View Vacancy - SIN - Financial Services APAC Lead, C5(L)

Main purpose of job:

This is an opportunity to join the Department for International Trade (DIT)’s Singapore team in the British High Commission as the regional lead for DIT’s Asia Pacific (APAC) Financial and Professional Services (FPS) activity. DIT supports UK based businesses to export globally, and encourages overseas investment in the UK.

Building deep sector and supply chain expertise and strong relationships with companies, as well as with your regional colleagues, is a vital part of this role. You will also work with and keep in close contact with DIT’s UK-based Financial and Professional Services Sector Team, and with colleagues across the region. The nature of FPS also means that there are links to other HVCs and priority areas (such as the Singapore Tech HVC), and to key areas of UK Government activity including the FCO Prosperity Fund and post’s economic teams for policy related matters.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

Asia Pacific Regional Lead for Financial and Professional Services

DIT APAC supports regional working to maximise the expertise within and impact of its workforce by creating networks to enable the sharing of best practice and new ideas, peer-to-peer support and advice, and multi-country campaigns and initiatives. The successful candidate will:

• Develop and implement DIT’s strategy for boosting UK exports, investment and engagement on FPS across Asia Pacific, using an evidence-driven approach and delivering through Country Trade Plans
• Identify and commission analysis on sectoral and macroeconomic trends, export and investment performance
• Create and chair a virtual network of DIT and cross-government colleagues across APAC working on FPS to boost performance, share intelligence and promote best practice Account manage senior relationships at regional level with FPS companies, financial regulators and stakeholders, ensuring we support the UK FPS sector to grow and maximise the impact of their expertise and presence
• Act as ambassador for the network to the regional Learning & Development Committee
• Offer mentoring to staff within the virtual network, empowering people to deliver projects and plans
• Provide strategic and operational updates to the DIT APAC Board and advise on sectoral resourcing for the region Ensure that the sectoral plans and processes are coordinated with related activity such as relevant economic dialogues and partnerships

SE Asia Regional FPS HVC

Singapore is the lead market for a SE Asia regional FPS HVC and leads the strategy and reporting across the region. The successful candidate will:

• Lead the regional HVC through setting the overall direction, building capability and cross-post working, driving the business planning process, monitoring performance, and supporting on activity in other markets where needed
• Manage the yearly business planning process for the region by coordinating, rationalising and submitting input from across the SE Asia FPS HVC markets, including horizon scanning and exploring new areas of work as well as taking responsibility for all aspects of performance reporting to DIT
• Build strong relationships with DIT and British Government colleagues in the region and wider
• Build expertise, personally and in the HVC teams across the region, on FPS, from a deep understanding of the diverse markets in the region to understanding the key trends and opportunities
• For all projects where UK Supply chain is operating develop and implement a regional stakeholder engagement plan
• Identify barriers which are preventing UK supply chain accessing markets in the region and support those markets to address the barriers

Singapore

• Manage, develop and deliver a successful pipeline of FPS projects in Singapore, from identifying a realistic and high quality UK export opportunity pipeline to providing added value support that helps UK companies win business from it, and seeking to exceed the team’s UK Export Win targets
• Develop a tailored approach for each FPS sub-sector (e.g. FinTech) and ensure continuous improvement, from finding the best way to deliver more Export Wins, to taking a strategic approach to identify and engage with major buyers and stakeholders
• Identify the most cost effective and high impact ways to promote the UK’s FPS sector through events, marketing, trade press, social and other media, and relationships
• Lead the design and delivery of high quality FPS elements for frequent ministerial and senior official visits, creating activities to drive lead generation and deepen key relationships while meeting policy objectives
• Identify and address barriers which are preventing the UK supply chain accessing the market in Singapore
• Manage the market research and support services for companies
• Manage the yearly business planning process for Singapore in line with the Country Trade Plan

How the role holder is expected to deliver

The role will require both deep expertise and excellent collaboration and networking skills across all of the areas of focus. The successful candidate will:

• Develop or maintain deep expertise on FPS and aligned sectors, covering everything from the technical detail of the companies we work with to the political and economic factors affecting the sector in Singapore, SE Asia and APAC
• Actively build on DIT’s strong network of companies, buyers and multipliers in Singapore- particularly those with a regional presence- establishing new relationships and cultivating and maintaining existing ones. Deliver key account management of major investors for the region
• Grow corporate understanding of the business environment issues across the region which could affect the sector, and take or support action where necessary
• Collaborate across the High Commission in Singapore, as well as the wider FCO and DIT network, with DIT HQ, and with partners, to ensure that we deliver against HMG objectives and take advantage of opportunities
• Work as part of the core leadership team for DIT Singapore, alongside the Director, Deputy Director and other team leaders, supporting corporate activities, responding flexibly where needed to other demands on the wider DIT team, and role modelling good line management and leadership
• Be flexible to take on additional and amended duties as new priorities emerge

• Demonstrable relevant and appropriate experience, knowledge and/or qualifications in FPS and related areas including a proven record of engaging customers, stakeholders and partners
• A successful track record with significant experience in international trade and investment or business development (including market research, analysing market data and business support)
• Experience of managing and motivating people, as well as strong team work and collaboration skills, including confidence in suggesting new ideas and challenging senior stakeholders
• Excellent communication and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with business contacts and colleagues in Singapore, other APAC countries and the UK
• A proactive, can-do approach, combined with high standards for delivery and meeting deadlines
• Ability to work independently at pace, and to prioritise, managing an often heavy workload
• Good judgement and political awareness
• Excellent organisational, IT and administrative skills