View Vacancy - CPKSH - Scottish Development International: Head of Greater China and Asia Pacific Lead for Trade (Energy), D6 (L)

This position is to be based in either Beijing or Shanghai. 

The Country Head for Scottish Development (SDI) for Greater China and Asia Pacific lead for trade (energy).

This is a high-profile role with oversight of SDI’s trade & investment operations in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen / Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Country Head will be the primary and principal representative of SDI in the country and will be accountable for the effective and efficient running of SDI’s operations and offices, as well as stakeholder and partner engagement.

This role also has Asia-wide responsibility for the achievement of Scotland’s Global Trade Team (Energy) objectives. This involves directing the operational priorities of key staff in India, Japan, ASEAN countries, as well as Greater China to support Scottish exporters in this sector (including both oil and gas and renewable).

Roles and responsibilities:

Ensure the creation of ambitious, credible and deliverable global operating plans to achieve both trade and investment objectives for Greater China and trade (exports) from Scotland in the energy sectors to the Asia Pacific markets.   This is as part of a regional matrix-structured management team.

This should be done by exercising critical thinking and sound judgement, using of an evidence based approach and through collaboration with regional and global counterparts. The job holder will build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including Minsters, senior employees in the organisation and external organisations which may have conflicting views. The post holder leads on inter-departmental and external issues. They will need to use advanced negotiation and influencing skills to maintain effective partnerships to deliver strategic outcomes.

Country-level leadership

• SRO for Senior level visits to the country, ensuring all delivered activities support the delivery of SDI’s trade & investment objectives
• Develop the Country “plan” and performance overview (i.e. the ability to state what is being delivered in the country), including a synthesis of market insights beyond FDI / trade responsibilities
• Scottish partnership development, especially with respect to the role universities play, as well as Chambers, Local authorities, etc and making a
• ‘Local’ partnership development especially with UK Government (FCO / DIT) as well as many ‘intermediaries from across the region

Trade responsibilities

• Demonstrate significant leadership, representational and influencing skills as Scotland’s most senior trade and investment person focussing on energy in Asia
• Delivery of an outstanding contribution towards SE and SDI business plan measures and targets through a focus on execution, prioritising activities and deploying resources in line with operating plans. Identifying and progressing (via team members) major opportunities and shaping trade support, development and promotion activity in the geography.
• Development of a motivated, engaged and highly skilled team that is dispersed across many countries, with a focus on coaching and continuous improvement through learning and development.
• Support and embed a culture that enables the new global approach to trade through personal leadership - displaying exemplary resonant behaviours.
• Ensuring that there is a robust, geographically relevant, dynamic sector operating plan(s) or equivalent and managing performance against that plan(s), alongside SE / SDI / HIE colleagues and partners, including DIT.
• Acting as SRO for any specific events taking place within the geography and managing senior-level relationships to ‘champion’ the sector/geography, its trade opportunities and the work of SDI to clients, partners and stakeholders.
• Providing specific market insight relating to the geography, providing guidance to colleagues and partners.

People management

• People management oversight for all staff across Greater China (within an organisational structure) and direct people management of x3 posts at grade C5, with a strong focus on coaching and performance management
• Directly supporting team members with more complex or challenging company/customer work, involving company visits
• Ensuring the team culture is strongly focused on performance and customers (internal and external) and that accurate, up-to-date management information is maintained on internal systems
• Establishing personal credibility and demonstrate valuable contribution to Scotland’s economy through managing senior level partner and stakeholder relationships
• Handle the management of local teams with little reference to senior managers.

Context

• Managing the operating plan is a complex process, requiring rapid decision-making, a strong strategic focus and the ability to prioritise resources
• There are high expectations from participating companies that the specialist support will help them enter new markets and meet new customers to increase their exports
• Operate in a fast-paced environment, with a wide range of events, and high demands from stakeholders and customers
• Requirement to drive improvement initiatives within own team and across SDI

Other

• Travelling within the Geography (Asia Pacific) and at times to Scotland, with attendance at evening and other events

This role provides an opportunity for stretch by:

• Leading a new approach to trade and inward investment across Greater China, with aim of improving impact through team members spending more time with companies and adopting approaches closely aligned to the global approach
• Directly supporting company projects with the more challenging or complex cases
• Deputising for the Asia Geography Director from time to time

Resourced managed

• Up to 10 direct reports (some geographically focussed and some sector focussed)

Expert knowledge of Scotland’s key sectors, best practice in economic development, trade and investment, progressive and inclusive leadership and workforce development. 

Skills:         

• Senior level leadership skills and the ability to achieve strong influence at the most senior of levels (Chairman / CEO / Ambassador, etc)
• The ability to lead complex teams in challenging environments (e.g. across multiple cultures, economic systems, administrative jurisdictions etc)
• High degree of sensitivity in working with people from different backgrounds, cultures etc and doing so to achieve results
• Highly skilled communicator and negotiator, able to develop relationships with senior colleagues and stakeholders within a complex and challenging environment 
• Diagnostic, strategic challenger, influencer and strong facilitation skills
• An ability to quickly analyse complex situations and take creative and innovative approaches to staying ahead of the competition

Experience:

• People management and resonant leadership, with the ability to successfully manage a team to meet challenging targets and achieve high levels of performance, within a supportive coaching environment
• Managing large teams
• Development of creating and executing operating plans