Head of Southeast Asia and Head of Australia and New Zealand, Investor Relations

The Department for Business and Trade brings together the business focused functions of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). We unite business expertise and world-class trade negotiators under the same vision of making the UK the best place to start and grow a business – driving growth, increasing jobs, and raising wages and living standards. We deliver through 26 partner organisations covering a diverse spectrum of economic activity, ranging from the British Business Bank to the Pubs Code Adjudicator.

DBT s Investment Directorate aims to deliver economic growth to all nations and regions of the UK through attracting and retaining high value inward investment. Our divisions including Investor Relations, Investment Propositions & Opportunities and Investment Services deliver expert advice and support to international investors, and promote strategically important investment opportunities, enhance the competitiveness of the UK business environment, and lead the implementation and management of DBT s Investment Strategy.

At the Investor Relations team within the Investment Directorate, we want to make the UK the best place in the world for international investors and ensure the most significant investors receive the strongest possible support to realise their UK investment. To be successful in this post, you will need to work with colleagues across Whitehall and a C-suite level with major international investors to help secure investment into HMG s most strategic priorities including net zero, levelling up, science and technology superpower. We actively encourage applicants from the private and third sector with relevant commercial skills. The job holder will need to be able to interact with CEOs to influence them with impact. It is essential this individual has credible expertise.

The job holder will promote the UK as the top investment destination credibly and convincingly to capital investors such as sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, infrastructure asset managers and developers, targeting the largest pools of capital from the Asia Pacific region. The post holder will be the HMG s global account manager for APAC s most strategic and influential investors and as such will play a pivotal role in sharing investor insights, understanding investor decision-making across government to improve the UK s business and investment environment, remove barriers to investment and drive UK prosperity., The roles contribute to the achievement of DBT s strategic inward investment targets through focussed engagement to deliver a pipeline of new and expansion investment by:

• Leading strategic relationships between the UK Government and large institutional investors such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and infrastructure asset managers and developers from the Asia Pacific region with specific focus on either Southeast Asia or Australia and New Zealand;

• Identifying and leading the landing of high impact new investment projects from APAC markets into regions of the UK where the economic benefit is highest;

• Collaboration and leadership across Whitehall, including the Office for Investment, and DBT teams both in the UK and with Posts overseas to move high impact projects forward, especially those in the UK Regions with a focus on the levelling up agenda;

• Representing DBT at external events to engage with businesses leading to potential investment and help HMG gain insights into investor sentiment.

Key metrics for success will be the number and GVA value of investments that the post holder has contributed to, whether by surfacing new opportunities, influencing investor decisions, bringing in other teams to add value to those, and the number and level of senior business relationships proactively managed., This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 30/10/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.

• A Personal Statement of up to 1,000 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

• A Civil Service Numerical Test.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the CV.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the Assistance required section on the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.

• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.

• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.

• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

• Please note the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

• This role may be considered as a secondment opportunity. Please reach out to the hiring manager listed at the bottom of this advert to discuss., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland

• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)

• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

• Prior working knowledge and professional experience with institutional investors, such as sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and asset managers;

• Understanding of the features of different asset classes such as infrastructure, real estate and energy from an investors perspective;

• Ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with senior global institutions and businesses, as well as internal and external stakeholders, to deliver high impact outcomes;

• Ability to travel internationally and attend early starting and late finishing industry events;

• Initiative and discipline to independently cultivate and maintain relationships with senior global institutions, as well as internal and external stakeholders;

• Demonstrable experience of working towards quantitative metrics, setting and justifying priorities for your activities.

Desirable Criteria

• Public speaking experience at major industry events;

• Specific experience and understanding of the regions largest institutional investors from ASEAN markets and/or Australia and New Zealand;

• Strong understanding of global capital markets the dynamics of capital flow, and prior relationships in the industry;

• Knowledge of or experience working in or with APAC markets;

• Proven track record of inclusive leadership and performance management.

Personal Attributes & Skills

You will be able to demonstrate capability across the following areas:

• Able to build and manage effective working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders to deliver against a broad strategy;

• Confidence to present HMG to external stakeholders including senior management teams from global institutions;

• Ability to work as part of a team and on your own;

• Able to work under pressure, often to tight timelines;

• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and external stakeholders;

• Good attention to detail, particularly in analysing and presenting information for internal and external audiences;

• Demonstrating DBT Values (Excellent, Connected, Confident, Collaborative) with a keen interest in understanding company needs., + Communicating and Influencing

• Making Effective Decisions

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Working Together

Technical skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• You will be asked about your knowledge of institutional investors at the interview stage of the application.

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £15,516 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £15,516 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role

• An environment with flexible working options

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment., + Name : Diane.Lin@businessandtrade.gov.uk

• Email : Diane.Lin@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.