View Vacancy - Head of Trade Programme – Prosperity Fund Brazil

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.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Economic and Prosperity

Main purpose of job

On 25 November 2015, the Chancellor announced a new cross-Whitehall Prosperity Fund with the primary aim of supporting growth in recipient countries.  This came into effect on 1 April 2016 and Brazil has been identified as a priority partner country for the Fund.  During his visit to Brazil in November 2017, the Chancellor announced up to £80 million of programming for Brazil. 

This is a great opportunity to deliver a key component of the £1.2bn cross-government Prosperity Fund.  New and innovative, the Fund represents a step change in HMG’s approach to promoting economic development and prosperity overseas.

We are recruiting a Head of Trade Programme - Prosperity Fund  to lead the effective implementation of a Trade Prosperity Fund Portfolio in Brazil.

The successful candidate will lead the implementation of a development trade portfolio in Brazil in close cooperation with our external delivery partners.  This will require collaboration with policy and commercial teams within the UK government’s Brazil network, particularly the Trade and Economics Team; with the UK government (HMG) more widely; and with external stakeholders in Brazil.  The job holder will ensure the programme delivers its objectives with excellent management skills, innovative ideas, and in compliance with the UK International Development Act and UK Aid Strategy and UK policy and commercial objectives.

The successful candidate will have technical responsibility for work under the Trade sector of the Prosperity Fund portfolio, though he/she may be required to work on other programme strands.

What will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

The cross-government Prosperity Fund (PF) was established under the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) with the primary aim of supporting growth in recipient countries and thereby reducing poverty.  As such, it represents a key component of the prosperity pillar of the UK Aid Strategy.  But the Fund uniquely focuses on promoting growth in ODA-eligible middle income countries, which are home to around 60% of the world’s poor and where the development challenges remain significant, but at the same time are important business partners and drivers of prosperity.  By delivering high impact, strategic multi-year programmes, across high opportunity countries, regions and sectors, the Fund will help create opportunities for international business, including UK companies.  As the UK leaves the EU, an even more outward-looking global Britain investing and trading with the fastest growing markets will become increasingly important.

Around 25 multi-year programmes to be implemented around the world have so far been endorsed by UK Ministers.  These cover trade, anti-corruption, infrastructure, business environment, health, future cities, education, financial services, energy and outward investment. For more information, see the Prosperity Fund Annual Report 2018/19.

The Trade Facilitation programme portfolio includes a range of interventions which aim to improve Brazil’s integration into international trade, boosting growth and reducing poverty. The different strands of the programme will:

  1. Help to improve the efficiency of port operations in Brazil;
  2. Support Brazilian Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to access international trade opportunities and;
  3. Deliver a step-change in the operation of INPI (the Brazilian Intellectual Property Office) supporting its reform process;
  4. Improve the coherence and convergence of Brazilian regulatory standards, improving regulatory efficiency and effectiveness;
  5. Support alignment of Brazil to the standards and instruments required for accession to the OECD.

As technical and policy lead, the job holder will be expected to:  

  • Lead the implementation of the Trade Prosperity Fund programme, ensuring the programme delivers its intended impact, value for money and contribute significantly to Brazil’s economic development and the UK’s long term strategic policy in Brazil, as well as secondary commercial impact to international businesses, including the UK.
  • Lead on all programme management aspects, including reporting, monitoring and evaluation, risk, resources and others. 
  • Maintain, develop and lead a network of relevant stakeholders in Brazil and the UK in order to inform Prosperity Fund Programme work. Ensure coordination between centrally managed programmes and Brazil’s bilateral portfolio, providing policy advice and driving synergies.
  • Proactively monitor and identify sector risks and opportunities for the UK.  Provide advice and support to wider sector and Prosperity Fund teams, leading crosscutting work as needed in support of business needs.  Work flexibly between programme sectors, shifting focus and emphasis as required in line with programme development.
  • Act as a gender champion in your role, ensuring Gender Equality Act (2014) remains mainstreamed in the programme, including complying and supporting the implementation of gender policy and guidance so that, at the least, no harm is done and gender inequality is not worsened. You will actively support PF ambitions on women’s economic opportunities, inclusive growth and poverty reduction through your department / team.
  • Lead delivery teams, with shared responsibility for programme implementation.

The successful candidate must be able to:

  • Lead from the front and communicate with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm, supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.  Establish a strong direction and a persuasive future vision; managing and engaging with people with honesty and integrity, upholding the reputation of the British Government.
  • Create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the British Government to help get business done.  At all levels, it requires working collaboratively, sharing information and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions. 
  • Be alert to emerging issues and trends, which might impact or benefit their own and their team’s work, developing an understanding of the area’s strategy and how this contributes to UK and Departmental priorities, ensuring team activities are aligned to these.  Actively seek out and share experience to develop understanding and knowledge.
  • Cultivate and encourage an awareness of value for money, using clear simple examples of benefits and how to measure outcomes.  Work confidently with performance management and financial data to prepare forecasts and manage and monitor budget against agreed plans.  Follow appropriate financial procedures to monitor contracts to ensure deliverables are achieved.  Monitor the use of resources in line with organisational procedures and plans and hold team to account, recommending actions to achieve value for money and efficiency.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

2 x B3 (L) Prosperity Fund Programme and Policy Officers.

Approx. £30 million portfolio. 

Essential on arrival:  

  • Relevant experience working on Trade (trade facilitation, regulation and policy reform).
  • Qualified to at least Bachelor’s degree level in international relations, foreign trade, law, business administration or related subjects.
  • Experience of delivering successful programmes and managing budgets.
  • An excellent understanding of public policy in Brazil.
  • Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills in English and Portuguese.
  • Able to work with minimal supervision to lead and prioritise work in a fast-paced and challenging environment, delivering to deadlines and agreed targets.
  • Computer literate, working with Microsoft Windows and able to manage information effectively with available computer systems.
  • Experience of managing staff.

Desirable:  

  • Experience of leading teams.
  • Experience of undertaking in-depth analysis and/or delivering high level reports on public policy.
  • Experience of managing overseas development assistance (ODA) programmes.
  • Experience of working for the UK Government or similar experience (eg Brazilian government or embassies or international organisations).
19 January 2020
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
36
Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean
Brazil
Brasilia
British Embassy
1
BRL
10674
2 March 2020

The British Embassy Network offers a strong benefits package. This package includes generous vacation and leave time, flexible working patterns, and an enriching learning and development opportunities.

Eligibility to work and live in Brazil is required.

The job will be part of front line delivery rather than programme management, so provides an excellent opportunity to acquire and/or deepen skills in policy formulation and programme delivery, as well as exposing the post-holder to a broad array of Whitehall Departments on an agenda of increasing importance as we move towards Brexit.

The job will present excellent opportunities to learn and grow through the job itself; by sharing experience with colleagues; and through formal training opportunities.

The Embassy supports flexible working hours, with prior agreement with the Line Manager.

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.