View Vacancy - Deputy Director - Trade

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Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
Department for International Trade (DIT)

The British Embassy, Kuwait has a vacancy for the post of a Locally Engaged Deputy Director – Trade, Grade – C4 (L).

 

Purpose of the job:

Based in the British Embassy Kuwait, the successful candidate will work closely with the Director  Department for International Trade (DIT) and  Political  and Prosperity teams in the to  support the Ambassador in  promoting the UK’s trade agenda.

This is a senior and influential position in the DIT team in Kuwait. The successful applicant is likely to have a good understanding of the Kuwait business environment, be able to take direction and work independently at the very highest levels and manage the day to day running of the team in order to meet targets set by the DIT HQ team in London.

This position will entail interacting comfortably with senior business figures  both British and Kuwaiti, ministers and senior officials and  will  require  some travel to the UK and GCC for training, briefing and representing the DIT Kuwait team at events and conferences.

As a member of the DIT senior management team, he/she will work alongside the Director and colleagues to deliver DIT’s targets to support UK companies wishing to export and those UK companies in Kuwait win more business. The role provides excellent developmental opportunities in terms of staff and resource management. It is important that the Deputy Director is either an experienced manager/operator or has the clear potential to be an effective leader. Strong interpersonal and communication skills including drafting and public speaking are essential. There will be a requirement from time to time to work outside of normal working hours and travel overseas for training, briefing and representing the DIT team in Kuwait.

The successful candidate will also lead on the Education sector working closely with the British Council and the Kuwaiti British Business Centre which is collocated in the British Embassy and whose focus is to support UK SME’s.

 

Duties and responsibilities:

• Deputising for the Director DIT:

- Adopt the full duties and responsibilities of the Director DIT in his/her absence during annual leave and overseas visits.

 

• Line Management / team management:

- Manage the day-to-day running of the team.

- Line Management of two B3 Senior Trade Advisers; develop the role of the Senior Trade Advisers; encourage new ideas and innovative ways of working; ensure that reviews are completed within Embassy guidelines and timetable.

- Instruct and supervise the Senior Trade Advisers in performing their duties with specifics tailored to their individual role.

- Assist in resolving any work-related problems.

- Sign off overtime, sick leave and annual leave.

- Discuss performance, development and training needs; assisting in sourcing training; conduct annual appraisals including mid-term reviews.

 

• Strategic planning and resource management:

- Ensure DIT business planning requests / dashboards / PFP & other requests are submitted to regional/HQ within deadlines.  Attend teleconferences / meetings where necessary; Make sense of the transformation process; HQ organograms; marketing guidelines and keep the wider team / Embassy informed, advise the Director of DIT.

- Work closely with the DIT Director and budget manager on DIT’s budget; including planning activities for the section, forecasting expenditure and monitoring expenses.

- Assist the Director DIT in setting goals and budgets that are directly linked to the short / long-term post plans and assessing progress against the business plan, delegated letter of Authority and including financial performance and targets.

- Supervise the budget manager’s activities in budget amendments and the budget system and in preparing bids for appropriate budgets.

 

 VIP Visits:

- Deliver high level Ministerial visits where trade is the key topic.

- Co-ordinate with HQ, the region and across Embassy sections.

- Submit bid proposals to regional & HQ requests as requested every quarter.

- Use the visits to support delivery of our priority campaigns / sectors and wider Embassy objectives where possible; ensure that the visit is effective.

- Providing briefing for visits.

- Accompany VIPs during visits to ensure smooth running of programmes.

 

• Joint Steering Group (JSG):

- Identify areas where the JSG can provide further support for our priority campaigns / sectors.

- Coordinate the JSG for DIT subgroups; Deliver on the action points in time for the next JSG.

 

• Delivery partners:

- Work closely with the Kuwait British Business Centre (KBBC) and monitor their delivery for agreed commercial outcomes in line with DITs strategy for volume.

- Encourage DIT/KBBC teams to work more closely together to deliver on campaigns & priority sectors.

 

Key Competences Required for the Job:

• Delivering Results: Achieving Commercial Outcomes: Being effective in this area is about maintaining an economic, long-term focus in all activities. It’s about having a commercial, financial and sustainable mind-set to ensure all activities and services are delivering added value and working to stimulate economic growth.

• Engaging People: Leading and Communicating: Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm.

• Setting Direction: Seeing the Big Picture: 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.

• Delivering Results: Delivering at Pace: Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. For all staff, it’s about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way.

• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English. 
• Strong oral, written, interpersonal and analytical  skills
• Degree level education
• Staff management experience.
• Good general IT skills: use of word processing, email and calendar management (eg, knowledge of Microsoft Office programmes such as Word, Excel and Outlook). Internet-based research skills.

• Arabic language skills (written and spoken) whilst not essential, are an advantage.
• Understanding of the UK perhaps through previous jobs and or education and the Kuwait business culture, likely to have lived, worked or studied in the UK.

24 May 2017
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
35.5
Middle East & North Africa
Kuwait
Kuwait
British Embassy
1
KWD
1071
1 July 2017

The Embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package for the role, including starting salary of KD 1071 per month inclusive of all allowances depending on candidate’s skills and experience. The successful candidate will be expected to start work as soon as possible.

Normal working hours are 07:30 – 15:30 Sunday to Wednesday and 07:30 - 13:30 on Thursday. 

 

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as along as you:

• Are legally resident in Kuwait;

• Complete local security checks.

To Apply:

Interested candidates must attach the following documents when applying online:

1. A covering letter answering the below questions:

• What makes a good manager?

• How will you go about bringing new business to Kuwait?

2. An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV).

** (Your application must include the above attachments and should include examples of when you have demonstrated the competencies outlined above in the motivation section of the application form. Applications that do not include this information will be rejected).

 

The closing date for applications is 24 May 2017.

 

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered. Due to the large amount of applications we receive only those shortlisted for assessment will be contacted.

The successful applicant's employment will only be confirmed after the completion of any security clearance/checks.  The appointment will also only be confirmed after a successful 3-months probation period.

 

The British Embassy Kuwait is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.  Staffs recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Kuwaiti employment law.

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.