Head of Trade (Commercial Campaigns) in London

Contract type/Duration: 12 month fixed term contract

Working hours: Full time

Band: 4.1

Salary: £71,075 to £79,386

Reports to: Director of International Trade

Location: London (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)

Closing date: 10am on the 3rd of June 2026

The Role: International trade plays a critical role in driving UK economic growth by boosting exports, increasing productivity and driving much needed investment into the UK’s cities and regions. Connected Places Catapult’s engagement with international markets focuses on accessing, opening and expanding trade opportunities for UK businesses.

Through a suite of replicable and scalable programmes we:

• Prioritise initiatives that support UK businesses with a competitive advantage or create a pipeline for them;
• Foster global knowledge-exchange and mutual capacity building;
• Help to attract inward investment to strengthen local and regional economies through Industrial Strategy Zones (freeports and investment zones).

Reporting to the director for international and trade, the postholder will have two main priorities:

• You will bring the full weight of your extensive international trade experience to lead the development and implementation of new export campaigns and international opportunities that unlock business growth for the UK's world-leading innovators and scale-ups in transport, construction and data infrastructure, as well as directing foreign direct investment towards the UK's industrial strategy zones.
• Use your exceptional interpersonal relationship skills, cultural competence from working internationally and deep commercial acumen to build relationships that unlock new funding streams for export accelerators, commercial consultancy and bilateral/multilateral programmes.

Within Connected Places Catapult, the small but impact-driven International and Trade Directorate is the home of expertise in exports, foreign direct investment and international partnerships. This is a leadership and expert role, and the job holder might be asked to oversee and support the work of colleagues across the business, from delivering masterclasses to providing advisory on cross-cutting business projects and programmes.

This exciting and impact-oriented role will be based in London and will suit anyone looking for a fixed-term role or wanting to apply their international trade skills to a new context. This role involves international travel, attending some evening events with or on rotation with other members of the team, and engagement with stakeholders in different time zones.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deeply understanding of the needs of relevant partners with respect to bridging the gap between innovation and the market.
• Shape, lead and deliver value through guiding innovative delivery projects/strategy and engagements.
• Lead stakeholder management and relationship building at senior levels to ensure buy-in.
• Develop and produce recognised thought leadership.
• Assure the quality of client delivery.
• Oversee programme budgets.
• Act as Senior Responsible Officer on delivery programmes and projects.
• Support the development of others in your professional community's skills to ensure consistency of service delivery and expertise.
• Coach and mentor junior colleagues.
• Ensure dissemination and feedback on Connected Places Catapult standard internal communications.
• Drive high attendance at professional community activities and events.
• Maintain own professional development.
• Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.

Working closely with colleagues across the business, you will:

• Support the team to meet revenue targets.
• Lead the development of collateral to support ‘go to market’ propositions and service offerings.
• Work with account leads and teams to support opportunity identification, qualification and contracting.
• Oversee and ensure compliant use of CRM process and system.
• Ownership of pipeline management for accounts and business development.
• Manage contracting with Legal and Commercial team.

You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:

• Actively build an inclusive and sustainability focused team culture that celebrates the value of diverse experiences and perspectives, ensures team compliance with policies, and apply equalities impact assessments on all aspects of work at Connected Places Catapult.
• Exposure to public and private sector procurement processes.
• Working with up to C-level executives across both public and private sector, in the UK and internationally.
• Established networks within internationally-focused UK organisations, UK interests internationally, and international organisations.
• Provide coaching and feedback that drives development, innovation, creativity, and delivery in team using key metrics and data points, offers challenge and support as required to maintain high performance.
• Use emotional intelligence to create an environment where team members feel safe to experiment, challenge and try new things.
• Seek, encourage and create the conditions for continuous improvements in processes, systems, behaviours and ways of working.
• Build motivation and engagement in the team through understanding of the person, their aspirations and development needs.
• Manage personal performance through effective goal setting based on business and role objectives and development needs or desires.
• Complete regular one on one discussions and performance reviews that ensure clarity over performance levels and development areas.
• Provide clarity of expectations and take ownership of wider team performance.
• Organise the work around multiple simultaneous initiatives, with reference to key policies, practices and procedures, effectively prioritises tasks and delegates effectively.
• Use management information to understand trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities and make commercial decisions.

Benefits:

• 9 day fortnight for everyone, every other Friday.
• 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
• Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
• Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
• Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
• Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
• Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
• Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.
• Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion.

Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.