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The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a worldwide network of embassies and consulates, employing over 14,000 people in nearly 270 diplomatic offices. We work with international organisations to promote British interests and global security, including the EU, NATO, the United Nations, the UN Security Council and the Commonwealth.
Job Category
Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
Job Subcategory
Department for International Trade (DIT)
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
Main purpose of job:
Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:
The Role:
This is a great opportunity to work in an exciting and challenging environment on a high profile agenda within the Department for International Trade, part of the British High Commission in Nairobi.
The renewable energy and oil & gas sectors are top priorities for UK trade interests in the region, and there are many major opportunities in Kenya to pursue. The role focuses on supporting British companies seeking commercial success, and also on identifying major future opportunities as well as quick wins. It requires the tenacity to support British companies achieve success in Kenya, as well as the ability to assess the sector and provide advice on where the strategic opportunities lie. There will be specific commercial targets to meet in terms of value of exports supported when deals close. There will also be a need to look long-term, assessing trends and opportunities early on. There will be a need to consider and support investment from the UK as well as exports. (40%)
The regional renewables campaign lead requires driving a virtual team made up of renewables leads in Ethiopia (particularly important), Uganda and Tanzania. This means managing the campaign in terms of events and finances, overall thrust and approach, and maintaining oversight of metrics and milestones. Driving a virtual team can be a challenge: this will take strong interpersonal skills, project management abilities, and the ability to pick up technical detail quickly. (30%)
Trade Services and non-campaign sectors are important to DIT because trade services help us generate revenue for our other activities. The officer will oversee the regional trade development manager’s work, monitoring progress and providing guidance and energy to achieve revenue and quality objectives. Non-campaign sectors are areas where there is potential in the present or future to achieve success, which will also benefit Kenya’s development aspirations. The officer will ensure that these objectives are being met, guiding the officers in the team to achieve this. (20%)
Management of two dynamic and experienced officers is also an important part of the role. (10%)
The officer will be a confident self-starter, a team player with excellent communication skills, and the ability to network with a wide range of contacts at senior levels in Government and the private sector. They will be credible when talking to business and adept at picking up effective ways of working within UK Government. This will include working through the various teams at the High Commission, including the High Commissioner and his Deputy, as well as the Trade Envoy and UK Ministers. Integrating with the DIT Africa region is a must: we are a regionalised and networked organisation, delivering to an ambitious Africa Trade Plan as well as through the High Commission and this needs to be carefully balanced.
They will be responsible for delivering to a challenging set of objectives reflecting support to successful UK commercial outcomes in the sectors of responsibility, as well as for guiding a dynamic and diverse virtual team aiming to achieve commercial goals in renewables in the region.
The team also contributes to Her Majesty’s Government’s work on the Prosperity agenda; as part of ‘One Government,’ we need to work very closely with our Foreign Office and Development colleagues to balance various UK interests in this area, and take full advantage of the opportunities of a cross-Government approach. As the senior trade promotion lead at DIT Kenya, this will be a particularly important part of the role.
The Prosperity/Economic Development part of the High Commission is likely to receive a significant personnel boost in the coming year, building on recent changes such as the addition of a Trade Policy capability. As a result of these changes, this could mean future changes to the job specification.
The Department for International Trade:
The Department for International Trade (formerly referred to as UK Trade & Investment, or UKTI) is the British Government Department responsible for promoting British trade across the world and ensuring the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us.
We are responsible for
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
DIT Renewables campaign sector budget
2x B3 staff
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
Required competencies
Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace
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