View Vacancy - SIN - Head of Financial Services, Asia Pacific, SEO

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)
DIT

Main purpose of job:

This is a unique opportunity to join the Department for International Trade (DIT)’s Singapore team in the British High Commission as the regional sector lead for DIT’s Asia Pacific (APAC) Financial and Professional Services (FPS) activity. DIT supports UK based businesses to export globally, and encourages overseas investment across all parts of the UK.

As a senior specialist and leadership position, applying deep sector expertise and strong relationships with companies and regulators is a vital part of this role. You will need to build a productive network of country leads across the region and work closely with DIT’s UK-based Financial and Professional Services Sector Team. You will harness links to related priority sectors (e.g. Technology) and to key areas of UK Government activity including HM Treasury policy and FCDO programmes.

Roles and responsibilities/what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

  1. Asia Pacific Regional Lead for Financial and Professional Services - DIT APAC supports regional working to maximise the expertise within, and impact of, its workforce by creating networks to enable the sharing of best practice and new ideas, peer-to-peer support and advice, and multi-country campaigns and initiatives. The successful candidate will:
    • Develop and implement DIT’s strategy for boosting UK exports, investment and engagement on FPS across Asia Pacific, using an evidence-driven approach and delivering through individual Country Trade Plans and the Regional Trade Plan;
    • Identify and commission analysis on sectoral and macroeconomic trends, export and investment performance;
    • Design and deliver projects with strong stakeholder participation that open markets, boost exports and attract investment across the whole of the UK;
    • Lead and grow a virtual network of DIT and cross-government colleagues across APAC working on FPS to boost performance, share intelligence and promote best practice;
    • Account manage senior relationships at regional level with FPS companies, financial regulators and stakeholders, ensuring we support the UK FPS sector to grow and maximise the impact of their expertise and presence;
    • Mentor and develop staff within the virtual network, advising and sharing good practice to empower people to deliver on their projects and plans;
    • Provide strategic and operational updates to the DIT APAC Board and advise on sectoral resourcing for the region;
    • Ensure that the sectoral plans and processes are coordinated with related activity such as relevant economic dialogues and partnerships.
  2. SE Asia regional FPS campaign delivery - Singapore is the lead market for a SE Asia regional FPS export campaign and the job holder will lead the SEA campaign strategy and reporting across the sub-region. The successful candidate will:
    • Lead the SEA regional export campaign strategy through setting the overall direction, building capability and cross-post working, driving the business planning process, monitoring performance, and supporting on activity in other markets where needed;
    • Manage the yearly business planning process for the region by coordinating, rationalising and submitting input from across the SE Asia priority markets, including horizon scanning and exploring new areas of work as well as taking responsibility for all aspects of performance reporting to DIT;
    • Build strong relationships with DIT and British Government colleagues in the region and wider;
    • Build expertise, personally and in the regional priority market campaign teams, on FPS, developing a deep understanding of the diverse markets in the region and its key trends and opportunities for UK business e.g. in FinTech, green finance and carbon markets etc;
    • Ensure the UK, as a global financial hub and leader in sustainable finance, utilises its ASEAN Dialogue Partner status to support sustainable growth in the region – encouraging the UK’s green finance ecosystem to collaborate with ASEAN to support its green transition, and ASEAN institutions to look to the UK for solutions to meet its green financing needs;
    • For all projects where UK Supply chain is operating, develop and implement a regional stakeholder engagement plan, maintain a pipeline of projects and connect companies to new markets;
    • Building on FTAs where already in place, identify barriers that are preventing UK supply chain accessing markets in the region and support those markets to address the barriers;
  3. Singapore - Work alongside the FPS lead in Singapore to:
    • Identify the most cost effective and high impact ways to promote the UK’s FPS sector in Singapore through events, marketing, trade press, social and other media, and relationships;
    • Lead the design and delivery of high quality FPS elements for frequent ministerial and senior official visits, creating activities to drive lead generation and deepen key relationships while meeting policy objectives;

How the role holder is expected to deliver:

The role will require both deep expertise and excellent leadership, collaboration and networking skills across all of the areas of focus. The successful candidate will:

  • Develop or maintain deep expertise on FPS and aligned sectors, covering everything from the technical detail of the companies we work with to the political and economic factors affecting the sector in Singapore, SE Asia and APAC;
  • Actively build on DIT’s strong network of companies, buyers and multipliers in Singapore - particularly those with a regional presence - establishing new relationships and cultivating and maintaining existing ones;
  • Deliver key account management of major investors for the region;
  • Design and deliver impactful projects with external partners to expand financial services markets, boost exports and attract investments that benefit all regions of the UK;
  • Grow corporate understanding of the business environment issues across the region which could affect the sector, and take or support action where necessary;
  • Collaborate across the High Commission in Singapore, HMTC’s regional network and with partners to ensure that we deliver against HMG objectives and take advantage of emerging opportunities;
  • Work as part of the leadership teams for DIT in APAC and the BHC in Singapore, supporting corporate activities, responding flexibly where needed to other demands on the wider DIT team, and role modelling good line management and leadership;
  • Be flexible to take on additional and amended duties as new priorities emerge.
      • Demonstrable relevant and appropriate experience, knowledge and/or qualifications in FPS and related areas including a proven record of engaging customers, stakeholders and partners
      • A successful track record with significant experience in international trade and investment or business development (including market research, analysing market data and business support)
      • Experience of managing and motivating people, as well as strong team work and collaboration skills, including confidence in suggesting new ideas and challenging senior stakeholders
      • Excellent communication and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with business contacts and colleagues in Singapore, other APAC countries and the UK
      • A proactive, can-do approach, combined with high standards for delivery and meeting deadline
      • Ability to work independently at pace, and to prioritise, managing an often heavy workload
      • Good judgement and political awareness
      • Excellent organisational, IT and administrative skills
      • Experience working with the UK Government
      • Experience in a sales environment
      • Experience in finance policy and/or regulation 
      Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
      19 May 2022
      Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
      Permanent
      37.5
      Asia Pacific
      Singapore
      Singapore
      British High Commission
      1
      SGD
      8,265
      1 July 2022

      We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary of SGD 8,265 per month and a generous annual wage supplement (as part of total guaranteed remuneration) of an additional 2 months’ salary paid out in December each year, Central Provident Fund (CPF) payment in lieu for non-Permanent Resident foreign nationals, 23-days annual leave entitlement and a health insurance plan. The basic salary is non-negotiable.

      We have a generous leave offer including: 23 days annual leave, increasing to 25 after 5 years' service, with the option to carry over up to 10 days into the subsequent leave year; 13 public holidays; generous maternity and paternity leave; and childcare leave. We encourage volunteerism and offer up to 3 days paid volunteer leave.

      We offer medical insurance to support staff with the high costs of healthcare in Singapore and periodic reimbursement for the cost of eye tests and replacement eye wear.

      Learning and development opportunities:

      We offer time and financial support for the successful candidate to take advantage of professional learning and development opportunities inside and outside of the organisation.

      The BHC has an active Learning & Development Committee which works hard to provide a comprehensive L&D offer. There is a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job-shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the International Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all available opportunities.

      All new hires undertake a workplace induction and there are a number of mandatory e-learning courses that must be completed in order to pass probation.

      Working Patterns:

      Normal working hours are 37.5 per week: 8.30am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday. 

      The BHC supports and promotes flexible working as a crucial part of our inclusive offering. We believe that a healthy balance between work and home life is best for both you and the High Commission. Where the requirements of your role allow, flexible working can take the form of working flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours, or some of the time from home.

      Other information:

      In addition to the duties which this job normally entails, you may from time to time be required to undertake additional or other duties as necessary to meet the needs of the High Commission, including playing a part in the corporate life of the mission and supporting any crisis response.

      No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. You must have or be able to obtain a local work permit which we will sponsor.

      Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Singapore employment law. 

      Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. Only short-listed applications will be called for personal interviews.

      The British High Commission is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation. Our values of Collaboration, Opportunity, Respect and Excellence (CORE) are our guiding principles. We aspire to live our values consistently in order to make the British High Commission a great place to work where staff feel valued, supported and inspired to be their best. 

      We welcome applications from candidates in countries from which travel to Singapore is feasible under the prevailing Covid-related border restrictions.  Singapore will only allow entry for those fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved under the WHO EUL. Successful overseas applicants are responsible for all costs associated with relocating to Singapore.

      Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Singapore employment law. Applicants should be aware that Singapore government has mandated that from 1 January 2022 only employees who are fully vaccinated can return to the workplace and from 14 February 2022, workers will need to have taken a booster dose to maintain their fully vaccinated status beyond 270 days from the last dose in their primary vaccination series.

      All applications must be received before 23:55 on the specified application deadline.

      Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

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

      Applicants are required to fill out the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, motivational segment and the competency based questions. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage so please ensure you provide information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting shortlisted candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

      Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

      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.