View Vacancy - Head of Overseas Direct Investment & Strategic Accounts – São Paulo

Main purpose of job

To review and implement a regional strategy for supporting UK Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) in Latin America & the Caribbean (LATAC), strengthening the trade & investment relationship between the UK and this Region.  You will be responsible for leading a team of nine people (two direct reports) who will deliver on the Department of International Trade (DIT) Regional Trade Plan (RTP) objectives, with emphasis on ODI and Market Access.

You will:

1. Review and update the existing ODI strategy for the Region;
2. Review and implement a regional strategic account management system for up to 50 UK companies (investors and large exporters) and hold ownership of regional relationships with the 20 largest UK investors in LATAC;
3. Leverage business intelligence from these relationships to inform DIT’s Market Access work regionally, developing action plans for the top-priority barriers and identifying ways of resolving them;
4. Lead a high-performing team in Brazil to deliver on their Regional and Country priorities, according to the RTP;
5. Lead and influence teams across the Region on ODI and Strategic Account Management work, working collaboratively to achieve results.

This job will be excellent for someone looking to build a track record of delivery in trade & investment, providing insight and leadership and working in an important region with a dynamic team.  You will work closely with senior members of the DIT regional leadership team, standing out as the clear lead on ODI in DIT LATAC.

You will need to be a self-starter, have a good policy mind and excellent stakeholder and leadership skills.  You will need to be confident in managing relationships with senior counterparts in the UK and Latin American business community.  You should be a good manager and believe in collegiate work.

What will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

ODI & Account Management

This is an exciting role for a talented and commercially-driven individual with a passion for trade & investment, working in a fast-paced environment of policy implementation.  You will play an important role in delivering the DIT LATAC Regional Trade Plan ambitions of Opening Markets and Supporting UK trade & investment.

You will have responsibility for reviewing, updating and implementing a strategy for supporting UK ODI across Latin America & the Caribbean, building on strong delivery already ongoing in Brazil and Mexico.  This will include, but is not limited to, using current ODI products (such as the Strategic Partnership Programme) as well as developing new ones specific to each market.

You will lead a high-performing team in Brazil (eight locally-engaged staff) that is a centre of expert, creative and dynamic thinking across two of DIT’s pillars in Trade Support: export promotion and ODI.  This will include supporting their development according to the organisational values (Expert, Enterprising, Engaged and Inclusive).

You will also work collaboratively with the DIT Country Directors and their teams to ensure smooth implementation and delivery of ODI objectives and in identifying the right companies to be account managed by DIT across the region (up to 50 companies).  You will develop the existing account management framework, ensure it is embedded across teams and leading the way by owning the relationship with the top 20 UK companies in LATAC.  You will leverage the business intelligence from these relationships to inform DIT regional Market Access work.

Market Access and business engagement

You will lead on the overall business engagement of UK-LATAC market access issues, setting the overall direction and priorities for the team and engaging on individual issues as required. This will include, but is not limited to:

• Ensuring UK businesses can contribute to policy dialogue in the region, both bilateral and multilateral, in the context of the UK’s future independent trade policy;
• Working with DIT teams to address specific, high-impact market access barriers for UK companies, sharing best-practice and guidance;
• Identifying and prioritising individual company and/or sector issues and addressing these through a strategic process of engagement with the relevant local government (working closely with local FCO Prosperity & Political teams);
• Deputising for the Director Market Access LATAC in both internal and external engagements, as required.

You will be the primary DIT point of contact for new UK investors in LATAC and be able to provide sound advice and guidance, in line with DIT’s internal policy on ODI.  You will also develop partnerships with external organisations, such as Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) as necessary and relevant.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure) 

Nine locally-engaged staff (7 full-time employees and 2 interns); travel & entertainment budget (approximately £35,000 per year); project-based budgets TBC.

Essential on arrival:

• Minimum 8 (eight) years professional experience, in a combination of either public or private-sector jobs in international trade & investment;
• 3 (three) years experience in leadership roles involving managing a team of more than 5 (five) people;
• Undergraduate Degree in Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Law or related field of study;
• Proven track-record of using account management knowledge to promote collaboration and deliver results for external clients;
• Basic knowledge of Trade Policy, Market Access regulations and how they affect conditions of doing business for foreign companies in Latin America and the Caribbean;
• Proven experience in developing campaign and advocacy strategies for overcoming market access barriers, their implementation and evaluation;
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing, in both English and Portuguese, to a business and government audience;
• Digital literacy, including use of MS Office suite and customer-relationship management (CRM) platforms;
• Fluent in English and Portuguese (written and spoken).