View Vacancy - Trade Adviser – Department for International Trade B3 (09/20 DKR)

Main purpose of job:

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the Trade Promotion and Negotiation organisation for the UK. We promote UK businesses overseas and attract foreign investment to the UK. We have 3,000 staff across the globe in over 100 countries. Our aim is to help British businesses to internationalise and grow overseas.

DIT Africa is one of the nine DIT global networks and is led by Emma Wade-Smith, HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa. The Africa region is exciting and UK firms have a strong presence here, making the UK the second largest investor on the continent. With some of the strongest growing economies in the world and booming population growth there are numerous more opportunities for UK firms; from tech start-ups in the West to infrastructure in the East. The Network’s role is to promote these opportunities and position the UK as the continent’s number one trading partner and investor.

The jobholder will be responsible for helping UK companies to win business in Senegal and support the delivery of the DIT Regional Trade Plan. The job holder will be expected to manage client/business relationships to ensure the highest standards of satisfaction and will have specific responsibility for certain priority sectors for DIT Senegal, developing and delivering on new opportunities in these sectors.

The job holder will also be a part of the wider Prosperity team in the British Embassy comprising DIT, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID) colleagues all working to expand a win-win economic partnership between the UK and Senegal.

Roles and responsibilities :

Reporting to the DIT Country Director for Senegal, the successful candidate will help identify and deliver on opportunities for both new and existing UK business. This will entail: maintaining a network of operational level contacts across government and private sector; processing and sharing information with internal and external stakeholders; monitoring procurement opportunities; and proactively contacting British businesses, ensuring a good quality service is provided to them.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Deliver front line business facing work, growing UK exports and investment to/in Senegal. The primary focus will be in the energy, infrastructure, financial services and agribusiness sectors, but this may change as commercial priorities evolve.

• Establish the UK as a partner of choice for the priority sectors identified.

• Identify and generate commercial opportunities, provide professional advice, high-quality market analysis to UK companies and facilitate introductions and providing the other support required for companies to win contracts.

• Develop a plan and prioritise for key sectors and areas of opportunities for UK firms.

• Engage with various  Government Departments, agencies, companies and other organisations, at all levels, to ensure maximum co-operation and understanding of their current needs and aspirations, engaging credibly to build strong and meaningful relationships with stakeholders and clients in the UK and Senegal.

• Collaborate with colleagues across the DIT Africa network and DIT HQ to maximise opportunities, increase the impact of inward missions and other visits from the UK.    

• Use the various DIT databases and platforms to ensure good recording and reporting of in-country interactions and activities undertaken by the country team working on trade and investment in order to maintain up-to-date and accurate client information.

• Help identify and address market access barriers.

• Support the DIT Country Director in preparing trade briefings, trade statistics, and pipeline of opportunities to include in annual business planning.

• Contribute to achieving business plan targets.

• As a member of Trade and prosperity team promote the UK export and investment offer to the Senegalese market, including UK financial institutions such as CDC Group, UK Export Finance and PIDG.

• Produce good quality and detailed reports providing market insights and sector- or product-specific information and analysis, charging where appropriate.

• Attend appropriate functions/events/meetings aimed to build a network of contacts across government and the private sector and identify business opportunities at the earliest stage.

• Assist in planning and running trade missions comprising British businesses to Senegal.

• Assist with VIP visits including responsibility for programme and logistics.

• Contribute flexibly and fully to the work of the Embassy as a whole to ensure collaborative, joined up working.

• Contribute to upholding the brand and reputation of UK with its diverse interlocutors.

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, international management, engineering or in a related field

• At least 3 years relevant professional work experience

• extensive knowledge and understanding of the public and private sector in Senegal

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in French and English

• Excellent IT skills with ability in MS Office suite applications e.g. Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint

• Good interpersonal and networking skills and comfortable dealing with high-level officials and contacts

• Strong organizational skills and good attention to detail

• Problem solving ability and drive to deliver results to tight deadlines and within set budgets

• Excellent public speaking and interpersonal skills

• Resourcefulness in solving problems; self-starter and flexible team player

• Demonstrate strong work ethic, ability to work amid tight deadlines and good professional judgment