View Vacancy - Head of Capital Investment

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the United Kingdom Government’s international business development agency. DIT in North America has two roles. The first is to ensure UK-based businesses are successful in the US market. The second is to assist/advise US companies with a successful market entry/expansion plan into the UK market. (See www.gov.uk/DIT for further information.)

DIT USA works closely with DIT Headquarters in London, together with representatives of the three Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, and other departmental agencies in the UK.

DIT USA is run from headquarters in New York and is supported by a network of regional teams made up of members of staff spread across 9 different offices. This is a dynamic team that focuses on various sectors including financial & professional services, life sciences, tech, digital and creative media, advanced engineering, security, consumer goods, and clean technology.

Based in the British Consulate General New York, the Head of Capital Investment will work as part of an integrated team working in all priority sectors. Capital Investment is a North American (Canada and USA) wide team and the role will provide North American leadership for the capital investment strategy, supported by the officer in San Francisc who is a VC specialist. The Head of Capital Investment will concentrate regional efforts on the East Coast (Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia); and will report to the Deputy Head of Trade & Investment for New York.

The Head of Capital Investment is a key leader who inspires, leads, and assists their local and virtual team achieve their goals. The successful candidate will be responsible for drafting and implementing a strategy for the delivery of DIT’s capital investment objectives in the region. This individual will provide leadership for an integrated trade and investment team, with regional responsibility for capital invesment, mentor staff in the virtual team to help them meet their objectives, and be responsible for the regional sector team achieving its annual targets. He/she will also establish and communicate a vision for how DIT can best serve our clients and meet targets across different verticals.

Role Description:
A key priority for DIT is to attract investment into UK infrastructure, real estate and venture capital from key countries. DIT is offering an exciting and challenging opportunity for an experienced, commercially focused officer to help identify, develop and deliver investment in the UK. This will involve developing relationships and securing deals with major companies and institutions seeking to invest in the UK.

You will lead a virtual team of four based in New York (sector lead), San Francisco (officer and VC specialist) , Houston (officer) and Toronto (officer); but will also leverage the network wide resources of the British Government including DIT sector teams, Consuls General, Government Office teams and senior leadership in DIT, the Embassy and High Commision.

There is strong potential for investments to the UK in infrastructure, real estate and venture capital. US institutional investors have indicated existing and growing appetite to invest in European infrastructure and real estate – survey in 2015 have found 4 in 5 North American institutional investors actively investing in European infrastructure are planning to increase their allocations to the region, and 35% of North American investors targeting real estate investments in Europe over the next year.

US real estate and infrastructure developers and corporates can also play a key role in providing capital investment from the US. While, US high value individuals, family offices and privately-owned businesses can be interested in investment in the UK across different sectors or supporting UK companies to enter the US

US is the largest Venture Capital market with $58.8bn in venture capital invested across U.S. in 2015. While, the UK has established itself as the leader in attracting VC investment, estimates are we have secured less than 10% of the US total.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead theNorth American Capital Investment strategy in consultation with the British Consulates across North Americaand DIT in London , managing sector programming bids and associated budget reporting;
• Provide North American leadership on real assets (infrastructure and real estate investment) and private wealth activity; and support venture capital activity which will be led by the Investment Officer on the West Coast.
• Oversee US or North American? Capital Investment targets and ensure achievement of targets at all relevant British Consulates throughout the North American DIT network.
• Identify a priority list of investors and intermediaries to target in North America with the potential appetite to invest in UK infrastructure, real estate and venture capital.
• Support DIT’s engagement with high value individuals, family offices and privately-owned businesses and understand their appetite to trade with the UK
• Build a high value project pipeline of North American investors into the UK. Identify and access the top companies, which will lead to active negotiations to invest in the first 12 months of the role.
• Work with colleagues (both in North American and in the UK) on specific projects managing the potential investment and work collaboratively as part of a virtual team to land the investment successfully in the UK.
• Develop and implement high impact, targeted marketing programs and events in conjunction with stakeholder partners (including high level dinners, seminars etc.) to build DIT brand awareness; promote key messaging relating to capital investment, the UK economy and its competitiveness.
• Monitor market trends and contribute to North America-wide, sector-focused strategic planning.
• Work with multiple internal and external stakeholders to deliver high level /VIP visit programs, manage cross-consulate activities that capitalise on the synergies that exist between North America and UK and help advance key UK campaigns.
• Represent DIT and the British Consulate at external functions, including occasional speaking engagements.

• Bachelors Degree in relevant field
• 8-10 years relevant professional experience in international business
• An exceptional individual, a self-starter, with a track record in helping companies invest in infrastructure, real estate and access venture capital.
• A solid understanding of both the US and UK business environments, in addition to public versus private sector operations.
• Highly developed commercial acumen, strong client and project management skills;
• An excellent network of industry contacts in the financial sector in US or the ability to develop such a network, including demonstrating the ability to develop strategic relationships with senior industry figures;
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to present effectively.
• Ability to influence at different levels.Excellent research, analysis and report writing skills, particularly the ability to produce high quality outputs.
• An effective time manager, able to keep calm when under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work in a closely-knit team towards shared goals and strong networking skills.
• A working knowledge of the following priority areas and investment opportunities or the ability to quickly build knowledge on UK infrastructure, property development and venture capital.
• Computer literacy in standard Microsoft applications;
• Valid driver’s license; the ability to attend official functions outside of office hours; and the ability to undertake domestic and international air travel, including overnight stays.
• Assist with consular support services in times of crises.

Eligibility Requirements:

Under US State Department requirements, the Embassy may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Green Card holders or A or NATO visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A or NATO visa you are not currently eligible to work at the Embassy. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk. All candidates will be subject to background checks and security clearance.

*A visas or NATO visas with EAD cards are acceptable at the Embassy, Consulates, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas