View Vacancy - Trade & Investment Officer

Main purpose of job:

An opportunity to join a dynamic team focused on fostering transatlantic business relations between North America and its top economic partner in Europe.

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has overall responsibility for promoting UK trade across the world and attracting foreign investment to our economy. We are a specialised government body with responsibility for negotiating international trade policy, supporting business, and delivering an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy.

DIT North America works closely with DIT headquarters in London, with related agencies in the UK and with representatives of the English Regions and the UK’s Devolved Administrations in North America, to assist North American companies looking to invest in the UK, and help UK companies identify opportunities to trade with North America (see www.gov.uk/DIT).

The post advertised is for a Trade & Investment Officer (TIO) based at the British Consulate General in San Francisco. Reporting to the Regional Director – Silicon Valley & Northwest USA, with dotted line into the Sector Director for Capital Investment – North America, the TIO will work as part of a team located across North America with responsibility for driving strategic capital investment from the United States and Canada into all regions of the UK, as well as being a valued contributor to the applicable regional team.

North America is the largest source of investible capital in the world, and is home to the majority of the world’s leading investment firms, including the world’s top 100 venture capital firms. DIT’s mission in this space is to engage with the world’s leading venture capital firms as a means of providing readily accessible sources of early and growth stage capital to innovative UK start-ups, in support of the government’s overarching strategic priorities.

DIT is offering an exciting and challenging opportunity for an experienced, commercially savvy individual to help identify and drive venture capital investment into strategically significant ecosystems, that will enable innovators to scale, and establish the UK as a global life sciences and technology superpower. This will involve targeting, prospecting, developing and managing new and existing relationships with some of the world’s major venture capital firms, largely (but not exclusively) focused in Silicon Valley.

The job holder will: a) support the Sector Director in setting strategic priorities, identifying new market opportunities and delivering the Capital Investment sector plan for North America; b) provide thought leadership and subject matter expertise within DIT on the venture capital landscape; c) present the UK value story and DIT proposition to targeted venture capital firms and manage assigned prospect pipeline; d) work closely with DIT’s venture capital unit in the UK to facilitate deal flow for US firms in a differentiated manner; e) manage key investor relationships, bringing in support, as required, from across government; f) contribute to the organisation and execution of high profile visits, such as Ministerial and VIP delegations.

To be successful, the job holder will need to be strategic, resourceful and highly driven. S/he/they will have exceptional strategic thinking, business development and relationship management skills; the ability to understand and adapt to market dynamics and government policy; the communication skills to convey compelling and impactful messages to external audiences; and a strong will to win. As circumstances permit, s/he/they will be required to attend official functions, and undertake travel for in-person engagement with investors and colleagues across North American and in the UK.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Build and cultivate strong relationships at multiple levels and touch points with major US-based venture capital firms, coordinating closely with UK-based colleagues at DIT headquarters in London.
• Utilise a segmented approach to proactively target venture capital firms with strategies and portfolios aligned with UK government priorities, as well as the propensity to increase their exposure and presence in the UK.
• Provide exceptional account management to an assigned portfolio of key firms.
• Be a trusted referrals partner to prospective and existing investors; manage and drive a pipeline of curated investment opportunities to successful closure.
• Monitor trends and ongoing developments, both in the venture capital sector, as well as key focus industry verticals (with particular focus on clean tech, deep tech and life sciences), providing thought leadership within DIT and across government; understand and communicate UK government strategy in relevant sectors to the US venture capital community.
• Utilise existing CRM tools to capture investor engagement and manage investment progression.
• Collaborate on cross-consulate activities, and support visits by senior UK government officials by securing high-level meetings with key investors, organising activities, and preparing briefing materials.
• Develop and execute high impact, targeted, business development-oriented events in conjunction with internal partners to build DIT brand awareness; promote key messaging relating to venture capital, the UK start-up scene and its global competitiveness.
• Represent DIT and the British Consulate at external functions, including occasional speaking engagements.
• Assist with consular support services in times of crises. 

Essential qualifications, skills and experience:

• Either a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience or knowledge such as time with a venture capital firm or in a venture capital-backed start-up firm.
• Proven business development track record, with the demonstrated ability to close deals.
• Highly developed commercial acumen and strategic relationship management skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high quality output, present effectively, and influence at multiple levels.
• Strong drive for results.
• Multinational business, negotiation and organisational experience; solid understanding of both the US and UK environments a real plus.
• An excellent network of industry contacts in the venture capital and/or start-up ecosystem in the US, or the ability to develop such a network, with the credibly to interact at a senior level within the community.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work towards shared goals in a highly matrixed environment.
• The ability to operate under pressure, and deal effectively with complexity and uncertainty.
• Proficiency in standard Microsoft applications and CRM software.
• Valid passport; the ability to attend official functions outside of office hours; and the ability to undertake domestic and international air travel, including overnight stays (COVID-19 pandemic restrictions permitting).

Important: Under US State Department requirements, the British Embassy Group may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Green Card holders or A or NATO visa holders with EAD cards. If you hold a visa other than an A or NATO visa you are not currently eligible to work at the Embassy.  Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk.  All candidates will be subject to background checks and security clearance.