Director of Trade, Washington D.C

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

The UK's Department for Business and Trade is seeking a dynamic Director of Trade based in the British Embassy Washington. This position offers the chance to create lasting partnerships that will define the future of trade relations between the UK and the mid-Atlantic region.

Main purpose of job: The primary purpose of the role is to drive the UK's trade and investment relationship across the Mid-Atlantic Region (DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware). You will develop a strategy to shape and deepen the UK's trade policy priorities in the region, including at State level. You will work closely with senior management at the Embassy, acting as the senior point of contact and advisor to the British Ambassador on regional trade and investment opportunities.

Leadership: You will be an inspiring leader to your local team of 10 and ensure they have the skills and tools needed to understand the UK's offer to US investors and spot opportunities to 'sell' what the UK has to offer. Your team will manage a range of high-profile key accounts of the largest US investors into the UK and you will support them to build strong pipelines of new investment and export projects to deliver in the future.

Stakeholder management: You will bring and develop an extensive network of relationships across policy makers, think tanks, and influencers across all the States in the region. You will be the Embassy's key point of contact for the business community in the region with a strong network across business organisations including chambers of commerce, trade associations and senior business leaders.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Build an understanding of and expertise of state trade policy across all key sectors in the region, negotiating with and influencing State level counterparts on a range of policy areas including MOUs.
• Build and maintain strong networks of relevant contacts for trade policy and promotion.
• Understand and respond to established or emerging state-level market access barriers affecting British firms.
• Develop an influencing strategy to build regional support for key UK-US trade policy priorities.
• Develop a strategy to commercialise agri-tech opportunities across the region.
• Translating trade policy priorities into an effective trade and investment strategy for the region.
• Ensuring the DBT team in your region have the skills and tools to deliver against their trade and investment goals.
• Leading the DBT team in your region to deliver high quality programmes for Ministerial and senior UK Government visits to the region.
• Lead and develop an effective, communicative, inclusive team that values learning and development.
• Contribute to the corporate well-being and success of the broader Consulate team.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience:

• Significant professional experience, gained within a business or economic development role.
• In-depth knowledge of business in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
• Excellent management and leadership skills with the ability to deliver results through others.
• Proven competence in leading strategy development and business planning.
• Excellent stakeholder management abilities.
• Proven advisory and influencing skills at senior levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and networking skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Manage budget and make resource recommendations to senior leadership.

Inclusivity is one of our core values and we strive to treat everyone openly, fairly and equally. All new team members learn about how they can contribute to an inclusive environment and the importance of diversity and inclusion.