View Vacancy - Trade & Investment Officer

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the UK Government’s international business development agency. DIT USA, working closely with DIT and other agencies in the United Kingdom, is charged with transatlantic trade development between the UK and the US; and with assisting US companies looking to invest in the UK. See www.gov.uk/DIT for further information.

The British Consulate in New York is seeking qualified Trade & Investment Officers (TIOs) as well as a Trade Officer (TO) to work in the following sectors:

Financial & Business Services – including banking, asset management, insurance, venture capital, accounting, legal services, and management consulting (both trade & investment)

Advanced Engineering & Manufacturing – including automotive, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing (both trade & investment)

Infrastructure – including transportation, construction, and water (both trade & investment)

Food & Drink – including premium categories of food and drink (trade only)

These roles create UK jobs by helping UK exporters achieve business and by delivering Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the UK from US companies, engaging with a diverse range of clients and stakeholders in the South West U.S.

The successful candidates will engage with CEOs, VIPs, business development leads and others on both sides of the Atlantic, in order to identify export opportunities and support new investments into the UK. Officers will also collaborate with DIT’s U.S.-wide team for each sector, DIT headquarters in London, regional and local colleagues, and representatives of the three Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Main Job Functions:

• Forge strong relationships with U.S. and UK business leaders, trade associations and other key partners.
• Identify and provide strategic advice and assistance to U.S. companies looking to invest in the UK and support U.S. companies already active in the UK market.
• Meet annual FDI targets and build active client pipeline by developing and managing relationships with C-level executives and business leaders.
• Proactively identify opportunities for UK companies to export to the U.S.
• Participate in the activities and events conducted by industry associations and other multipliers, building awareness of DIT in the business community and serving as the point of contact for UK market information.
• Develop, position and implement marketing strategies, conceive and develop DIT activities, and produce and manage events with the goals of generating FDI leads, building relationships, and highlighting the strengths of the UK’s market proposition to potential investors.
• Facilitate and manage visits by senior government officials and other VIPs, including by compiling visit programs and planning company meetings. Manage initiatives such as the development and execution of trade missions, receptions and other events.
• Handle of a range of enquiries from UK companies on business and export matters.
• Maintain current knowledge of market trends, incentives, and centres of excellence in both the U.S. and the UK. Promote UK strengths effectively to a U.S. audience.
• Undertake regular travel in the U.S. and occasional travel to the UK (up to 10% of the time).
• Manage one Business Development Associate.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field;
• 6-8 years relevant work experience and/or business development experience in the U.S. and, ideally, the UK;
• Strong client management experience;
• Some experience/knowledge of the UK's inward investment and/or business environment;
• Knowledge and understanding of the life sciences, retail, and/or advanced engineering business environments in both the US and UK
• Ability to be proactive, organized and work to deadlines, prioritize and multi-task;
• A self-starter, able to work independently and show initiative with limited day-to-day supervision while operating as part of a wider team with shared goals and wide-ranging objectives;
• Strong networking skills;
• Demonstrated experience meeting and/or exceeding challenging targets.
• Excellent research, writing and presentation skills. Attention to detail.
• Computer literacy in standard Microsoft applications;
• Valid driver’s license; the ability to attend official functions outside of office hours; and the ability to undertake domestic and international air travel, including overnight stays.

Under U.S. State Department requirements, the Embassy may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are U.S. citizens, U.S. Green Card holders or A visa holders.[1] If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at the Embassy and Consulates. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/world/usa. All candidates will be subject to background checks and security clearance.

[1] *A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates.  The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.