View Vacancy - CPK- DIT International Export Finance Executive D6 (L)

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

Due to the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in China, all recruitment campaigns have been placed on hold until further notice.

Main purpose of job

This is an exciting and demanding role for an exceptional individual to take up the role of International Export Finance Executive under UK Export Finance (UKEF), within the Department for International Trade China. Working closely with colleagues across the DIT China Network, you will play a key role in leading engagement with local buyers, project sponsors, and associated stakeholder networks to develop export growth through the provision of trade finance and credit insurance available from UKEF. This includes identifying opportunities to develop the procurement of high value goods and services from the UK whilst developing understanding and creating impact around UKEF’s financial products and services.

You will play a key role in supporting the wider DIT China team (China & Hong Kong) achieve its objectives as articulated in the Regional Trade Plan, of which the over-arching ambitions 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 - Strengthened 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.


Context
The Department for International Trade (DIT) operates in 108 countries. Establishing new relationships around the globe, DIT promotes British trade to ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us, securing and improving economic well-being, stability, and helping to create tens of thousands of jobs.

DIT has one of the largest representations of the 18 government departments working in China, which are coordinated and led by Her Majesty’s Ambassador who is responsible for the UK’s relationship with China. Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) is responsible for Trade and Investment work in China, one of nine global regions and the largest DIT overseas network in the world. With c.190 staff across six posts - Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Wuhan – DIT, as part of the UK government network in China offers a fast-paced place to work at the heart of UK-China Government relations.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency (ECA) and a government department that reports to the Secretary of State for International Trade through the Minister for International Trade. It works alongside the Department for International Trade (DIT) as an integral part of its strategy and operations.
UKEF’s mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance, while operating at no net cost to the taxpayer.


Roles and responsibilities

  • As UKEF’s sole representative in China and Hong Kong, the jobholder will be responsible for developing strategic relationships and partnerships with businesses, government, and other key stakeholders in order to promote export growth in China and Hong Kong and to support UKEF and the Department for International Trade (DIT) in providing specialist market advice to potential exporters.
  • The jobholder will collaborate with the DIT management team and the UKEF Business Group management to deliver the aims of the International Business Development (IBD) Team, UK Export Finance, and DIT as a whole. The jobholder will act as the eyes and ears of the UKEF Business Group supporting the objectives of the IBD team to grow UKEF supported export wins by focusing on five (5) key areas of activity:

Build awareness of UKEF support capabilities

  • Lead local campaigns to raise the profile of UKEF internationally through engagement with the business community, government bodies, and other stakeholder organisations.
  • Deliver UKEF marketing plans, ensuring that messages are appropriate to the audience. Remove complexity and build understanding. Develop a localised message where possible.
  • Develop and implement PR activities that educate the business community on UKEF products.
  • Develop UKEF knowledge base within local DIT team.

Build and share market knowledge

  • Develop detailed knowledge and insight of public and private sector organisations, including their strategic business planning and development objectives. Implement findings into UKEF strategic plans.
  • Understand and interpret host government trade policy, priority sectors, and projects.
  • Ensure timely export intelligence and insight for IBD, enabling opportunities for UKEF.
  • Act as the lead source of UKEF advice to local DIT teams, including integration of UKEF objectives into high value campaigns (HVCs).
  • Take the lead in leveraging expertise, knowledge, and networks of local staff, business chambers, and other local channels in their capacity as multipliers.
  • Identify the competitive framework (Export Credit Agencies and Supply Chain), articulate the difference of the UKEF offer. Seek collaboration where appropriate.
  • Exploit local knowledge, experience, and networks to gather intelligence of local commercial banking sectorial focus and appetite for risk.

Establish and maintain stakeholder relationships - UKEF primary stakeholders are buyers, UK exporters, project sponsors, host government departments, etc. This role will be required to:

  • Identify key buyers and sponsors in the target markets.
  • Exploit knowledge and experience to build robust business networks and develop calling plans to enhance the profile of UKEF.
  • Oversee the development of mechanisms to record and coordinate business outreach activities.
  • Maintain and develop regular contacts with local senior sponsors, banks, public sector organisations, government bodies, and UK businesses to identify export opportunities that could benefit from UKEF support.

Create and deliver strategic plans

  • Support DIT Managers in country strategic planning aligned to UKEF organisational objectives, supporting HVCs where ‘leading with finance’ could be an important driver.
  • Embed UKEF offer into DIT HVC execution plans.

Progress business development opportunities

  • Lead the local coordination of UKEF local campaign activities.
  • Engage the UK Export Finance Manager (EFM) Network to ensure seamless coordination between the UK supply chain and local sponsor.
  • Lead UKEF local relationships with providers of trade finance and risk mitigation products (e.g., banks, credit insurers, brokers, and others) and to introduce customers/ sponsors who require their services.
  • Lead UKEF collaboration with the local DIT team to develop innovative export solutions for UK companies.
  • Coordinate and support visits from UKEF Business Group management.

This list is not exhaustive; the International Export Finance Executive may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs. Key competencies required for this role include:

  • Seeing the Big Picture - Having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs. Focusing your contribution on the activities which will meet the organisation's goals and deliver the greatest value.
  • Changing and Improving - Being open to change, suggesting ideas for improvements to the way things are done, and working in ‘smarter’, more focused ways. Creating and contributing to a culture of innovation and allowing people to consider and take managed risks.
  • Leading and Communicating - Leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction, and enthusiasm, and managing and engaging with people with honesty and integrity. Establishing a strong direction and a persuasive future vision; managing and engaging with people with honesty and integrity, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
  • Achieving Commercial Outcomes - Having a commercial, financial and sustainable mind-set to ensure all activities and services are delivering added value. Identifying economic, market, and customer issues and using these to promote innovative business models, commercial partnerships and agreements to deliver greatest value; and ensuring tight commercial controls of finances, resources and contracts to meet strategic priorities.
  • This role would suit a self-starter who has experience of working in a financial services background and/ or in credit finance. Trade background in a similar or business development role and knowledge of Export Credit Agency instruments and experience of trade finance are essential.
  • Understanding of local capital markets and experience of navigating emerging/ growth markets with the ability to support complex financial service projects are also required for this role.
  • The jobholder should also be fluent in English, both written and spoken. 
  • The jobholder should also have good working knowledge of Microsoft Office programmes especially Outlook, Word, and Excel.
  • Knowledge of the UK investment landscape and export priorities, along with experience of engagement with Chinese stakeholders are desirable but not essential.
  • Chinese language skills are highly desirable.
29 February 2020
Grade 7 (G7)
Fixed Term, Full-time
35
24 months
Asia Pacific
China
Beijing
British Embassy
1
CNY
Chinese National: 40,193 RMB/ British National: 50,713 RMB
1 May 2020

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

There is plenty of opportunity to develop on the job, and to establish expertise on trade policy. Specific areas and activities include:

Courses and materials offered by the Learning and Development team
Attending external events and conferences hosted by academic institutions, business chambers, etc
Taking part in learning sets with Embassy colleagues

DIT Induction and UKEF training will be available for successful candidate. Successful candidate will also be expected to spend time in the UK to engage with key contacts in UKEF and wider Whitehall.

No direct management of staff, but successful candidate will be expected to work closely with, and lead virtual teams, across the DIT Network, in particular with the infrastructure and financial services teams.

The position will cover the entire China and Hong Kong Network and will involve significant amount of domestic and some regional travel. Given the nature of the role, the jobholder will also be required to work some irregular hours attending business receptions and other networking events outside of office hours.

We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary, good leave entitlement, and insurance plan, etc. The gross salary (before all deductions) is CNY 40, 193/ month for Chinese Nationals and an abated monthly salary of CNY 50, 713/month for British Nationals and spouses/ partners (all nationalities) of diplomats who are ‘W’ (diplomatic) visa holders and meet passport criteria.

We also offer excellent development opportunities and a 22-day annual leave entitlement in pro rata.

Conditioned working hours is 35 hours/ week from Monday to Friday and flexible working can be arranged upon personal needs.

For more details on our Total Rewards Package, please visit our website http://www.gov.uk/government/world/china.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Beijing is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Chinese employment law.


Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

Indicated start date is provisional and subject to successful completion of reference and security checks.

To those applicants not shortlisted, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.



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This opportunity is closed to applications.