View Vacancy - Market Access Officer

The British Embassy in Doha is part of a worldwide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is looking to appoint a Market Access Officer grade C4 (L).

Main Purpose of the Role:

One of the UK’s foreign policy objectives is to help build the UK’s prosperity by increasing exports and investment, opening markets, ensuring access to resources and promoting sustainable growth. The successful candidate for this position will help lead the British Embassy’s work in Qatar in support of this agenda, with particular responsibility for government-to-government liaison to build a strong partnership to address barriers to trade. This will include a focus on, but not limited, to trade policy, regulation, economic reform and drivers of economic growth including skills and innovation. The jobholder will also contribute to cross-team working with other British embassies across the GCC.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

This position is embedded within the UK Department for International Trade (DIT)’s Qatar country team, working across the Post and region, working in the following areas:

• To use research and analysis skills, including building an effective network of local contacts, to understand where UK companies may face market access or other challenges in the Qatar market, and the tools, including cooperation on regulatory best practice and UK standards, which may be used to address these.  
• The post holder will need to engage businesses and other stakeholders, while working closely with colleagues across the DIT network (such as analytical and policy colleagues in London) to prioritise these barriers based on their economic value, resolvability and strategic importance to the UK.
• To work with Qatar government departments, and other public sector bodies, and their UK counterparts, on all aspects of market access. As required, help facilitate formal government-to-government (G2G) agreements and arrangements to address challenges and realise opportunities. This means leading on delivering annual Joint Trade Economic Committee (JETCO) annual meetings.
• Work closely with trade promotion colleagues to ensure businesses are aware of increased market access and are able to take advantage of any changes.
• To produce succinct reports and briefing, including for senior staff at the Embassy, visiting ministers and officials and UK government departments relating to these issues.
• To help arrange UK-Qatar visits in both directions in support of the above activities. To maintain oversight of the Post’s project and programme expenditure in support of these activities, including acting as project manager as required for specific projects.  
• To work with colleagues in other Posts in the GCC and with teams in DIT’s UK headquarters, as part of the UK’s trade policy agenda in the region, sharing knowledge and best practice, and cooperating where required on specific projects.
• The jobholder will also be required to take on corporate activity across the Post.

Key Competencies:

• Leading and Communicating: Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. It’s about supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.
• Collaborating and Partnering: People skilled in this area create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done.
• Delivering at Pace: Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. It’s about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. 
• Seeing the Big Picture: Is about having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs. 

• Fluency in English, ability to write to a high standard for a wide range of audiences.
• A good knowledge of economic and/or trade policy, including relevant higher education qualification/degree.
• Existing knowledge of the UK or Qatar economy, and ideally both, with demonstrated ability to rapidly master a wide range of economic and trade issues.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with confidence to work on their own initiative and a proven ability to engage and influence at a senior level internally and with external contacts, and collaborate effectively across Embassy teams.
• The ideal applicant is likely to have held a position with significant responsibility in either the public or private sector in the UK or Qatar.