View Vacancy - Trade Policy Officer (01/20 JHB)
Main purpose of job:
- To broaden and deepen our understanding of the market access barriers to trade with and investment in South Africa
- To inform and support work to help open markets to trade and investment opportunities for UK companies, thereby contributing to UK economic growth
Roles and responsibilities:
This position sits at the heart of the UK Government’s trade policy strategy towards southern Africa. It is a cross-Government role and will require close cooperation across our international trade and political teams, as well as with other colleagues in the British High Commission – including the Department for International Development (DfID) and the media and communications team.
A significant part of market access activity is to increase our knowledge of barriers, and the reasons why businesses are not currently entering a market, either for purposes of trade or investment. You will build and consolidate close working relationships with a network of South African government stakeholders and use these to encourage and support trade-related policy change, in co-ordination with cross-HMG partners and the business community. This will include focused influencing campaigns ahead of major political moments, such as the introduction of new bills, regulations, national strategies and non-tariff barriers.
You will have a background in trade and industrial policy, and bring these skills and knowledge into the team. You will be a self-starter, comfortable working with a large degree of autonomy on complex issues in a context of policy ambiguity. You will be a team player, developing and maintaining open and inclusive networks with both internal and external counterparts. Relevant job related training will be given as required. Specifically, you will
1. Develop effective contact networks from whom to obtain a deeper understanding of South Africa’s trade and investment policy priorities and the linkages between them. Partners will include:
i. Relevant government departments
ii. UK companies trading or investing in the South African market
iii. Academic institutions
iv. Trade associations and other business development fora
2. Draw on contacts to identify and assess the impact of market access barriers that UK companies face in the South African trade and investment market (e.g. local content requirements, customs clearance procedures, intellectual property issues etc.)
3. Develop evidence-based recommendations for DIT and FCO policy development and potential political and programme interventions that will help encourage reform of non-tariff barriers to trade and foreign direct investment, and promote market-led development of the business environment in South Africa
4.Maintain entries for South Africa on DIT’s database of Market Access barriers (the Digital Market Access Service) and work with DIT analysis and market access colleagues to analyse and prioritise market access barriers, support market access research and develop approaches to overcome or remove market access barriers
- Degree in Trade, Economics or related field
- 3 years experience in trade policy, particularly in the Southern African context
Language requirements:
Language: English
Level of language required: Fluent written and spoken
- Experience of working with government (South Africa and/or UK)
- An understanding of the drivers behind South African policy, including those of regional economic confederations such as SADC/SACU (and BRICS) and South Africa’s role in those fora
Learning and development opportunities:
The High Commission offers excellent personal development opportunities, particularly for the self-starter, and including in economic and political analysis as well as the chance to get involved in other areas of work such as communications and events organisation.
The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.
- Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
- Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
- Working hours per week of 36.5
The role will be Johannesburg-based but will involve occasional work from the High Commission in Pretoria and travel within South Africa.
- Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
- Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
- The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
- Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
- All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.
- The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to;
- Obtain the relevant permit
- Pay fees for the permit
- Make arrangements to relocate
- Meet the costs to relocation
- The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
- Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
- Information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework Please note: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
- Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
- Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
