Exports Strategy Engagement Lead in London

The Department for Business, Science, Innovation, and Trade (BIST) is responsible for driving sustainable economic growth and connecting investment, trade, innovation and place to create opportunities for people and communities across the whole of the UK. The Department works closely with partners across government, devolved government, industry bodies, and businesses to deliver the UK’s trade and economic priorities.

The Domestic and International Markets and Export (DIME) Group within BIST plays a vital role in advising, supporting, and promoting UK businesses to grow and export, delivering economic growth through our services and policy interventions across the UK and overseas.

The Exports Strategy team, within DIME, works closely with policy, ministerial, and delivery colleagues to translate complex policy into accessible and compelling messaging for a range of audiences, including businesses and trade associations. Through targeted engagement activity, the team builds and maintains relationships with key stakeholders across the UK and internationally, ensuring that BIST’s work is informed by business insight and that stakeholders are equipped to benefit from government support. The team also contributes to cross-government communications, ensuring alignment and coherence in messaging on economic growth and trade.

By combining proactive stakeholder engagement with strategic communications, the team supports the Department in increasing awareness, understanding, and uptake of its services, ultimately contributing to the UK’s economic growth, global competitiveness, and trade ambitions.

• Strategy: Design and implement an engagement strategy for the Exports Directorate.
• Intelligence gathering: Capture and relay key stakeholder sentiment and any potential concerns to the Head of Comms and Engagement, and wider DIME SLT.
• Relationship building: Establish and maintain a wide network of external stakeholders, relationship managing the strategic partners of the Exports Directorate.
• Project Management: Own and lead key projects that are critical for the delivery of effective engagement with Exports Strategy’s stakeholders, working across the Department and cross-Whitehall where appropriate.
• Collaboration: Work collegiately across the Department to ensure external activity of Exports Strategy is aligned with other external facing teams in BIST such as Post, External Affairs, and the Business Engagement Unit.
• Leadership: Motivate colleagues and provide support to enable effective engagement across the Directorate.

Act at all times in line with the Civil Service code, with BIST’s performance and behavioural standards, and putting responsibilities as a UK Civil Servant at the forefront of everyday performance and behaviour. Undertake continuous personal development, including 100% compliance with Minimum standards and mandatory learning, office attendance, and the DBT learning academy to meet role-specific requirements but keep abreast of wider economic, political and other environmental factors. To champion learning, value diversity, respect colleagues, and drive delivery of DBT and HMG objectives at all times. Have full responsibility for driving personal performance conversations and leading team members where applicable.

Participation in wider-BIST corporate activities and be an active and energetic member of the BIST community, both more widely and in the hub location where you are based and have a vested interest in the leadership and success of the organisation and teams more widely as well as your own team. Additional duties may also be required in line with business need, these can include but are not restricted to assisting with local or national events, accompanying customers or Ministers on visits domestically or overseas, and attending events as BIST ambassadors, upholding professional standards and embodying a positive experience of the department internally and externally.

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