View Vacancy - CPK - DIT Trade and Investment Officer, Renewable Energy, A2

Main Purpose of Job

This is an exciting role working alongside and part of ,the Embassy’s wider Energy team to help to advance the trade and investment ambitions articulated in the Department for International Trade (DIT) Regional Trade Plan for the China and Hong Kong region, which are:

Objective 1 - Driving and inspiring UK exports to China, significantly increasing the UK market share of China's goods imports, and more than double the value of UK services exports.

Objective 2 – Consistent trade policy engagement with China to achieve incremental market access, mitigate business risk and prepare for future trade deals

Objective 3 - Broadening and deepening the UK-China investment partnership, positioning the UK as the top European destination for Chinese investment and providing strong support for UK investors.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) was established by the Prime Minister in July 2016 to integrate and elevate the Trade agenda; help secure a better deal for the UK as it negotiates a successful exit from the EU; and, establish new relationships with other countries around the globe. DIT promotes British trade across the world and ensures the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us, securing and improving the economic well-being and stability of the UK, and helping to create tens of thousands of jobs every year.

Led by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for China and Hong Kong we are one of nine global regions and part of an overseas network that operates in 108 countries. The largest DIT overseas network in the world, with 200 staff across six posts - the British Embassy in Beijing, plus Consulates in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Wuhan – DIT, as part of the One HMG network in China and Hong Kong, offers a fast-paced place to work at the heart of UK: China Government relations.

Detail :

This role is an opportunity to join DIT China’s renewable energy team, developing strategic relationships with Chinese energy developers and offering Government support to high profile commercial partnerships with the UK’s industry.

As Beijing’s Trade & Investment Officer, you will support the Head of Capital Investment and the Head of Renewable Energy to develop and deliver their sector strategies and ensure commercial targets are met. Your role will cover support for UK offshore wind companies trading in China, as well as the promotion of capital investment from China into UK renewable energy projects.  You will need to develop and manage relationships with renewable energy developers in Beijing, promoting specific opportunities for them to invest in the UK as well as supporting opportunities for them to procure goods and services from UK industry. . 

A further key part of your role will be supporting the delivery of a series of events and trade missions working closely with DIT’s partner organisation the China Britain Business Council (CBBC) and intermediaries. Your role will also cover conducting research, preparing briefing for Ministerial meetings with Chinese companies, and budget management.   

In summary, the core focus of the job will be to contribute to the delivery of first-of-a-kind UK exports in offshore wind, and high quality inward investment from China into the UK renewable energy sector. Activities will include:

• Build strong relationships with key industry bodies and business clients.
• Identify new trade and investment opportunities, maintaining an accurate record in the Government’s IT system of records of specific projects
• Linking new Chinese opportunities and investment interest with UK capability and strategic needs.
• Promoting UK excellence as a destination for investment, with an experienced industry for exports.
• Collaborate with wider Embassy teams and DIT partners and business associates to overcome business barriers and market access issues.
• Work with CBBC to deliver high quality visits and events on budget
• Work closely with CBBC to achieve targets for supporting UK company clients to win business in China.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Delivering trade and investment projects  (40%)

• Develop a broad understanding of the team strategies on capital investment and renewable energy in particular. Undertake web-based research to provide inputs to help with the evolution of the strategy. Contribute to the practical preparations for the design and delivery of trade and investment sector campaigns. 
• Help build knowledge of trends and developments in China and UK markets, companies in energy sector to support delivery of these campaigns. Help support the work of the team to influence contacts on the benefits of working with the UK.
• Provide the administrative support to allow the team to progress targeted business opportunities (trade and investment), including planning and practical arrangements for events and meetings to promote UK expertise and opportunities. Develop an understanding of the work of other parts of the Embassy and/or Consulate and how this might help to support your team’s objectives.
• Recording of trade and investment information on DIT’s knowledge management system.

• Assist the team by collating information to raise awareness of China opportunities; managing CBBC services where appropriate.

 Effective Relationship Management (35%)

• Supported by the line manager and the Head of the Renewable Energy, account management of the key Beijing based customers for offshore wind including key developers and supply chain companies from a trade perspective and some of the key investors from an investment perspective. 
• Support the line manager to identify new contacts and contribute to opportunities for the team to build relationships with key players in both China and the UK, including companies, intermediaries, trade associations and Government departments in order to understand their business intentions and needs.
• Directed by managers, undertake research and provide support to the team in order to identify potential high value opportunities for trade and investment and feed these leads into the system for evaluation and follow-up.

 High impact visits and events (20%)

• Support the planning, management and follow up of high level visits and events that contribute to sector targets and address business environment and market access issues.
• Provide administrative, practical and logistical support to the development and delivery of important visit programmes (both Chinese companies to the UK and UK companies to China) that contribute to sector targets; working with CBBC and other networks where appropriate.
• Support drafting of briefing for Ministers and Specialists’ visits.

 Knowledge and Skills development (5%)

• Commit to continual learning, making full use of on the job opportunities to deepen your sector knowledge and understanding of the UK capability and strength, and UK/China business environment, as well as formal training for skills and personal competences most relevant to your job. This includes knowledge-sharing with colleagues across UKTI and the wider Embassy/Consulate.

• Excellent communication skills and proven ability to work proactively in a team
• Good command of English both spoken and written