Senior Trade & Investment Officer – Financial and Professional Business Services

Position description

Be part of the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) mission to drive more trade and investment between North America and the UK. With a mature, high spending consumer market and an open economy, world-class talent and a business-friendly regulatory environment, the UK is the leading destination for foreign investment in Europe, and the second highest investment destination in the world. The UK is also the world’s seventh largest exporter and the second largest services exporter. 

We employ over 150 people across North America, all united by our vision of a future where we champion open and fair global trading that drives growth, creates better jobs and higher wages, and improves living standards in the UK and around the world.  We seek talented team members with the passion and drive to help us in our mission to build a global appetite for British goods and services; drive investment; negotiate trade deals and open up markets; improve international trading standards and fight unfair trading practices.

The role of the Senior Officer is to increase cross-border economic cooperation, attract foreign direct investment into the UK economy, and support British businesses with US market entry. The UK is highly regarded for its strong financial services sector, which represents over 12% of the UK’s total economic output and 8% of all jobs. With a long history of innovation and buoyed by a pro-growth regulator in the Financial Conduct Authority, the UK’s 3,200+ fintech startups and 25 fintech unicorns represent one of the most exciting and fast-growing subsectors of the British economy and a leading source of export success across North America.

You will develop positive relationships with senior executives from FinTech, Asset Management, and Professional Services firms in the Western region (including California, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Nevada). As account manager, you will play a leading role to these companies, including supporting some of the most important investors in the UK.  This involves proactive engagement with key decision-makers to identify and cultivate potential new investment opportunities for US companies in the UK. You will also work directly with founders and growth teams from innovative UK SMEs, as well as established British businesses and multinationals to develop US market entry strategies and/or grow US market share and address any market access barriers.

Although part of a team, this individual contributor role has no administrative support, requiring you to work in an effective and efficient manner with minimal supervision. 

Roles and responsibilities:

• Provide a comprehensive account management service to key US prospects in the financial and professional services sectors looking to maintain or grow their footprint in the UK. 
• Successfully build and manage a pipeline of knowledge-driven projects that have the potential to bring high-value jobs and investment to the UK.
• Assist high-growth and innovative UK SMEs, the UK’s leading fintechs, as well as established British businesses to develop US market entry strategies and / or grow US market share; and support established British companies in-market to address any concerns around US trade policy or market access barriers.
• Assist UK professional services companies, including legal, accounting, and consulting firms, with raising their brand profile across the western US. 
• Deliver against an ambitious set of annual trade and investment targets.
• Develop and implement high impact, targeted marketing programs and events in conjunction with stakeholder partners to build our brand awareness, promote key messaging, and showcase UK competitiveness in the financial and professional services industries.  
• Keep pace with market trends in North America and the UK to identify commercial opportunities and provide informed advice to clients and stakeholders. 
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to deliver high-impact programming, including developing and hosting round tables, trade missions and matchmaking events, seminars and supporting VIP visit programs.  
• Support cross-team projects to advance UK economic and trade policy goals.
• Represent the Department for Business Trade and the British Consulate at external functions, including occasional speaking engagements.
• Assist in a consular crisis, if required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

This role operates as part of a wider North America sector team but will not have direct reports. Some budget management will be needed.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

Essential on arrival:

• Substantial experience in an economic development, financial services, or business role.
• Thorough knowledge of the financial and professional services industry, major companies, and trends in the Western region – and preferably in the UK.
• Excellent stakeholder management abilities. 
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and networking skills. 
• Excellent management and collaboration skills with the ability to negotiate and deliver results.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask and complete work while traveling.
• An excellent network of industry contacts in the financial services sector and/or start-up ecosystem in the US, or the ability to develop such a network.
• Proficiency in standard Microsoft applications.
• Must be able to attend events outside of office hours and undertake travel in the US and internationally up to 25% of your time.  

Please note: Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents, A and NATO visa holders with EAD cards, and L2 visa holders with an up-to-date I-94 form.

You may refer to our website for additional information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-the-usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. 

Language requirements: 

Language: English
Level of language required: excellent verbal and written English.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1 

Desirable:

• An understanding of international relations and UK Government policy preferred. 

Required behaviours 1 

Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture

Application instructions

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