View Vacancy - SENIOR INWARD INVESTMENT ADVISER

MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB

We are looking for a dynamic, high-calibre colleague who will make a real difference to 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.

Your role will be to

• promote the UK as the preferred inward investment destination for Indian companies in the East of India (focussing on Tier II cities in the region)
• encourage high value investments including through technology tie ups, as well as research and development and joint venture partnerships
• act as co-ordinator for the Advanced Engineering & Supply Chain sector ,across the whole of India, driving the pan-India inward investment team to identify high value investment projects in this sector

You will act as the face of the British Government to Indian companies and manage senior-level relationships with key decision-makers in India’s leading corporate. 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 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 Eastern 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)’s strategic investment priorities in the Eastern region. To support the Deputy Trade and Investment Commissioners in refreshing these priorities based on feedback.

To organise events and other kinds of tested activity with partner organisations such as TiE, NASSCOM, CII, FICCI, etc, in order to develop a healthy pipeline of future investment projects.

WHAT WE DO:

Department for International Trade (DIT) is a joint Government Department of the Departments for Business, Energy, Innovation, and Skills (BEIS) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). 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 DIT 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 Senior Investment Adviser 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. 

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 experience within the 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. 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.

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, across all of the sectors. 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 UKTI network. 

Sector lead

You will be a sector co-ordinator, in a role which enhances the cross-sector coverage of the core FDI team in DIT. As a business development adviser, you will bring in-depth sector expertise, and you will be targeted with specific KPIs around high value investment successes (in the region of £1+ million). You will also be a team player, sharing ideas and best practice with core FDI team colleagues, and passing on 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.

RESOURCES MANAGED 

One member of staff. 

Qualification-Masters

Experience- 5-7 years in the respective field.

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. The skill sets and experience which will be essential to this position are key account management, business development and field sales. These attributes will underpin the development of a pipeline of prospective and active companies who have the plans and propensity to set up in the UK.

You will be expected to maintain records of your engagements with companies, using DIT’s systems (some administrative support will be available), and will be subject to standard performance reporting mechanisms.
Your sector knowledge will enable you to spot opportunities to promote the UK as an investment destination with major Indian companies, and you will be able to identify the key attributes of the UK’s proposition and target your promotion of the UK accordingly.