View Vacancy - Head of Marketing & Communications DIT LATAC

Main purpose of job:

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the Trade and Investment Promotion and Negotiation organisation for the UK. We promote British trade and investment across the world, we support UK businesses overseas and attract foreign investment to our shores. We have 3,000 staff across the globe in over 100 countries.

DIT divides the world into 9 regions, each led by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner. The Latin American and the Caribbean Region (LATAC) is led from Sao Paulo by Jonathan Knott. The Network is represented in 20 Posts with a team of over 140.

We are recruiting for a new senior leadership role with our DIT team: this role is about transforming our marketing and communications operation - as part of our Regional Trade Plan - in order to strengthen the UK’s absolute and relative trade and investment relationship with the region by 2023.

You will lead the marketing and communications team across the region, composed of a DIT Marketing Hub in Mexico City and DIT marcomms colleagues in São Paulo, and work in consort with FCDO communications staff based in each of our Embassies and Consulates across 30+ countries/territories in Latin America & the Caribbean (LATAC).

You will devise and implement a new, creative and far reaching marcomms strategy that seeks to promote the UK brand across LATAC and improve the perception of this region in the UK.  This is a dynamic and fast growing region with significant potential for a deeper trade and investment relationship with the UK.  But perceptions of the UK can be outdated, so your job will be to promote modern Britain and UK excellence across this region.  A major challenge to our work is the perception of this region in the UK.  We face a sizeable challenge in getting UK companies to understand the breadth of opportunities in this region and the interest there is in working with British companies.  Changing the perception of this region in the UK will also be an important element of our new strategy.

Roles and responsibilities: 

The successful candidate will combine marketing and communications experience with strong project management, leadership and people management skills.  They will be creative yet outcome focused – able to understand the strategic context and transform the vision of HM Trade Commissioner and the DIT LATAC Leadership Board into a coherent, impactful and well executed strategic marketing and communications plan for the region.  They will be capable of thriving in an overseas setting – and able to engage others in their work across cultures, borders, organisations and teams. The successful candidate will work closely with the Department’s Communication and Marketing directorate in the UK, and be accountable to the UK based Deputy Director of Communications for the professional standards and output of your team. Will also be part of the international network of marcomms leaders, collaborating with your peers in the other eight HMTC regions. The role will comprise:

Strategic vision (20%) 

Building on existing work and plans, design, develop and deliver a, creative and high-impact marketing and communications strategy.  Blend cutting edge Marketing and Communications tools to deliver the strategic goal and aims of the Regional Trade Plan.  Weave together activations relating to individual markets, trade blocs and sectors in LATAC and the UK into a set of simple but compelling narratives targeting the right audiences.

Planning and implementation (40%)

Oversee planning and implementation of DIT marketing and communications across the region and in the UK, working closely with our UK-based LATAC Business Specialist on the latter.  Devise and run planning processes to ensure country, thematic and sectoral teams have impactful marketing and communications plans that are well aligned to the Regional Trade Plan and the marcomms strategy you design.  Work with DIT and FCDO marketing and communications colleagues in the UK and the Operations Director to ensure DIT LATAC has access to the right resources, global campaigns and technical support.  Drive up understanding of marketing and communications techniques and capability among all staff across the region.  Assure the quality of all marketing and communications products and outputs (including but not limited to proofreading print, digital and other online and offline media in English), and implement a methodology to monitor, report and drive up impact.

Leadership (20%)

As part of the regional leadership team, engage all DIT staff in Latin America and the Caribbean, seeking to increase the value they attach to delivering marketing and communications as part of their own work.  Develop an effective network across the region – including senior spokespeople such as Heads of Mission – and in DIT HQ that supports you and your team to deliver.  Drive up staff engagement and alignment with the overall strategic vision for DIT in the region, by overseeing internal communications, working with HM Trade Commissioner and People, Skills and Capability Manager to this end.

Management (20%)

Manage the DIT LATAC Marketing and Communications team. Develop a strong and complementary working relationship with senior FCDO communications colleagues across the region who often provide local support to your team.  Take responsibility for the region’s marketing budget devising and overseeing the process of allocating funds to teams in the region, being accountable to ensuring it is spent in accordance with Managing Public Money guidance and delivery maximum value for the taxpayer.

Resources managed:

Manage the DIT LATAC Marketing and Communications team.

Essential on arrival:

• University degree.
• Minimum 5 years relevant working experience.
• Experience of working in a marketing and communications field.
• Experience of leading a marketing and communications team.
• Strong project management, leadership and people management skills.
• Willingness to travel on occasion.
• Excellent communication skills.

Language requirements:

Language: Fluent English plus either Spanish or Portuguese

Level of language required: Fluent