View Vacancy - Head of Inward Investment - Southern India - C5 - Chennai/Hyderabad/Bangalore

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.
Department for International Trade roles (DIT)
Department for International Trade (DIT)

Job Location: Chennai/Hyderabad/Bangalore




MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB


We are looking for a dynamic, high-calibre colleague who will lead on the UK-India FDI relationship. Indian companies currently invest more in the UK than the rest of Western Europe combined.  We need a colleague who will retain this top slot and play his/her part in the development of our strategy for the next three years.

Your role will be to lead the Southern region team on Inward Investment:

  • To promote the UK as the preferred inward investment destination for Indian companies in Southern India (focussing on Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, AP, Telangana & Kerala)
  • Key account manage our Tier I Premier existing investors, managing the Prioritisation List of important Indian businesses and the  ensuring the success of the Global Investor Programme 
  • Encourage high value investments including through technology tie ups, as well as research and development and joint venture partnerships
  • Act as a co-ordinator for the Inward Investment across the Region driving the pan-India inward investment targets to identify high value investment projects from the region
  •  Coordinate with the Deputy High Commissioners in the region, DIT Senior Management Team and HQ on important Ministerial Visits, driving the delivery of Policy and reform

 

You will be the face of the British Government for Inward Investment, in the Southern Region of India, maintaining key relationships with Indian Industrialists, HNIs to encourage thought-leaders and key decision-makers in India to be ambassadors for FDI into the UK. You will develop and deliver a strong pipeline of current and future investment wins and support the wider DIT India effort across a range of corporate objectives. You will be supported with opportunities to get the right learning and development, career development and opportunities to travel. You will join a high-performing, diverse team of supportive colleagues which is growing.  In summary a challenging position, with significant rewards for the right candidate.




ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES


  • To promote the UK as the ideal investment destination for potential and existing Indian investors and to work with them to help them set up and further operations in the UK.
  • To ensure that annual investment targets for the Southern region of India are met and that a healthy pipeline of future investment projects is developed. You will be responsible for delivery against some challenging targets.
  • To quickly build solid links to, and work 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 a seamless end-to-end service which consistently leads to investment successes in the UK
  • To quickly pick up and deliver against the Department for International Trade (DIT) strategic investment priorities in the Southern India region. To support the Deputy Trade and Investment Commissioners in refreshing these priorities based on feedback.
  • To lead on our participation in key events as a speaker and other kinds of tested activity with partner organisations such as NASSCOM, CII, FICCI, etc, in order to develop a healthy pipeline of future investment projects.



WHAT WE DO

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is a joint Government Department of the Departments for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). The department brings together responsibilities for business, industrial strategy, science, innovation, energy, and climate change. Our role is to work with UK-based businesses to ensure their success in international markets, and encourage the best overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice. The Inward Investment Group within the Department for International Trade has specific responsibility for encouraging overseas companies to choose to grow their business by investing in the UK, with a particular focus on building longer term, strategic relationships.




WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU

DIT India

The Head of the Inward Investment –Southern India position is crucial to the DIT India network, which in itself is growing.

The role is an excellent opportunity to play a key part in the British Government’s efforts to attract more high value Indian FDI into the UK.  You will be given the freedom and space to develop your team and build your networks, but we will support you too with opportunities to get the right learning and development, career development and opportunities to travel across India and to the UK. But you will need to be collaborative and flexible too to fit in with the network’s ethos; and, importantly, focussed on delivering results and contributing to the wider corporate efforts especially around our busy Ministerial/VIP visit programme.

 

The Challenge

The role is challenging, but the rewards we believe are absolutely worth it! You will hit the ground running, and immediately deliver against demanding annual investment targets. He/she will need to identify major Indian companies who are looking to invest overseas and be comfortable engaging at senior levels with decision makers on the value of FDI into the UK; and to then work with them to set up and ultimately expand their business there.

 

The person

Your network will already be significant- but will grow further by working with a wide range of senior level people both in the UK (including Ministers) and India to grow investment.  The ability to influence, lobby and articulate key messages and to work in a team will be essential. The job will give the incumbent full exposure to the work of DIT. Your background will include senior level CEO/CXO experience within the ICT, Life Sciences, Automotive, Aerospace, Engineering or Technical consulting sectors, and you will arrive with an excellent network of industry contacts in both the private sector and relevant trade associations. A key criterion for the role will be experience in account management, business development and field sales. You will be able to engage credibly with senior (C-level) executives, on behalf of the UK, as well as with senior UK government figures including Ministers will be essential.

 

Value, volume and future 

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in securing a significant rise in high value foreign direct investment (FDI) projects from major Indian companies into the UK, in the sectors of ICT, Life Sciences, Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (including automotive and aerospace). Investment wins will come both from Indian companies with an existing presence in the UK, and from companies who are new to the UK market.

 

In addition, you will be expected to grow the pipeline of potential investment projects likely to land in the UK over the next 1-3 years. And, where you find opportunities for UK goods and services to be sold into India, you will support these, connecting with the wider DIT network.

Key Account Management

You will be the key account manager for a majority of our major contacts.  This will require you to have in-depth expertise, and you will be targeted with specific KPIs around high value investment successes (in the region of £3-5+ million).

You will need to be strategically aware to identify opportunities in emerging Indian cities, grow our contact base there and be an interlocker for Indian corporate houses and investment opportunities in the UK. Being a team leader and team-player, you will be expected to develop ideas/policies and best practice amongst the core FDI team colleagues, and grow the high-value pipeline of leads where appropriate.


Corporate

The role will require you to build peer-to-peer relationships with clients across the business functions of international strategy, business development, technology/R&D and government affairs; identify, define and match UK commercial and capability opportunities with the specific needs of Indian firms; and act as an advocate for your portfolio of Indian companies to ensure they get the support they need from the UK government network more widely. You will need to have good project management skills to create and deliver campaigns; and excellent English written and verbal communication skills. You will be expected to produce written work in Standard English to a high standard. You will be expected to have strong interpersonal skills and be a credible team leader capable of setting the direction for your team and of gaining their trust and respect – and doing so while managing a virtual team located across India. You will need to be can do, collaborative and flexible and able to manage yourself and the demands on you.


Your portfolio of companies may already be part of your existing network of industry contacts, or they may be new relationships that you will build and nurture – alongside senior British High Commission representatives, where appropriate – to secure higher value investment wins for the UK.

Qualifications:

Graduate/post graduate. Candidates without the required educational qualifications but with exceptional practical experience will be considered.

 

Experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant commercial/business experience.
  • An in-depth understanding of Foreign Direct Investment sector and a strong network in the region are essential.
  • Strong analytical and business skills to search out significant opportunities for investment into the UK market
  • Tried and tested project management skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal, team working and people management skills. To lead and manage resource across grades.
  • Ability to influence, lobby and articulate key messages and to work in a team will be essential.
  • Experience of dealing with senior level decision makers of Indian national and state government. You will need to show a solid track record of dealing with senior level decision makers in the business world.
  • Background will include senior level experience within the ICT, Life Sciences, Automotive, Aerospace, Engineering or Technical consulting sectors
  • We are looking for candidates who have experience of working overseas (ideally in the UK knowledge of the business environment and of UK business related policies), or of managing overseas projects and investments.
  • Experience of leading a team remotely.
  • Marketing and presentational skills.

Experience of working in trade/export promotion

18 October 2017
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Permanent
South Asia & Afghanistan
India
Chennai
British Deputy High Commission
1
INR
109,080
1 December 2017

For British High Commission (BHC) candidates, the Local Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.

 

For other than BHC candidates, salary will be INR 109,080 per month together with a 12% provident fund and 6% Superannuation Fund/ Special Allowance

 

Additionally the BHC offers a great benefits package that includes annual domiciliary medical cover, plus a Group Hospitalisation Scheme with Rs 500,000 floater cover for your immediate family. 

 

The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance. 

 

Around half of our work force is women.  We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment. 

 

This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCO has anywhere across the globe.  We are aiming to make it the best.

Please note that applications without (a), (b) and (c) will NOT be considered:

 

(a)     Complete the Online Application Form

(b)     Attach a detailed CV

(c)     Complete the motivation segment in the Online Application Form

 

Internal candidates applying for this position need to upload their appraisal forms for the previous 2 years (if applicable) else the application will not be considered.

Please note:

  • Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.
  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and no telephone enquires will be dealt with.
  • The appointment will be subject to Police Verification and other checks including references, educational and professional.

 

We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.

ANY OTHER INFORMATION

We expect the successful candidate to be located in the British Deputy High Commission in any of the cities of Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Applications from other locations will be considered. 

Travel will be required – primarily within the Southern Region of India, to metros and occasionally tier 2 cities, and occasionally to the UK.

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.