View Vacancy - Trade Policy Adviser Oil & Gas (KAZ19.259)

The British Embassy in Kazakhstan is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is now looking to recruit a Trade Policy Adviser to join the Department for International Trade (DIT) team.

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) promotes UK trade across the world and attracts foreign investment to the UK, both of which are vital for the UK’s prosperity. DIT brings together policy, trade and investment promotion and financial expertise to resolve barriers to trade and investment globally to help businesses succeed. This is a great opportunity to join an international team that contributes to the success of the UK’s trade goals.

The British Trade Office (BTO) in Atyrau and DIT staff at the British Embassy in Nur-Sultan are part of a world-wide network representing British commercial interests overseas. They work alongside Foreign Office (FCO) colleagues who represent British political, economic and consular interests overseas. DIT Kazakhstan staff are also part of DIT’s Eastern Europe & Central Asia Network (EECAN) headed by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for the region based in Istanbul.

The BTO Atyrau focuses solely on British commercial interests in the oil and gas sector in Kazakhstan. It is now looking to fill a new position based in Atyrau for an Oil and Gas Trade Policy Adviser. The successful candidate will develop an understanding of the oil and gas business environment, and Kazakhstan’s localisation agenda, and develop a strategy to deliver an improved business environment and more British business deals.

This is a new role to drive our market access and trade policy agenda in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas sector. The successful applicant will oversee a process to identify, address and resolve oil and gas sector-specific non-tariff barriers/market access issues, seeking to influence others in business and Government bodies through existing and other possible channels.

Reporting to the Head of BTO Atyrau, and the Director for Trade and Investment in Nur-Sultan, the successful applicant will:

• Develop relationships with a range of internal and external contacts, including British and Kazakhstani businesses, local trade associations, and Atyrau regional and national government, to develop an understanding of British business and investment needs and of the impact of non-tariff barrier market access issues on them in the oil and gas sector in Kazakhstan;
• Use those contacts, desk-based research and any relevant data to keep up-to-date with any potential or new Kazakhstani reforms or policy changes, including as Kazakhstan makes any changes to comply with its WTO commitments by end-2020, and their impact on UK business interests. Consult with IFI’s locally on economic reform/governance;
• Develop and maintain those contacts by helping to arrange and deliver trade missions to Kazakhstan and the UK and the oil and gas elements in any bilateral VIP, ministerial or senior official visits to the UK or Kazakhstan. This work may require some travel to/from the UK or within Kazakhstan;
• Review UK-Kazakhstani engagement on the localisation agenda to date, including the impact of the UK-Kazakhstan Oil & Gas Partnership Programme since 2011 and Task Force since 2015. Identify what has worked and what lessons have been learnt;
• Develop and write a strategy that identifies risks and opportunities and make recommendations to facilitate, through formal and informal channels, an improved business environment. Agree that strategy with DIT and FCO Economic colleagues in Kazakhstan, and DIT oil and gas high value campaign (HVC) colleagues in Azerbaijan and the UK. Consider what other teams or tools could be used to support these recommendations, eg other DIT or FCO teams (Political, Public Diplomacy), policy advice, study visits to share experience, funding for technical assistance, recommendations for future negotiations;
• Report and recommend, to DIT and FCO Economic colleagues in Atyrau, Nur-Sultan, the new DIT Regional Market Access Coordinator in Istanbul, and DIT oil and gas and Trade Policy Market Access colleagues in the UK, where and how we should focus and prioritise our efforts to improve the business environment and resolve non-tariff barriers;
• Upload non-tariff barrier market access issues to DIT’s Digital Market Access Service (DMAS) and update it with any progress towards resolving those issues and/or new information to clarify other users’ understanding.

The successful applicant will be proactive and able to absorb a wide range of information from different sources, and use that to inform and shape their thinking. They will be confident and persuasive in dealing with senior stakeholders. They will be a self-starter with personal initiative and drive, strong inter-personal, team working, communication and policy skills.

• Fluency in English (both oral and written);
• Fluency in Russian (both oral and written);
• At least 1-2 years prior work experience in the Oil and Gas industry;
• Degree in Petroleum Engineering, Engineering, Business Administration or relevant area;
• The ability to manage, analyse, summarise and present complex information;
• A self-starter, able to work alone and with others in Atyrau, Nur-Sultan and elsewhere;
• The ability to manage and prioritise workload, and to deliver results;
• Demonstrate initiative, problem-solving and judgement skills;
• IT proficiency.