View Vacancy - CGZ - Trade and Investment Officer, Infrastructure & Environment, South China, A2(L)

This is an exciting role for an enthusiastic, proactive and flexible Trade and Investment officer to join our Infrastructure and Environment team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) where we aim to advance the trade and investment ambitions articulated in the DIT Regional Trade Plan for the China and Hong Kong region, which are:

Objective 1 - Driving and inspiring UK exports to China, significantly increasing the UK market share of China's goods imports, and more than double the value of UK services exports.
Objective 2 – Consistent trade policy engagement with China to achieve incremental market access, mitigate business risk and prepare for future trade deals
Objective 3 - Broadening and deepening the UK-China investment partnership, positioning the UK as the top European destination for Chinese investment and providing strong support for UK investors.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) was established by the Prime Minister in July 2016 to integrate and elevate the Trade agenda; help secure a better deal for the UK as it negotiates a successful exit from the EU; and establish new relationships with other countries around the globe. DIT promotes British trade across the world and ensures the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us, securing and improving the economic well-being and stability of the UK, and helping to create tens of thousands of jobs every year.

Led by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for China and Hong Kong we are one of nine global regions and part of an overseas network that operates in 108 countries. The largest DIT overseas network in the world, with 200 staff across six posts - the British Embassy in Beijing, plus Consulates in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Wuhan – DIT, as part of the One HMG network in China and Hong Kong, offers a fast-paced place to work at the heart of UK: China Government relations.

The infrastructure and environment sector is one where new opportunities have arisen.

Major Chinese property developers have great interest in investing in the UK despite the uncertainty. There is great potential to secure high value investments in real estate/ regeneration developments across the UK. This will attract high political attention, particularly for investments outside of London.

There is the opportunity as developers diversify to work across teams for projects on industrial parks, incubators, including elements such as education, experience economy and aged care. A proactive approach that brings access to Chairman on investment in UK real estate will allow the job holder to find opportunities for other sector teams to sell the UK supply chain or identify potential investment leads for them in those sectors.

The position also works as part of a wider team to support UK-China Infrastructure Alliance Hub, which focuses on training Chinese potential investors/contractors on how to do business in the UK through an Academy; collaboration on third country infrastructure projects along Belt & Road Countries; and domestic Chinese PPP training and will support regional sector lead to work with the Hub to deliver on commercial trade and investment benefits.

The Trade and Investment Officer Environment & Infrastructure South China is reporting to the Head of Environment & Infrastructure South China in the British Consulate General Guangzhou. The successful candidate will have a passion for working with property developers, investors in Belt & Road countries, and construction supply chain, understanding of international trade and investment from inside and / or outside government and China domestic /UK market, as well as have a practical, collaborative style to work with china wide team mates and cross sectors to deliver team’s objective.

As the Trade and Investment Officer in South, you will ensure that you reflect the DIT values particularly on supporting your line manager to build up strategic relationships with multipliers who are targeting inward investment to the UK and third countries; a will to work with remote colleagues as a team both within your sector and with those in other sectors in Guangzhou; and well cooperate with China wide network when required.

You will be in a main role to support the Head of Environment & Infrastructure South China to develop strong pipelines of business leads via ensuring the correct information updated in datahub so as to conclude successfully as wins for the UK, as well as refresh account information regularly with your line manager’s guideline.  You will be also responsible for assisting regional sector lead to develop a network of industry contacts and cultivate those relationships, and comfortably interface with external stakeholders individually as required. You will take a certain responsibility to explore the accounts/ market your line manager assigns when necessary. You will support the regional sector lead to implement innovative, targeted campaigns, missions, events and high profile visits to showcase the British offer.
The prime focus is on regeneration investment, and Belt & Road Initiative (BRI). However this role will include 5% of time to cover the environment sector as well to support the previous environment pipeline as necessary.

The role presents a unique challenge which is not only providing basic admin support but also is with learning attitude to grow up your sector knowledge which could help advance your career in the future. We are looking for candidates with passion, drive and ambition.

This position is advertised on a fixed-term basis of two (2) years. Further contract extension is subject to the performance appraisal and operational needs for the role continuing.

Roles and responsibilities:

Assist effective strategic relationship management (30%):

• Support regional sector lead’s strategic relationship management approach when required, including paper work preparation, setting up face to face/tel-con meetings with logistics arrangement, regular clients’ greetings, note taking and summary etc. 
• Build up the knowledge of the key stakeholder pool the team prioritise in South
• Support to update Strategic Relationship Management templates as required.
• Support to build up the pipelines of the UK investment and BRI Trade via clients’ engagement.

High impact visits (20%):

• Support important visit programmes and lead the logistical aspects of important visit programmes (Chinese officials and companies to the UK and UK officials and companies to China) that contribute to sector targets
• Help to collect information to support line manager to write briefing for VIPs and VVIPs to agreed standards

Collaboration with strategic partners and different virtual teams to deliver events & missions (20%):

• Proactively collaborate with strategic partners, cross sector teams and third parties to deliver events/missions/VIP visits via providing professional admin supports in logistics aspects as well as take a role to overseeing delivery partners to ensure the event/mission’s quality.
• Assist to deliver the events to drive BRI objectives via closely working with Infrastructure Alliance team and BRI virtual team

Database Management (20%):

• Robustly manage a pipeline of business leads to ensure that projects progress with momentum, updated progress to agreed deadline
• Regularly track and update pipelines information into DIT digital datahub (customer database system)
• Regularly update regional budget with line manager’s guideline

Marketing information collection (10%):

• Study, summarise and update the Infrastructure market trends, sector policy as well as the news of the active market players when appropriate
• Standardise sector documents which could help promote the UK capabilities and investment environment when required
• Proactively build up sector knowledge and contribute to South China team strategy

• IT: knowledge of internet research, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Powerpoint
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Proven organisational ability
• Highly proficient in English and Cantonese