View Vacancy - Capital Investment Officer

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)
Department for International Trade (DIT)

Main purpose of job:

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has overall responsibility for promoting UK trade across the world and attracting foreign investment to our economy. We are a specialised government body with responsibility for negotiating international trade policy, supporting business, and delivering an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy.

North America is the largest source of investible capital in the world, and is home to the majority of the world’s leading investment firms, including the world’s top 100 venture capital firms. DIT’s mission in this space is to engage with the world’s leading venture capital firms as a means of providing readily accessible sources of early and growth stage capital to innovative UK start-ups, in support of the government’s overarching strategic priorities.

Ideally based in Boston, or alternatively in New York, the Capital Investment Officer (CIO) will work as part of a team located across North America with responsibility for driving strategic capital investment from the United States and Canada into all regions of the UK.

In addition, they will provide thought leadership and subject matter expertise on the venture capital landscape; present the UK value story and DIT proposition to targeted venture capital firms and manage assigned prospect pipeline; work closely with DIT’s venture capital unit in the UK to facilitate deal flow for US firms in a differentiated manner; and manage key investor relationships, bringing in support, as required, from across government.

To be successful, the job holder will: be highly resourceful; possess exceptional strategic thinking, business development and relationship management skills; have the ability to understand and adapt to market dynamics and government policy; have the communication skills to convey compelling and impactful messages; and possess a strong will to win, with an ability to deliver against targets. The job holder will be required to attend events and undertake travel for in-person engagement with investors and colleagues across North America and in the UK.

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 to enable 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. 


Roles and responsibilities:

  • Build and cultivate strong relationships at multiple levels and touch points with major venture capital firms headquartered on the east coast of the US, coordinating closely with UK-based colleagues at DIT headquarters in London and fellow Capital Investment team members based elsewhere in North America
  • Utilise a segmented approach to proactively target venture capital firms with strategies and portfolios aligned with UK government priorities, as well as the propensity to increase their exposure and presence in the UK
  • Provide exceptional account management to an assigned portfolio of key firms
  • Be a trusted referrals partner to prospective and existing investors; manage and drive a pipeline of curated investment opportunities to successful closure
  • Monitor trends and ongoing developments, both in the venture capital sector, as well as key focus industry verticals (with particular focus on life sciences, deep tech and clean tech), providing thought leadership within DIT and across government; understand and communicate UK government strategy in relevant sectors to the US venture capital community
  • Utilise existing CRM tools to capture investor engagement and manage investment progression
  • Collaborate on cross-consulate activities, and support visits by senior UK government officials by securing high-level meetings with key investors, organising activities, and preparing briefing materials
  • Develop and execute high impact, targeted, business development-oriented events in conjunction with internal partners to build DIT brand awareness; promote key messaging relating to venture capital, the UK start-up scene and its global competitiveness
  • Represent DIT and the British Consulate at external functions, including occasional speaking engagements

 

Resources managed:

Co-manage one Trade & Investment Associate; manage events and travel budgets

 

Essential on arrival:

  • Demonstrated professional experience in a business, economic development or capital investment role, ideally including time with a venture capital firm or in a venture capital-backed start-up
  • Proven business development track record, with the demonstrated ability to close deals of considerable scale and strategic significance
  • Highly developed commercial acumen and strategic relationship management skills
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high quality output, present effectively, and influence at multiple levels
  • Strong drive for results
  • Multinational business, negotiation and organisational experience; solid understanding of both the US and UK environments a real plus
  • An excellent network of industry contacts in the venture capital and/or start-up ecosystem in the US, or the ability to develop such a network, with the credibly to interact at a senior level within the community
  • Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work towards shared goals in a highly matrixed environment
  • The ability to operate under pressure, and deal effectively with complexity and uncertainty
  • The ability to attend events outside of office hours, and undertake travel in the US and internationally, up to 20% of your time.

As a valued member of our team, we will help you to achieve your goals through continuous professional development.

Seeing the Big Picture, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
23 August 2022
Grade 6 (G6)
Full-time
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Boston
British Consulate General
1
USD
$85,686
10 October 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.).

Qualifications:

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

About the Department for International Trade

 

We employ over 150 people across North America, all united by our vision of a future where we champion open and fair global trading that drives growth, creates better jobs and higher wages, and improves living standards in the UK and around the world.  We seek talented team members with a passion and drive to help us promote exports to North America of British goods and services, two-way investment between the UK and North America, and mutual improved market access to help grow our bilateral trade (see www.gov.uk/DIT).  

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.