View Vacancy - Regional Specialist Overseas Champion (Investment/Midlands Engine) - (POL20.376)

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)
DIT

Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

The British Embassy in Poland is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is now looking to recruit a Regional Specialist Overseas Champion to join the Department for International Trade (DIT) team.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) works 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. You will act as a regional specialist overseas champion for the Midlands Engine (ME) region, which covers East and West Midlands regions of the UK, with Birmingham at its centre. This forms part of the UK government’s agenda to increase trade and investment support in the UK regions. 

You will lead on promoting and attracting Tech and Creative sector investment into the ME while having regard to the ‘UK First’ principle. You will be mobile across Central Europe (from Poland to Balkans), with proven commercial acumen and credibility at senior level in the private sector. You will work closely with the UK Regions Investment hub, DIT Sector teams, regional specialists, IST (Investment Services Team) and local partners to achieve this. You will be part of an existing network of DIT investment professionals active across the region.

Main responsibilities will include:

  • Build a network with senior executives across Central Europe as well as the United Kingdom as relevant for ME inward investment;
  • Set up a business network of Midlanders and working locally who can help to champion the regions’ strengths;
  • Work within the Central Europe FDI team to promote ME as an investment destination by highlighting sector propositions and relevant High Potential Opportunities to potential investors, including by delivering presentations at events and conferences both internal and external;
  • Identify potential investors into ME from Central Europe, driving measurable investment outcomes;
  • Encourage new high-value investment from the Technology and Creative sectors to ME from Central Europe and work with UK based resources to support investment projects;
  • Act as on the ground regional expert for potential projects which require ME input;
  • Plan, deliver and monitor targeted sector campaigns to showcase the business opportunities in ME;
  • Organise events such as meetups, roundtable and seminars promoting ME as an attractive investment destination;
  • Develop and maintain strong working relationship with DIT UK Regions Investment hub, regional sector specialists, DIT Sector colleagues and specialists, regional partners, the Investment Services Team (IST) and colleagues at post. 
  • Contribute to wider Embassy reporting. 
  • Fluency in English (both oral and written, minimum C1 level*);
  • Fluency in Polish, Czech, Hungarian or Romanian (both oral and written);
  • Experience of developing relationships and building influence with multiple stakeholders in the public and private sector at senior level;
  • Knowledge of Tech and Creative sectors;
  • Minimum 5 years’ commercial experience; 
  • Cultural awareness and functional knowledge of the local business environment;
  • An understanding of international business or trade practice;
  • Excellent project management skills;
  • Excellent communication skills in English, including public speaking;
  • Team player who can work on their own initiative and across virtual teams. 

  • Knowledge of ME Tech and Creative sector strengths;
  • Knowledge of ME and UK investment landscape and priorities;
  • Previous experience of working with the UK Government and understanding of ME political landscape and/or experience of working with ME local partners.
5 October 2020
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
37.5 net
24 months
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Poland
Warsaw
British Embassy
1
PLN
12,336 gross
15 November 2020

This is a full-time fixed-term position of 5 days (37.5 net per week) for 2 years.

The gross salary for this position is PLN 12,336 gross per month. Working hours are flexible and staff are entitled to time-off-in-lieu for agreed extra hours worked. The annual leave entitlement is 20 or 26 days per year pro rata and the Embassy also enjoys a maximum of 14 Polish / UK public holidays per year.

Please note that staff members are responsible for paying any income tax required by the local law.

The successful candidate will be subject to the Polish references check and satisfactory completion of a probationary period of three months.

Candidates must have pre-existing right to live and work in Poland for the duration of the job offer in order to apply. The British Embassy does not sponsor work permits.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Warsaw are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to Polish employment law.

Visa / Passport requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Poland and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Additional requirements may become necessary after 31st December 2020.

Working patterns

BE Warsaw has a strong commitment to work/life balance. Office hours are 8:30 – 16:30, staff are encouraged to leave on time, and the building is locked up at 6pm. Flexi-hours are also possible within the Embassy building’s opening hours (0730-1800).

We have mobile technology and most staff in the team work from home one day a week.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

Please note Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment  indicates Level C2 as Mastery or proficiency Level which comprehends that a person can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation; can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. For more information please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.

Additional Information (due to Covid 19):

  • You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption;
  • Interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action;

  • Starting date may be delayed depending on circumstances at the time and it will be agreed with the selected candidate.

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.