View Vacancy - AUS (Sydney) - Regional Officer - Trade and Investment - Australia and New Zealand, EO (MATL Cover)

Based in the British Consulate General office in Sydney, reporting to Invest Northern Ireland’s Regional Director of Australia and New Zealand, the successful candidate will work for Invest Northern Ireland (INI) across trade and investment in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). The primary responsibility of this role is to support Invest Northern Ireland’s Regional Director of Australia and New Zealand (the Regional Director) in delivering INI’s trade strategy in ANZ and assisting Northern Ireland businesses to export goods and services.  

By developing effective working relationships with a wide range of INI client companies and potential customers, stakeholders, senior officials and government representatives across ANZ, the successful candidate will assist with the identification of business opportunities across trade and investment in ANZ.  

The post-holder's main area of responsibility will be supporting and developing trade from Northern Ireland to Australia and New Zealand. This will include  supporting INI client visits to the region, the delivery of trade missions, events, and exhibitions, and managing the associated administration and logistics.  Attending conferences, arranging business meetings, and working in partnership with other stakeholders to raise Northern Ireland’s commercial profile. The post-holder will also work with INI’s third party research provider to provide sector and market research specific to INI client’s trade needs.  

Working as part of a team and where applicable, the post holder will be expected to be flexible and assist in delivering INI’s investment strategy in ANZ. This will include promoting Northern Ireland as a location for inward investment and assisting with the necessary administration and logistics of investment activity and events. 

The role will be based in the British Consulate General, Sydney, the successful candidate may be required to undertake travel, either within ANZ, the wider Asia Pacific region (APAC), or to the UK and  other countries. The post-holder will also provide support to the wider Asia Pacific team as required by the management team.

Trade and Investment 

• Assist the Regional Director to deliver INI’s trade strategy for ANZ. For clarity, the main export sectors for ANZ, include Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, Technology, Aerospace and Defence, Food and Beverage, and Life and Health Sciences.   
• Support Northern Ireland companies interested in trade with ANZ by arranging business development meetings, handling market research and assessment enquiries, conducting visits, and writing reports to provide companies with information they require to make informed business decisions. For this work and where applicable, the post-holder can leverage INI’s appointed Trade Advisory Support provider in the delivery of support services to INI client companies in ANZ. 
• Through developing relationships with ANZ companies and stakeholders, and attending sector trade exhibitions and conferences, identify and articulate specific business opportunities to colleagues in Northern Ireland, including INI International Trade Advisers and trade organisations, and work with companies to help them respond to these opportunities. 
• Work with the Regional Director and colleagues in Northern Ireland to deliver in-market assistance to client companies, such as but not limited to: visit programmes, trade missions to ANZ, providing added value for participating companies by introducing them to in-market contacts and setting up and attending business meetings.  
• Manage relevant information sources and maintain accurate recording of customer activity and stakeholder information on INI’s Customer Relationship Management system. 
• Handle enquiries from client companies, prospective investors, and stakeholders when the Regional Director is absent. 

Stakeholder Engagement Effective Strategic Relationship Management 

• Work with the Regional Director and other members of INI’s APAC team to co-ordinate VIP (including Ministerial delegations) visit programmes for trade and investment, prepare briefings and manage the necessary administration, logistics and protocols. 
• Attend regular calls outside of standard working hours with the INI international team and INI clients.  
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships within the British Consulate General, Sydney, Department of Business and Trade (DBT) and other Partners Across Government, Northern Ireland government representatives and other key stakeholders across ANZ. 
• Work effectively in partnership with wider teams based in Northern Ireland, Asia Pacific and other locations.   
• Strategically identify and connect with the Northern Irish diaspora in ANZ, including maintaining the Northern Ireland Connections database. 

The post-holder is not required to manage staff.  The role will support the Regional Director in monitoring budgets, and to manage and deliver events within a pre-allocated budget.

The post-holder will be required to liaise actively and regularly with the Asia Pacific team, other INI international offices and INI colleagues in Northern Ireland.  Finally, within the role, the post-holder will be expected to make decisions delegated to them by the team management, and act within INI’s policies and guidelines.

• Educated to degree level, ideally in a business or related function.
• At least 3 years’ working experience in a private or public sector organisation, with relevant experience in ANZ;
• A significant and successful track record in Business Development, including market research, analysing market data, preparing reports, presenting information to clients and securing contracts / sales.
• Good attention to detail, excellent organisational, IT and administrative skills.
• Good networking skills and experience of building and maintaining effective working relationships across all levels of businesses.
• The ability to work at pace and independently as part of a remote team.
• Positive approach to working flexibly, including across different time zones and irregular hours.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (Outlook/Word/Excel/PowerPoint).