View Vacancy - DIT Prosperity Fund Commercial Lead

1. Design and lead the coordination of a pipeline system to identify, track, match up and support potential UK companies that can win business as a result of developments from across all strands of the Prosperity Fund Programme. Lead this commercial coordination process liaising between all programme strands and DIT teams across the British Government’s network across Brazil and where appropriate, with the British Government in the UK.
2. Account management of key strategic UK partner companies who have the most relevant portfolio of services to support activities flowing from all strands of the Prosperity Fund Programme.

3. Design and deliver an outreach strategy targeting UK companies and raising awareness of potential commercial opportunities arising from all strands of the Prosperity Fund Programme. Strategy will leverage support of UK based partners (e.g. DIT, PM’s Trade Envoy to Brazil, CBI, relevant Parliamentary Groups, Canning House etc). Work with companies to support them to win business.

4. Coordination of commercial expertise around ports of entry into Brazil. Ensuring that UK expertise (public, private, academic/third sector, e.g. Associated British Ports) on ports and trade issues (customs, shipping, logistics) is identified and utilised to secure commercial benefits from the Prosperity Fund Trade Programme.

5. Coordinating with Prosperity Fund Programmes in Mexico and Colombia, ensure that strategies are aligned and that High Value Campaigns take advantage of synergies across the programmes and the region.

6. Provide technical advice on all issues relating to securing commercial opportunities from the Prosperity Fund including the implementation of non-ODA funded projects, development and collection of Key Performance Indicators relating to commercial benefits and upkeep of bank of success stories.

7. This is an ideal position for someone with leadership qualities, the ability to develop and deliver a strategy across a number of teams and locations, working collaboratively to build a sense of team cohesion and delivering outcomes through others. The job will be challenging and will require the successful candidate to take responsibility for delivering both quickly and to a high quality standard.

Main purpose of job:

To lead the commercial priorities of the UK’s new four year £80 million Brazil Prosperity Fund (PF) Programme. The primary purpose of this programme is to reduce poverty and gender inequality through stimulating sustainable economic growth in key sectors of Brazil’s economy. The secondary purpose is to create commercial opportunities (also known as ‘secondary benefits’) for international business including companies from the UK. This position will lead the delivery of these commercial benefits by working across teams in the British Government network in Brazil.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the part of British Government that helps UK-based companies succeed globally and supports overseas companies to bring investment to the UK.

The Brazil Bilateral PF Programme is working in four strands: Future Cities, Energy, Green Finance and Trade. In addition to the bilateral PF Programme, at least five global or thematic PF Programmes plan to operate in Brazil (Education, Health, Trade, Future Cities and Digital Access). These programmes will bring additional resources and further commercial opportunities.

As an integral member of the British Government team, the Commercial Lead will focus on supporting UK companies to take advantage of opportunities arising as a result of the bilateral and global PF programmes. Success will be measured by a range of metrics including:

-          Exports of goods/services from the UK to Brazil;

-             Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) from the UK into Brazil;

-             Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Brazil into the UK;

-             Removal of key market access barriers; and

-             Promotion of trade between the two countries.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):  

Staff: You will need to work collaboratively to build productive working relationships with the broader Prosperity team which consists of around 70 people across 5 posts in Brazil, as well as liaising with the PF programmes in Mexico and Colombia. You will also be expected to leverage the support of other members of the British diplomatic mission including, but not limited to, the Ambassador, HM Trade Commissioner, the Consul General in Rio de Janeiro and the Director of Trade and Investment based in São Paulo.

Expenditure: You will manage a devolved travel and entertainment budget and non-ODA programme budget.

• Fluent Brazilian Portuguese and English (both written and spoken);
• Minimum 5 years experience in international business or international development;
• Proven ability to form professional relationships and build trust with a wide range of contacts from different backgrounds including at senior levels;
• Previous experience of managing staff and budgets;
• Excellent IT skills, including MS Outlook, Word and Excel.