View Vacancy – AUS (Sydney) – Trade and Investment Officer, Creative and Consumer, EO

Main purpose of job:

To work on behalf of the UK Government to grow UK trade and investment with Australia & New Zealand. The job holder will be responsible for supporting UK headquartered companies in the Creative industries, retail and consumer goods sectors to enter the Australian & New Zealand markets. 

In addition to this, you will have the opportunity to collaborate across our networks on a range of trade and investment campaigns, soft power initiatives, trade missions and VIP visits. You will work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds whose professional experience is the foundation of our shared capability. We deliver as one team.

The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) 

DBT is the part of UK Government with primary responsibility to promote UK trade and investment globally. We are an international department based in over 100 countries worldwide.

Our mission is to help businesses export, drive inward and outward investment, negotiate market access and trade deals, and to champion free trade. The work we do has a real impact on jobs and growth across both the United Kingdom and Australia & New Zealand.

The DBT team works as a core part of HM Government’s overseas engagement, activity and diplomacy. We work closely with the UK High Commissioners and Consul Generals in Australia & New Zealand as well as collaborating on a wide range public of VIP visits. 

Our network and team

This is an exciting time to join the UK Department for Business & Trade (DBT). AUKUS and our Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Australia & New Zealand (entered into force in May 2023) have presented a unique opportunity to build broader and deeper economic ties with Australia & New Zealand. 

The successful candidate will join a team of over 40 trade and investment officers, working across five diplomatic missions in Australia and two in New Zealand as part of DBT’s wider Asia Pacific region of over 200 people in 22 locations. 

The DBT Australia Network are inclusive and equal-opportunity employers. We actively encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Our culture of inclusion is underpinned by our excellent staff networks which cover disability, faith and belief, gender equality, social mobility, age, race, LGBTQ+, and how to be an ally.

We are committed to building a supportive workplace that offers continuous learning and development opportunities for all our team. We utilise flexible and remote working and have a zero-tolerance policy towards bulling, harassment and discrimination.

We recruit people with a wide variety of experience and skills that are relevant and transferable. Government experience is not essential. If you have good motivation and core competences, we can help you develop the network and expertise needed to thrive in our team. 

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

The role will primarily focus on supporting UK headquartered companies in the creative, retail and consumer sector to enter the Australia & New Zealand markets. Examples of the typical activities for the role include:

• Feed into the Technology, Lifesciences and Consumer team business plan
• Organise and support trade missions and other key visits to Australia and New Zealand
• Undertake key account management and provide the appropriate levels of support
• Carry out market analysis to identify opportunities / events / stakeholders / sector information that offer value to UK headquartered companies
• Write briefing documents for High Commissioners and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioners
• Facilitate B2B matching
• Organise and support governmental delegations
• Attend, and sometimes present at, external events
• Build relationships at industry forums
• Handle commercial in confidence data in an appropriate way
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Support broader activities where appropriate

The job holder will be a part of the Technology, Lifesciences and Consumer cluster but will work in a flexible and agile way as part of the wider DBT, the UK Government network in Australia & New Zealand, and the British Consulate General in Sydney. There will also be a need to work in close collaboration with the DBT team across the APAC network to deliver DBT priorities.

The role requires strong communicator with good interpersonal skills to enable them to develop trust and business relationships across government and industry. We are also looking for someone with a strong sense of collaboration. Previous investment or trade experience is preferable, but not essential on arrival.

The role is similar in content and seniority to others in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and wider UK Government operation in Australia. People applying for this position may be considered for other vacancies in the Network.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

The job holder will have access to a small budget for business activity and travel and will work with marketing colleagues on managing relevant activities.

• Self Starter – must be able to work with internal and outside business stakeholders at a high level of intensity on own initiative using judgement, strong problem solving skills, and displaying resilience.
• Excellent interpersonal skills – ability to work closely with team leaders and help senior management drive accountability, deal with any difficult situations with tact and diplomacy and a high degree of confidentiality when required to achieve desired outcomes.
• Must demonstrate confidence in dealing with business, including senior figures, Ministers and VIPs and their offices when needed.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines and delivery imperatives.
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Capacity to do some research and analysis to support customers and generating new business opportunities

Language requirements: 

Language: English

Level of language required: Fluent