View Vacancy - CGZ - Senior Trade and Investment Officer, Financial and Professional Services, B3 (L)

The Department for International Trade (DIT) embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation. DIT China would value applications from people from the widest possible diversity of background, culture, experience and gender. 

Main purpose of job

This is an exciting and demanding role for a talented and commercially driven individual with a passion for Financial Services to join DIT China as a Senior Trade and Investment Officer and play an important role in delivering the Financial strategy element of the DIT China Regional Trade Plan ambitions, which are:

Objective 1 - Driving and inspiring UK exports to China, significantly increasing the UK market share of China's goods imports, and more than double the value of UK services exports.

Objective 2 – Consistent trade policy engagement with China to achieve incremental market access, mitigate business risk and prepare for future trade deals.

Objective 3 - Broadening and deepening the UK-China investment partnership, positioning the UK as the top European destination for Chinese investment and providing strong support for UK investors.

Context

The Department for International Trade (DIT) operates in 108 countries. Establishing new relationships around the globe, DIT promotes British trade to ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us, securing and improving economic well-being, stability, and helping to create tens of thousands of jobs.

DIT has one of the largest representations of the 18 government departments working in China, which are coordinated and led by Her Majesty’s Ambassador who is responsible for the UK’s relationship with China.

Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) is responsible for Trade and Investment work in China, one of nine global regions and the largest DIT overseas network in the world. With c.190 staff across six posts - Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Wuhan – DIT, as part of the UK government network in China offers a fast-paced place to work at the heart of UK-China Government relations.

Detail

Reporting to the Deputy Director for Financial and Professional Services in DIT in Guangzhou, the jobholder will be required to lead engagement in insurance and asset management sectors and will work closely with the DIT team based in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

In this role, you will need to be able to build a strong network with working level commercial and government officers in the insurance and asset management sectors. You will also need to be able to leverage those networks to achieve quantifiable commercial outcomes, promoting bilateral investment through: identifying commercial opportunities to deepen bilateral insurance and asset management relationships; deliver strategic initiatives to deepen capital market connections between both countries; arranging meetings with the regulators for senior visitors and Embassy officials; leading on developing visit programmes for senior visitors; and supporting bilateral workshops, conferences and other events that seek to further bilateral trade.

The postholder needs to build on a strong understanding of issues affecting insurance and asset management sectors in China and be able to communicate this to a British audience, and articulate what it means for UK business interests. As such, you will be expected to lead on ministerial briefing, drafting sectoral updates on China’s insurance and asset management and take forward discrete special reports on specific topics of interest in the Chinese insurance and asset management sectors.

The postholder will play a pivotal role in supporting UK firms to increase their exports to China and securing inward investment to the UK. You will need to be able to demonstrate an good understanding of the opportunities and challenges that facing insurance and asset management sectors in China, and how the UK can best share expertise to influence policy and support the Chinese government to develop an open, efficient and sustainable financial system.

Strong written and oral English and Chinese skills are essential.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

Stakeholder management and ensuring commercial outcomes (65%):

The postholder will establish, develop and maintain a network of key contacts in the Chinese and British Financial sector, helping firms in both countries deliver quantifiable commercial outcomes. They will also be instrumental in supporting initiatives to promote liberalisation of China’s financial services market to help increase UK financial services exports to China and encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Chinese firms into the UK.

Sectoral analysis (20%):

With the guidance from the Deputy Director, provide accurate, timely and well-written reporting (in English) on developments in South China, as well as deliver verbal briefings (in English) to visiting UK ministers and business leaders. Customers for this analysis include UK business, internal DIT stakeholders and key partners in HM Treasury, the Bank of England, the Foreign Office and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Inward visits and Events (10%):

Leading on and delivering successful visits to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China by UK government ministers, senior officials and business delegations and the wider financial services industry. To do this you must be able to develop a strong network of contacts within the Chinese commercial sector, government and other organisations such as think tanks, universities, and international organisations in GBA. You will be expected to operate with considerable autonomy.

For the highest-level visits (including the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister), you will support more senior members of the team. This requires a willingness to get stuck-in and support the wider team during particularly busy periods.

Corporate Contribution (5%):

Play an active role in embedding the ‘DIT Spirit’ by identifying and progressing opportunities to promote the department’s values of being Expert, Engaged, Enterprising and Inclusive. Build capacity and share expertise with colleagues across the network.

• The job-holder will be expected to interact directly with seniors including the Ambassador, UK diplomats across China and government officials in the UK and China, as well as key contacts in financial services.
• As such, previous experience of communicating clearly and concisely in English is essential, including the ability to explain technical terms and processes to a non-technical audience.
• Applicants should have a strong understanding of the economy of China, and in particular policy and/or commercial understanding of recent developments in China’s insurance and asset management sectors.