View Vacancy - SRR - Trade Policy and Market Access Adviser C4(L)

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.
Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
Market Access

The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for a Market Access Officer under the Department for International Trade (DIT) for a fixed-term contract of two (2) years.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity in a growing area of DIT work focused on trade policy. The position requires flexibility and enthusiasm to understand UK priorities and work in a wide range of areas, from details of economic regulation to bigger picture overviews of economic trends in Saudi Arabia.

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 Saudi Arabia 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.  

 

Duties and responsibilities:

This position is embedded within DIT’s Saudi Arabia country team, working across the Post (Embassy) and region, in the following areas:

  • 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 Saudi Arabian market, and the tools, including cooperation on regulatory best practice and UK standards, which may be used to address these. This will also include work to identify opportunities and solutions via analysis of country plans to better coordinate the activities of teams to maximise impact.
  • Engage businesses and other stakeholders, whilst working closely with colleagues across the DIT network (such as Analysis and Policy colleagues in London) to prioritise these barriers based on their economic value, resolvability, and strategic importance to the UK.
  • Support working with Saudi Arabia 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.
  • Work closely with Trade Promotion colleagues to ensure businesses are aware of increased market access and are able to take advantage of any changes.
  • Produce and draft succinct reports, including for senior staff at the Embassy, visiting ministers and officials, and UK government departments relating to these issues.
  • Help plan and arrange UK-Saudi visits in both directions in support of the above activities.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Take on corporate activity across the Post, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.

Key competencies required:

  • Leading and Communicating - Showing pride and passion for public service, leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction, integrity and enthusiasm. Encouraging open communication and providing clear direction on what needs to be achieved and how to get there through visible leadership. Managing and engaging with people in a straightforward, truthful and candid way, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
  • Collaborating and Partnering - Being a team player who creates and maintains positive, professional, and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the organisation to help get business done. Working collaboratively, sharing information appropriately, and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions.
  • Delivering at Pace - Focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way.
  • Seeing the Big Picture - Having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs. Focusing your contribution on the activities which will meet organisational goals and deliver the greatest value. Scanning the political context and taking account of wider impacts to develop long-term implementation strategies that maximise opportunities to add value and support economic, sustainable growth.
  • Existing knowledge of the UK or Saudi economy, and ideally both, with demonstrated ability rapidly to master a wide range of economic and trade issues.
  • Good knowledge of economic and/or trade policy from working in a related role, including relevant higher education qualification.
  • Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely and ability to write to a high standard for a wide range of audiences.
  • Exceptional analysis skills, able to bring together complex pieces of information and present in a simple format. 
  • 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 effective across Embassy teams.
  • Excellent organisational and self-management skills to respond effectively to tight – and changing – deadlines and priorities.
  • Ability to learn quickly and work with a high degree of autonomy.
  • A positive “can-do” attitude that can see way through challenges.
  • Strong IT computer skills using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and internet/ web applications.
  • Have held a relevant position with significant responsibility in either the public or private sector in the UK or Saudi.
  • Experience working in an embassy/ foreign diplomatic mission, international organisation, or large company in a similar capacity.
  • Proven project management skills and experience of developing and implementing new processes, governance, and reporting structure.
  • Arabic language skills, both verbal and written.
27 June 2021
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
35
24 months
Middle East & North Africa
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
British Embassy
1
SAR
17,763.05
15 August 2021

Eligibility:

The position is available to Saudi nationals and to current holders of valid Saudi residence permits or transferable iqama. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their sponsorship to the British Embassy. 

 

Working hours and remuneration:

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role.

Salary details:

  • Base Salary including Eid bonus - SAR 13,890.44
  • Housing Allowance - SAR 3,472.61 (subject to eligibility)*
  • Travel Allowance - SAR 400 (subject to eligibility)*

*Allowances are not payable to staff who receive official provision for such expenditure in some other form.

No accommodation and relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

 

Normal working hours for the Embassy are 08.00 to 15.00 Sunday to Thursday. This position is full-time, based on 35 hours per week.

The jobholder will be required to be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and may involve working outside of normal office hours (evenings/ weekends). Flexible working arrangements may be considered based on operational requirements and agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Embassy policies.

 

The successful candidate will be subject to a 90-day probationary period.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must attach 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and 2) a covering letter to their online application form. Your application must also include examples of when you have demonstrated the required competencies in the Competency Based Questions section of the online application form.

Applications that do not include these information will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is at 23:55 (KSA local time) on 27 June 2021.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered. 

 

Due to the large number of applications we receive, only those shortlisted for the next step of the recruitment process will be contacted.

The start date mentioned in the advert is an assumed start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances, medical clearance and reference checks. 

 

The British Embassy Riyadh is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy is subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Saudi Arabia 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.