View Vacancy - DIT Country Director, Oil & Gas Sectors

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Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
Department for International Trade (DIT)

The British Embassy in Nouakchott has the vacancy for the position of DIT Country Director, Oil & Gas Sectors, Grade C4 (L).

Role:
To help British companies win business in Mauritania, principally in the oil and gas sectors, to help deliver the Department for International Trade (DIT) Regional Trade Plan for Africa.

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic self-starter, with excellent commercial awareness, who can work accurately within deadlines and is a strong team member who works collaboratively.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver front line business facing work, growing UK exports to (and investment in) Mauritania. The primary focus will be on oil and gas sectors, but this may change as commercial priorities evolve. 
• Plan and deliver targeted campaigns and activities in these sectors aimed at increasing the demand for UK goods and services in Mauritania;
• Identify and generate commercial opportunities, providing professional advice and high-quality market analysis to UK companies and facilitating introductions and providing the other support required for companies to win contracts. 
• With the rest of the DIT team, contribute to achieving business plan targets and ensure services are charged for, where applicable.
• Assist the pan African Trade Services Unit in providing high quality market research and organising visit programmes and events to introduce UK companies to the Mauritanian market;
• Promote, where relevant, the financing products offered by UK Export Finance, the British government’s Export Credit Agency, to support companies win contracts;
• Stakeholder engagement: Develop a strong network of contacts in the public and private sector in the sectors for which you are responsible and use this network to further UK business interests, including through arranging and attending meetings. Attend seminars, receptions and other events in Mauritania, the region and the UK, as required.
• Report contact with UK companies and monitor/record follow up activity though DIT systems, working to ensure targets are met. Ensure all export opportunities in sectors the jobholder is responsible for are captured and advertised to British businesses.
• Professionally manage the DIT operation in Mauritania including by maintaining trade statistics, assisting companies with visa enquiries, budget management, business planning and inputting management information.  Lead on responses to DIT parliamentary questions, Ministerial correspondence and public enquiries.
• Liaise with other areas of UK government, and provide advice and guidance on trade, investment and trade policy issues, ensuring delivery of opportunities and that commercial offers are complementary to our political and programme support
• Identify issues faced by British investors active in Mauritania in the sectors you are responsible for and develop and implement clear strategies to resolve them;
• Contribute flexibly and fully to the work of the DIT Africa Team, and exporting successful campaign approaches to other relevant markets across Africa

Key Competencies Required:

• Seeing the Big Picture - Is about having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs.
• 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.
• 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 organisation to help get business done.
• Achieving Commercial Outcomes - Being effective in this area is about maintaining an economic, long-term focus in all activities. It’s about having a commercial, financial and sustainable mind-set to ensure all activities and services are delivering added value and working to stimulate economic growth.

• Demonstrated advanced ability to communicate fluently, effectively and persuasively in English, French and Arabic (both orally and in writing)
• Graduate with a university degree in a relevant subject (e.g. business, economics, international relations, etc.)
• 3 years recent experience in the oil and gas sectors
• Excellent IT skills, in particular Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel and the ability to use social media tools to support your activities
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organisational skills.
• Be a team player, ready to help colleagues and share knowledge willingly.   
• Effective time management: able to handle the multiple priorities of the role within the agreed deadlines.
• Have an understanding of local economic and commercial challenges in Mauritania and the region.
• Strong account management experience and excellent customer relationship management skills.
• Experience of delivering commercial targets, for example on sales or project management delivery timescale.
• Flexibility for occasional out of hours work and travel.
10 March 2019
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
36
12 months
Middle East & North Africa
Mauritania
Nouakchott
British Embassy
1
125,000 MRU
1 May 2019

Working Hours and Remuneration:

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role. The total salary for the role is 125,000 MRU per month at Grade C4 (L). There may be very limited scope to increase the salary, by no more than 20% for candidates with exceptional experience, however this should not be expected. In addition, employer CNSS contributions will be made. A 13th month payment will be paid at the end of Ramadan every year (pro-rata in the first year). There are no other allowances payable as part of this package. The successful jobholder will receive 25 days of annual leave per annum plus public holidays as designated by the Embassy (usually 10-14 days per year). This is a fulltime, fixed term contract for one-year with a possibility of extension.

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

Conditioned working hours for the position are 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday. The actual working hours are at the discretion of the Ambassador and depend upon the needs of the Embassy. The normal working hours are 09:30 – 17:30 Monday to Friday (including a 30 min lunch break).

However, given the nature of the role the successful candidate will be required to work outside normal working hours and at weekends as required. Time of in lieu will therefore be offered when appropriate.

There will be travel requirements in country and possibly outside of Mauritania.

The successful applicant will have access to a range of Learning and Development opportunities with in-house and e learning, with the potential for overseas training. From time to time, there will be opportunities to assist other teams within the Department for International Trade, through delivery of training and awareness sessions.

The successful candidate will be subject to a 3 months’ probationary period.

Staff members recruited locally by the British Embassy Nouakchott are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Mauritanian employment law.

Eligibility:

All applicants must be legally able to work in Mauritania with the correct visa/status or work permit.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates must attach the following documents in English along with completed online application form:

1. A covering letter
2. An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)

** (Your application must include, in the cover letter, examples of when you have demonstrated the competencies outlined above. Applications that do not include this information will be rejected).

The closing date for applications is 10 March 2019 before 23:55 Mauritanian Time.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Due to the large amount of applications we receive only those shortlisted for assessment will be contacted.

As part of the interview, successful applicants will be required to deliver a 3-4 minute presentation in English entitled ‘The considerations for Mauritania, and the UK supply-chain, in sustainably leveraging the benefits from the oil and gas opportunity’. This presentation will form part of the interview and should be presented without reference to PowerPoint, however notes will be accepted.

Please note that if an applicant’s level of spoken English falls below the required level to carry out the role, the interview may be discontinued.

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two months. 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 Nouakchott is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.

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.