View Vacancy – Deputy Director, Financial & Professional Services, USA

Main purpose of job:

Be part of the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) mission to drive more trade and investment between North America and the UK. With a mature, high spending consumer market and an open economy, world-class talent and a business-friendly regulatory environment, the UK is the leading destination for foreign investment in Europe, and the second highest investment destination in the world. The UK is also the world’s seventh largest exporter and the second largest services exporter.   

We employ over 150 people across North America, all united by our vision of a future where we champion open and fair global trading that drives growth, creates better jobs and higher wages, and improves living standards in the UK and around the world.  We seek talented team members with the passion and drive to help us in our mission to build a global appetite for British goods and services; drive investment; negotiate trade deals and open markets; improve international trading standards and fight unfair trading practices.  

Based at the British Consulate in San Francisco, you will work closely with the North America Sector Director to deliver on our key strategic priorities. This includes developing and maintaining relationships with some of the world’s largest fintechs, banks, asset managers, insurers, and business service providers, and collaborating with colleagues in North America and the UK to develop, refine, and execute a national trade and investment strategy. You will oversee the creation and implementation of the financial services trade and investment strategy for the West Coast and Midwest regions of the US, leading a team of Senior Trade & Investment Officers to deliver yearly targets for foreign direct investment and exports.

Additionally, you will exercise your sector knowledge and expertise in support of the Sector Director to provide additional sector leadership capacity within the network and externally, including engaging with key stakeholders in DBT headquarters in London, directly managing strategic accounts, and representing UK trade and investment. This will include periodically deputising for the Sector Director and traveling outside of the candidate’s primary remit, line management of two or more Senior Trade & Investment Officers, and supporting the Sector Director more broadly in the effective leadership and efficient operation of the North America FPBS team. 

Roles and responsibilities:

• With the Sector Director, shape, promote, and deliver the Integrated Sector Plan for Financial, Professional, & Business Services, North America, in consultation with key stakeholders and UK government departments. Plan and lead cross-team projects in the execution thereof. 
• Represent the region in cross-departmental and cross-UK government working groups.
• Create and execute Midwest and West Coast regional strategies for financial services trade and investment, working within the priorities, goals, and targets set by the Sector Director. 
• Keep pace with market trends in the financial services sector, focusing on fintech, banking, asset management, and insurance. Be able to understand and communicate UK government strategy in relevant sectors.
• Target investors aligned with UK government priorities to increase their operations, investment, and exposure to the UK. Successfully build and manage a pipeline of knowledge-driven investment opportunities and projects in key industry verticals.
• Manage a portfolio of key investors on the West Coast, building positive relationships at multiple levels and coordinating with UK-based colleagues.
• Deliver all aspects of high-impact programming, including roundtables, seminars and trade missions. 
• Prepare briefing materials and contribute to Ministerial and VIP visit programmes.
• Use CRM tools to capture investor engagement and manage project progression.
• Provide leadership to direct reports and support the Sector Director in team operations including direct oversight of budget forecasting and compliance, and activity reporting. 
• Link national financial services strategy into the Consulate’s cross-sectoral regional trade policy work. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Resources managed: 

• Line management of two or more Senior Trade & Investment Officers. 
• Manage events and travel budgets.

• Demonstrated professional experience/skills in a multinational business, sales, negotiation or project management role, ideally with a major corporation, fintech, or investment firm.
• Thorough knowledge of the financial services sector, major companies and trends in the US, and preferably in the UK.  
• An excellent network of contacts in the financial services sector in US or the ability to develop such a network, with the credibly to interact at a senior level.
• Excellent stakeholder management abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and networking skills.  
• Excellent leadership experience.
• Excellent collaboration skills with the ability to deliver results.  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask and complete work while traveling. 
• An understanding of international relations and UK Government policy preferred.   
• Must be able to attend events outside of office hours and undertake travel in the US and internationally up to 20% of your time.