View Vacancy - Trade & Investment Adviser - B3

Main purpose of job:

We are looking for a dynamic, ambitious, self-motivated colleague who will make a real difference to the UK-India Trade & FDI relationship.  

The Department for International Trade, operating from the British High Commission network is expanding across India to enhance and deepen our trade & investment relationships.  We are looking to fill a vacancy in our team in British Deputy High Commission in Chandigarh. The primary role will be to assist UK companies to do business in the region, including supporting them to secure export orders and to promote the UK as preferred inward investment destination for Indian companies. The colleague will play a key role in managing our strategic relationships with different State Governments and with key Indian businesses from the region, including the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 

Working with your manager and colleagues, you will:

• Lead on identifying export opportunities in Agri-tech and Chemicals sectors and support British companies convert opportunities into orders
• Identify trade opportunities in multiple sectors like healthcare, life sciences, infrastructure, built environment, technology, and connect these with respective senior sector managers
• Work with Deputy Head of Mission to promote the UK as preferred inward investment destination for Indian companies in the region
• Encourage high value investments including through technology tie ups, as well as research and development and joint venture partnerships
• Develop and deliver a robust pipeline that will help deliver campaign trade targets, current and future investment wins. 

You will act as the face of the British Government to Indian companies and manage senior-level relationships with key decision-makers in the region.  You will seek out opportunities, ways to improve, processes and service to stakeholders, making decisions and managing priorities with minimum supervision.  You will also be expected to make a positive contribution to the wider DIT and One-HMG (Her Majesty’s Government) team in India. You will join a high-performing, hybrid team of supportive colleagues which is growing.  In summary a challenging position, with significant rewards for the right candidate.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Identifying export opportunities for British companies, connecting these opportunities to respective senior sector managers whilst providing local support and insight to ensure they are converted to export orders. Identifying senior decision makers in both businesses and governments who may be sources of opportunities for UK companies, formulating and managing a stakeholder engagement plan with key stakeholders.  Supporting overseas direct investments from British companies in the region. Communicating with clarity, conviction, integrity and enthusiasm, both to UK and Indian stakeholders the opportunities in the market. 
• Promoting the UK as ideal investment destination for potential and existing Indian investors from the region, working with them to help them set up or expand further operations in the UK. Ensuring annual investment targets for Chandigarh region are met and that a healthy pipeline of future investment projects is developed. Building solid links to, and working in partnership with, the UK Government’s investment partners and multipliers in the UK (London and Partners, Local Enterprise Partnerships etc.)  to ensure potential investors  are provided with seamless end-to-end service. 
• Proactively collaborating with colleagues to contribute to business plan(s), strategic priorities to deliver DIT high level objectives.  Organise events and other kinds of tested activity, using project management techniques, with partner organisations such as TiE, NASSCOM, CII, FICCI, etc, in order to deliver campaign plans.  Support wider team in delivering post events, missions and ministerial visits.

Language requirements:  

Language:  Excellent written and spoken English is required; Spoken Hindi and Punjabi are desirable.

Level of language required: Fluent

Learning and development opportunities: 

Comprehensive Induction program will be offered by the British High Commission and/or Department for International Trade. You will need to undertake mandatory courses on diversity at work, health & safety awareness, IT induction, responsibility for information and business ethics. You will be supported to get the right learning and development, sector specific learnings, career development and opportunities to travel.

Working patterns:

This job is suitable for flexible working patterns. You will be required to occasionally support activities and events outside of normal working hours. This job may require you to undertake travel, both domestic and international

Other skills / experience / qualifications:  

Essential on arrival: 

• Knowledge of Agri-tech/chemicals sectors in India or UK; major players and factors influencing UK exports and FDI;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to develop network and manage relationship with senior decision makers in Government and business.
• Strong analytical skills to identify relevant opportunities for UK firms in India, and the ability to turn them into contracts for UK businesses.
• Excellent team working skills, with strong ability to build co-operative working relationships across our own network, and outside of the British High Commission network with a wide range of organisations.
• IT competent: Skilled at using social media to gather information efficiently.  Highly competent in standard MS Office tools, such as Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel. 
• Basic understanding of budget management. 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge about UK business environment or experience of working/living in the UK
• Graduate/Post graduate qualification in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Commerce
• 2-3 years’ experience of working in outward facing roles in reputed organisation or foreign embassy/consulate in trade or investment promotion role
• Skilled at sharing information in a practical way with key contacts within and outside the organisation
• Project Management and Market Research skills
• Experience of working in virtual team