, resilience, and project management skills
  • Confident communicator
  • Good written and verbal skills
  • Strong IT computer skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Office and conducting internet searches
  • The ability to initiate and maintain a wide range of working relationships, both internally and externally
  • Strong organisational skills
  • The ability to work quickly, reliably and proactively with attention to detail and limited supervision
  • Excellent written and oral English is essential with an eye for detail
  • Knowledge of the Qatar business environment, including “doing business in Qatar”
  • Experience of organising events and customer database
  • Experience of working in a large diverse team
  • Experience in working within the GCC
  • Experience in Education and/or Food & Drink sectors, or having some relevant knowledge would be advantageous
2 February 2021
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
38
24 months
Middle East & North Africa
Qatar
Doha
British Embassy
1
QAR
24,372
1 April 2021

Working Hours and Remuneration:

The British Embassy offers a competitive remuneration package, including non-negotiable salary of QR 23,572 per calendar month and transportation allowance of QR 800 per calendar month, paid in arrears. The contract will be for a full time employment, on a fixed term basis for two years, subject to a six-month probation period.

No accommodation and relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

Embassy working hours are 7.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. on Thursday. Due to the nature of the work, the jobholder should be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and may involve working out-of-hours.

The British Embassy in Doha has an active Continuous Professional Development Committee, and the whole of post is committed to providing the time and resources for staff to develop professionally. There will be an opportunity to attend DIT sector focused ‘Developing Skills and Knowledge’ (DSK), usually led by the UK sector teams. Currently these are being delivered virtually due to Covid-19 and mandatory online training (1-2 days).

In addition, the jobholder will have access to the full suite of DIT and FCDO learning and developing opportunities including the FCDO’s Diplomatic Academy, training in the UK and will be encouraged to join DIT’s trade profession. We also provide regular in-house learning opportunities and are committed to supporting further academic opportunities.

Travel to the UK and within the Gulf region (and possibly further afield) may be required for business, events, training and logistical purposes.

Eligibility:

Applicants must already reside in Qatar, have a valid residence permit and therefore hold the right to live and work there, including those either under spouse sponsorship or be able to transfer an existing sponsorship to the British Embassy.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates must complete the online application form and answer the motivation for applying.

** (Your application must include examples of when you have demonstrated the competencies outlined above in your online application form. Applications that are not complete will be rejected).

The closing date for applications will be 02 February 2021 by 23:55 Doha time.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Process:

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two months.

Due to the large amount of applications the Embassy receives only those shortlisted for interview will be contacted.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances, medical clearance and reference checks.

 

The British Embassy Doha is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Qatari employment law.

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.