Infrastructure Trade Adviser at Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Background & Purpose of the Job

The UK government has committed to radically expand its presence in Africa. This will be the most significant and long-term increase in HMG staff across the African continent in a generation. This role offers applicants the opportunity to help shape this new, long-term UK partnership for prosperity and stability with Africa.

You will join the Department for International Trade’s Africa network, providing crucial leadership and expertise as part of our expansion. You will be networked closely with colleagues from across HMG working on prosperity issues as DIT can only successfully deliver our commercial ambitions by working seamlessly as part of joint and coordinated prosperity teams alongside the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). This is an exciting time to join DIT Africa, as we expand our resources and ambition to deliver the objectives contained within the DIT Africa Regional Trade Plan.

The Government of Ghana has ambitious plans for infrastructure development and the UK is a strong and reliable partner on infrastructure development. There is an opportunity to strengthen the UK-Ghana partnership on infrastructure further, using the UK-Ghana Business Council as a vehicle. This role will seek to maximise on the capacity of the UK private sector to contribute to Ghana’s ambitious infrastructure development plans, leading the development and execution of a strategy that harnesses UK capabilities and products to meet demand in Ghana. The impact of COVID-19 will present both challenges and opportunities for the UK’s trade presence in Ghana, and the post holder will need to have a strong focus on how the UK infrastructure offer can support Ghana’s post COVID-19 recovery.

What will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

We are looking for someone with credible private sector experience, ideally in the infrastructure sector, with the gravitas to form and manage relationships with senior people in both the private sector and government departments. This role will require an organised, strategic thinker, with an ability to take initiative and spot opportunities, working collaboratively with others to execute these opportunities as deals. The post holder will need to develop and execute a comprehensive plan that will position the UK as a partner of choice for infrastructure in Ghana. This will be particularly important in supporting a strong UK-Ghana approach to a green post COVID-19 recovery. With a broad remit, the post holder will be required to shape this role to bring maximum impact for both the UK infrastructure sector and the UK’s relationship with Ghana more broadly.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic direction for DIT infrastructure activity in Ghana, identifying and regularly reviewing priorities for trade, and investment, ensuring that these are fully aligned to the UK-Ghana Business Council priorities, the Africa Regional Trade Plan and Ghana’s approach to COVID-19 economic recovery;
• Build and maintain a network of contacts in the Government of Ghana and UK private sector to support pipeline development;
• Identify and delivering a pipeline of export business opportunities in Ghana for UK companies in the infrastructure sector, in consultation with business and based on an understanding of UK business interests and capability;
• Market the UK’s capability in infrastructure to key stakeholders in the Ghanaian public and private sectors, to help land multi-million pound deals;
• Work closely with the DIT Investment Advisor and UK Export Finance to ensure that UK companies have the financial support they require to export to Ghana;
• Lead both outward and inward trade missions to support UK trade and investment opportunities;
• Providing input into briefings for ministers and senior officials as required.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• No direct reports.
• Some budget responsibility may be delegated on a project basis.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Have worked within Ghana’s private sector in business development for major local or international companies, for a minimum of 4 years;
• Strong oral and written English communication skills;
• Relevant work experience, a track record of delivery through collaboration and partnering in complex environments;
• Campaign or project management experience, strong eye for business in identifying potential business partners; capacity to identify gaps and barriers for market creation opportunities in the assigned country;
• Ability to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines;
• Resourcefulness in solving problems;
• Good interpersonal skills and comfortable dealing with senior officials and business  people;
• Flexible, adaptable and resilient;
• Strong organisational skills and keen attention to detail.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• 2+ years of relevant experience in the infrastructure sector;
• Experience of working on multi-year campaigns on business development.

Required competencies

Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Achieving Commercial Outcomes, Managing a Quality Service