View Vacancy - JPN - Senior Regional Manager, Trade, Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, Northeast Asia C5(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.
Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
Northern Ireland Bureau / Northern Ireland Group / Invest Northern Ireland

Main purpose of job:

Based in the British Embassy in Tokyo or the British Consulate in Osaka, Japan and reporting to the Regional Director of Northeast Asia, the post-holder will be Invest Northern Ireland’s (Invest NI) sector lead of Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering (AME) in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan (collectively referred to as Northeast Asia).


The primary focus of the position will be business development, to increase Northern Ireland exports in the AME sector by helping Northern Ireland companies with market access and market development in NEA. When carrying out their work, the post-holder will be required to forge effective working relationships with a wide range of businesses: Northern Ireland client companies and customers in NEA, stakeholders, senior officials and government representatives. Whilst AME is Northern Ireland’s most significant business sector in NEA and in Asia Pacific (APAC), the post holder will also be expected to support the wider Invest NI team to meet the collective goals and objectives of INI in NEA and APAC.

Linked to Invest NI’s International Business strategies and the strategies of Invest NI’s sector teams based in Northern Ireland, and working with our international partners and stakeholders, the post-holder will develop and agree an annual operating plan and objectives that support the growth of Northern Ireland exports in the AME sector and ultimately economic growth for Northern Ireland.

As well as one to one support for Northern Ireland businesses, the post-holder will lead and co-ordinate activities such as marketing events and conferences, represent Invest Northern Ireland at business conferences and speak at events, prepare activity reports to summarise information for the Regional Director of NEA.  A significant part of the role is to undertake research, conduct business development work to identify sales opportunities for Northern Ireland companies and provide market access advice to new market entrants. The post holder will also be required to monitor expenditure and deliver activities within a pre-allocated budget. 

The post holder will work closely with the wider Invest NI teams based in its Belfast headquarters, in APAC and other locations. The post-holder is also expected to undertake travel on a regular basis, either within NEA, within APAC, to the UK and other countries.

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

Trade & Business development

  • Develop and implement specific national action plans for the AME sector in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to primarily increase the export value from Northern Ireland;
  • Proactively identify relevant business opportunities of the AME sector for Northern Ireland companies in Japan and NEA through market intelligence, connections and research and promote the Northern Ireland capability to key decision makers;
  • Work with INI APAC Marcoms Director to develop marketing strategies for the AME sector in Japan and NEA that aligns with business development activity to promote export and strengthen Northern Ireland’s impact in the NEA region;
  • Support Northern Ireland companies interested in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan by providing information required to make informed business decisions by managing market research and assessment enquiries, conducting visits and arranging business development meetings and writing appropriate reports.  In this regard the post holder will be able to leverage the Invest NI’s appointed Trade Advisory Support providers in Japan, South Korea and in Taiwan in the delivery of support services to NI client companies and in relation to sector relevant market research.
  • Identify and articulate specific business opportunities to colleagues in Northern Ireland including International Trade Advisers and trade organisations and work with NI companies to help them respond to these opportunities.
  • Identify and attend sector trade exhibitions and conferences, deliver in-market physical events and virtual webinars, arrange and attend client and customer meetings to promote industry excellence from NI and to highlight key market opportunities for NI companies;
  • Co-ordinate VIP (including Ministerial delegations) visit programmes to NEA, prepare briefings and manage the necessary logistics and protocols;

Effective Strategic Relationship Management

  • Develop strong C-level relationships with targeted customers, stakeholders and influencers in the region and enable Northern Ireland companies to engage with them;
  • Work effectively in partnership with wider teams based in Northern Ireland, Asia Pacific and other locations.
  • Build strong relationships in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan within: the British Embassy network , the UK Department of International Trade (DIT), the British Council, and other key stakeholders, and business and industry organisations and where appropriate work on joint planning and delivery of events;
  • Contribute to Invest NI’s development of a network of Northern Ireland diaspora working in the region and work with Northern Irish Connections to deliver economic returns to Northern Ireland;

Database & Budget Management

  • Manage relevant information sources and maintain accurate recording of customer and stakeholder information on Invest NI’s CRM and management systems.
  • Manage a pre-allocated budget appropriate to the agreed regional business sector plan.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

  • The post-holder will not have direct reports.
  • The post-holder will be responsible for managing a pre-allocated budget appropriate to the agreed regional business sector plan.

Due to time difference with the UK, the post-holder may be required to work some evenings in order to meet deadlines or attend conference calls.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

Induction training will be provided at Invest Northern Ireland’s Head office subject to travel restrictions and locally in Japan. The post-holder will be able to access learning and development opportunities afforded by the British Embassy in Tokyo and by Invest Northern Ireland.

This position is 1-year fixed-term with possibility of renewal.

  • Educated to degree level ideally in a business or related function;
  • A significant and successful track record in Business Development, including market research, analysing market data, preparing reports, presenting information to clients and securing sales and commercial outputs;
  • A sound commercial knowledge of Japan in particular and Northeast Asia in general and the respective business opportunities, issues and solutions in the AME sector;
  • Over 7 years’ working experience in a private or public sector organisation, with at least three years’ relevant experience in Japan;
  • Experience in developing and maintaining effective working relationships at senior levels with excellent communication skills and an ability to work collaboratively with business contacts and colleagues in the UK, Japan and NEA;
  • Excellent organisational and administrative skills;
  • Excellent IT skills (using Microsoft software including PowerPoint, Excel and Word);
  • Ability to work at pace and independently as part of a remote team; and to prioritise and manage an often heavy workload in a multi-location environment and liaising with team members in these locations;
  • Fluent in Japanese – speaking and written
  • Fluent in English – speaking and written
  • Knowledge of Northern Ireland
  • Working experience in a private or public sector organisation, with at least three years’ relevant experience in the in the AME sector in Japan
  • Familiarity with the role of economic development agencies and how they collaborate successfully with UK national stakeholders internationally.
15 December 2021
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
37.5
Asia Pacific
Japan
Osaka, Tokyo
British Embassy
1
JPY
899,808
1 March 2022
  • 1 month salary bonus equivalents payable in June and December
  • (Note: Salary may be reduced due to tax status)
  • Commuting allowance of up to JPY35,000 per month (paid on an actual cost basis)
  • 25 days paid annual leave (calculated pro rata)
  • Health Insurance and Employee pension (kenko hoken/kosei nenkin)
  • Employment Insurance (koyou hoken)
  • The British Embassy offers comprehensive learning and development opportunities that will be fully available to the jobholder. We regularly run both work area specific training, as well as more general skills development in project management, finance, and leadership. Each year the job holder will be encouraged to use 5 development days to pursue job related and personal development goals. All staff are required to take a role in the embassy’s crisis preparation and response. Full training will be provided for this and regular opportunities will be available to test and develop your skills.

The applicant must have work authorisation for Japan however if a foreign national, the British Embassy/Consulate General will support a visa application if required.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative 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.

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.

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.