View Vacancy - Interns: DIT Special Projects team (FRA18.304)
The British Embassy in Paris is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. It is also part of the UK’s France Network (including offices in Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseilles and representation to international organisations in Paris (OECD and UNESCO) and Strasbourg (CoE).The British Embassy is currently looking for two interns for the DIT Special Projects team to start in October 2018.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) promotes British trade and investment around the world; helps to build an appetite for British goods and services globally; and works to encourage foreign investment into the UK. DIT also brings together policy, promotion and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade & investment and to help businesses to succeed. The DIT team in France comprises 27 people in Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux. The team works with both French investors and British companies doing business in France across the main business sectors of the economy. For more information about DIT please follow the link.
Internships of a six-month duration are offered: working to the DIT Deputy Director in a small Special Projects team. These offer an excellent introduction to how government works with business, multipliers and governmental contacts; and, also, more generally, to how an Embassy works. There will be plentiful opportunities to collaborate with colleagues working elsewhere in the Embassy on issues such as economic relations, science & innovation, communications and outreach. The work will be varied and demanding and, to get the most from the opportunity, successful candidates will need to be flexible, committed self-starters able to juggle priorities and work on a wide variety of business sectors on tight timelines. One position may have a technology and innovation focus, so applications are welcomed from individuals with an interest in or knowledge and experience of the technology landscape in France
Candidates will need to be in full-time education and in a position to present a Convention de Stage from their university to cover the 6-month internship.
Roles and responsibilities:
Provision of bespoke information and support in the French market in response to enquiries from UK companies in a broad cross-section of sectors: including new or inexperienced exporters and companies new to the French market.
Research and reporting on trade and investment trends - including analysis of statistical data from external sources on issues such as UK investment in France; commercial exchanges in defined goods or services categories; or commercial exchange between the UK and individual French Regions.
Support for the DIT programme in Paris and across the French regions – including preparations for and practical support at trade fairs; support with trade missions; and support for VIP and high level visits; and planning and delivery of commercial events.
Futures work to research industry sectors offering potential to the UK – including background on opportunities and trends; the identification of key contacts; routes into market; and the development of new marketing collateral.
Proficient French and English language skills (written and spoken) are required.
Great IT skills, especially Word, PowerPoint and Excel, are needed.
Previous commercial experience would be useful.
Knowledge of the Tech sector would be useful.
Good project management, including an eye for detail, to ensure that all aspects of service delivery have been thought through carefully.
Customer focus: a concern for quality and drive for continuous improvement in the service provided.
Excellent communication skills to work well with commercial clients, external contacts and a wide and diverse Embassy team.
Drive and enthusiasm combined with the ability to deliver, working as part of a team.
Resourcefulness and ability to act on own initiative, with an ability to find creative solutions when the unexpected occurs.
These are full-time and fixed-term internship positions, with a duration of 6 months.
Candidates should be enrolled at a University and provide to the British Embassy the “convention of stage” document.
All appointments are subject to professional background check satisfactory security clearance. The successful applicant will be required to provide a copy of his/her passport or national identity card for all nationalities held, an up-to-date criminal record (casier judiciaire) for recent countries of residence (which can be obtained online at www.justice.gouv.fr/cjn/), two written proofs of address (utility invoices and/or bank statements) and two references.
Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in France are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local French employment law and FCO guidance for Local Staff. The posts we offer are not an entry point into the UK’s Diplomatic Service.
Your application will only be considered if you follow the guidance below:
- Your application must be sent in English only.
- Your application must clearly indicate all nationalities you hold.
Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
