
British High Commission
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Department for Business and Trade roles (DBT)
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Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
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Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience segment and the behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.
Main purpose of job:
Remember the huge aircraft order from Air India in 2023 with British input at Airbus and Rolls Royce being a key part of that order? Want to be part of negotiations between the British and Indian Governments on increasing the number of flights between our nations? Do you know about Wings Air show and Aero-India Air show and want a front row seat in meetings with major Aerospace companies whilst aircraft display overhead? Then read on… as this may be the role for you…
The Head of Aerospace at the British High Commission in India is an exciting role. You will be working for the British Government, supporting UK industry in the global aerospace economy, valued at more than $700 billion on the civil side and growing year on year. The UK is the second largest aerospace cluster in the world and the largest in Europe – making it a perfect partner for India as it continues on it’s huge growth trajectory. India is a thriving economy, with significant aspirations for being a major civil aerospace player. Both the UK and India have a long history of collaboration in this field, and growth in India presents sizeable business opportunities to British aerospace companies.
You will be a senior member of staff in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) South Asia team, working alongside a sector lead to identify opportunities for UK business and identify wider collaboration opportunities for the UK in the aerospace industry. As the Head of the DBT Aerospace sector team, your overall objective will be to lead the team to deliver against business targets and increase sales and the UK’s footprint in India. This will include identifying export opportunities for UK companies in the three key sub-sectors: sales, supply chain, and MRO and training across India. You will work across teams to identify market access issues for UK companies doing business with India and working with colleagues and the Government of India to solve them.
The aerospace team has individual team members located in the two main hubs: Bangalore and New Delhi. You will be expected to travel to other clusters across India, in major metros and developing tier 2 and 3 cities, whilst also leading and supporting the team on a day to day basis. You will bring with you, or demonstrate how you would quickly acquire, an in-depth knowledge of the aerospace sector, in both the UK and India. You will build a strategy based on this knowledge to turn the long-term potential and direction of travel of the sector into a pipeline of opportunities for UK business. To do so, you will identify and build relationships within the sector and identify a pipeline of validated projects of interest to UK business, particularly large or high-value deals which would require UK government support or involvement to secure. You will then work with DBT’s Headquarters team in the UK and in other markets to bring UK companies to India and support them to win business, delivering towards the UK government’s commercial targets.
Your role is high profile and with great responsibility. You will be the voice of the UK government and industry in the sector, and wider; you will be expected to gain access to the most senior levels within Indian industry and government as necessary, making best use of the DBT South Asia Senior Leadership Team and British Deputy High Commissioners throughout India. You will be a self-starter who can demonstrate a long-term focus; plan and manage a delivery model; and identify, grow and make effective use of stakeholders. You will work with colleagues within DBT in India and elsewhere, with other UK government colleagues, Indian State and Federal government(s), business and other multipliers (trade associations, etc.).
As the role includes line management of someone who looks at the space sector, the successful candidate will need to show at interview and in their application, they have a good knowledge of this sector too and it’s cross overs, linkages and growth areas for UK business. You will be expected to stand in at space meetings and events with confidence and know the subject area and its opportunities and challenges.
Note: The role is open for either of the location: Bangalore/Hyderabad/Mumbai/New Delhi
We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.
Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:
The job is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact on the UK’s commercial links with India. We will give you the freedom and responsibility to develop within the sector and build your networks, but we will support you too with opportunities to get the right learning and development, career development and opportunities to travel across India, to the UK and the wider South Asia region. You will need to be collaborative and flexible to fit in with the network’s ethos; and, importantly, focussed on delivering results and contributing to the wider corporate efforts especially around our busy Ministerial/VIP visit programmes.
To be successful:
- You will have an in depth understanding of the civil aerospace sector, both in India and the UK, and a strong network on the ground, and use your good analytical skills to apply this to identifying significant market opportunities for UK business and then supporting them to turn these into contracts.
- You will need to be strategically aware to identify emerging opportunities in your sector, and to what is happening in the UK in your sectors and to emerging investment opportunities.
- You will have strong interpersonal skills and be a credible team leader capable of setting the direction for yourself and those around you and of gaining their trust and respect – and doing so while working within a virtual team located across India.
- You will have experience of developing productive relationships with senior decision makers in UK and Indian businesses and with stakeholders and partners, and of using these to deliver your objectives.
- You will need to be collaborative and flexible and able to manage yourself and the demands on you.
- You will have good project management skills to create and deliver campaigns; and excellent English written and verbal communication skills. You will be expected to produce written work in to a high standard.
- Create, validate, plan and deliver a strategy for the aerospace sector across India. Identify, validate and deliver a pipeline of high value projects and opportunities; plan and deliver activities to connect UK business to these opportunities and provide bespoke support to UK companies to win business. In doing so, meet DBT’s internal targets (for pipeline, export wins, return on investment and customer satisfaction/quality).
- Create and innovate models to engage with stakeholders, raise the profile of the sector through activities & events planned and managed by DBT and others, including GREAT UK.
- Provide strategic and policy advice to senior colleagues and Government officials and identify opportunities to engage with Ministers in both Governments to overcome trade barriers and market access issues.
- Contributing to wider corporate UK government objectives, including leading on Ministerial/VIP visits and deliverables across HMG in India.
- This job is a senior position, reflecting a decision by DBT to create greater capacity within the team, enabling greater strategic direction and focus on individual sectors where significant opportunities exist for the UK.
- As above, the successful candidate also needs to have a good solid understanding of the UK space sector due to line management responsibilities. You will be expected to stand in at Space meetings with confidence and know the subject area and its opportunities and issues.
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
1 X HEO grade country based staff
The DBT team is a high-performing, hybrid team of supportive colleagues made up of UK-based and country based staff, totalling around 100 people, spread across nine cities in India.
Language requirements:
Language: English, with basic Hindi desirable. Local Indian languages will also be useful for this role
Level of language required: Excellent level of spoken and written English. All meetings and documents are conducted in English.
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
Extensive training on British High Commission ways of working and understanding the UK in India footprint will be undertaken in the first six-months. Please expect to travel widely during this period to other offices across India, to trade events and to meetings with your line manager and wider team. Previous members of the team have found this deep dive into the role and the UK in India work exciting and a great way to get stuck in and learn.
The British High Commission also has an extensive learning and development offer to all trade staff. There is an allowance each year for staff to undertake their own personal L&D, linked to their current roles.
Finally, there are also very exciting opportunities to travel to UK and/or South Asian region for training & work-related opportunities.
Working patterns:
Full time employment Monday to Friday. The British High Commission in India works 4 days per week in an office or in external meetings. One day per week can be remote working / flexible around your needs.
You will be required to support activities and events outside of normal working hours (such as High Commission evening events or receptions) and to travel frequently. Time for this is compensated by time off in lieu (TOIL).
Most Trade staff find the out of hours work the most exciting part of the job. As an example, one week you may spend an evening with at a Reception in Mumbai, followed by networking and advancing your teams goals and priorities at the High Commissioners Residence in Delhi with Indian politicians and leading members of Indian global industries.
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Essential on arrival:
- Good education to degree level or comparable work experience (desirable to have both) Candidates without the required educational qualifications but with exceptional practical experience will be considered.
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant commercial/business experience
- An in-depth understanding of the aerospace sector and a strong network in the sector are essential to hit the ground running.
- Strong analytical, research and problem-solving skills to search out significant opportunities for UK business.
- Excellent networking and communication skills. This role is easier when the incumbent is able to demonstrate this up to very senior levels (Director, Politician, Diplomat etc)
- Excellent interpersonal, team working and people management skills. The successful candidate must be able to work across and within teams across all of India. Experience of dealing with senior level decision makers in Indian national and state government. You will need to show a solid track record of dealing with senior level decision makers in the business world. Strategy and policy development experience – public and or private sector focused.
- As above, the successful candidate also needs to have a good solid understanding of the UK space sector due to line management responsibilities. You will be expected to stand in at Space meetings with confidence and know the subject area and its opportunities and issues.
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Desirable:
- Experience of working in the UK; knowledge of the business environment and of UK business related policies.
- Experience leading a team remotely.
- Marketing and presentational skills.
- Experience of working in trade/export promotion.
- Experience of working in downstream applications/for major aerospace primes in India/UK will be an added advantage.
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Changing and Improving, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together
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26 May 2024
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Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
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Full-time, Permanent
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40
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South Asia & Afghanistan
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India
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Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi
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British High Commission
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INR
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INR 173,515 month plus 12% Provident Fund and 6% Superannuation.
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1 July 2024
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For British High Commission candidates, the Country Based Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.
For other than BHC Candidates, salary will be all-inclusive of INR 173,515 month plus 12% Provident Fund and 6% Superannuation.
Additionally, the BHC offers a great benefits package that includes annual domiciliary medical cover, plus a Group Hospitalisation Scheme with INR 500,000 floater cover for your immediate family which includes self, spouse/partner and children up to an age of 23 years and irrespective of age, only if with, physical or mental disability.
No relocation or any other related costs or assistance will be provided.
Please note – BHC does not deduct tax at source and employees are required to ensure that any requirements of local income-tax law are complied with in full. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, e.g., some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance.
Around half of our work forces are women. We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment.
This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCDO has anywhere across the globe. We are aiming to make it the best.
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Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience segment and the behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders will need have, or be able to obtain, a valid special work permit issued from Government of India (GOI) to work in the British High Commission (BHC). BHC will not be able to sponsor work visas or obtain/ assist with the special work permit from GOI. Offers of employment made to OCI card holders will be conditional upon candidates obtaining a special work permit.
Note: For requisite special permission to take up employment in any foreign Diplomatic Missions in India, OCI Cardholder must visit https://ociservices.gov.in
Please note – successful applicants will be offered employment on Country Based Staff (CBS) terms and conditions. This is not a permanent UK Civil Service position and does not attract diplomatic immunities and privileges (other than what an individual may already hold if they are a recognised partner/family member of a serving diplomat).
To Apply:
Please note applications without (a) and (b) will not be considered.
- Complete the Online Application Form
- Complete the Experience, Professional Skills and Behaviour based Segments in the Online Application Form
- Applicants need to answer the questions based on your professional experience. Refrain from use of AI based tools to avoid application from getting rejected/disqualified.
To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate behaviours and technical / professional skills, basis your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides a detailed guidance on how these behaviours are defined for each position.
Applicants are encouraged to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique to prepare specific examples of when and how you have demonstrated these behaviours in your application, by evidencing a structured response, including your skills and experiences. You briefly describe the situation in which you demonstrated the behaviour, and then explain your task in addressing the situation, what action you took and the result of this.
Internal candidates applying for this position need to inform their current line managers, else the applications will not be considered.
We will accept only online applications by 26 May 2024 (latest by 23:55 hours IST).
Please note that all the applicants will be required to strictly adhere to the security guidelines for British High Commission.
Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
Please note – “Provident Fund Transfer in and out from EPFO is not possible as BHC PF is managed by a private PF trust governed by Indian Income Tax Act, 1961. The staff still has the option to transfer out and in from a privately held PF trust which are not governed by EPFO. Any tax deduction on EPF will be in compliance with local income-tax law and must be complied with in full.”
Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and no telephone enquires will be dealt with. Basis the scores, the candidate/s who did not score as highly as the successful candidate, might be placed on the reserve list. If during the reserve period of 6 months, the same or largely similar role becomes available, the role may be offered to the second or subsequent appointable candidates.
The appointment will be subject to Police Verification and other checks including references, medical, educational, and professional.
We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.
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To apply please copy and paste this link: https://fco.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/1/adv/
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