For the purposes of this Job Description, Consumer includes all types of non-food retail including but not limited to luxury, fashion, footwear, accessories, home, furniture, electronics, cosmetics and FMCG, both online (e-tailing) and offline (bricks and mortar) and technologies used to support leading advancements in retail and the consumer industries. In addition it covers hotels and retail channels to market such as online platforms, shopping centres and department stores. It excludes food & drink.

This is an exciting and demanding leadership role for a talented and commercially driven individual with a passion for retail and e commerce to join DIT China as Deputy Head of the Retail and Consumer Sector team and be part of a high-powered team at the forefront of the British Government’s growth agenda. You will play a key role in delivering the retail and consumer strategy elements of the DIT China Regional Trade Plan, of which the over-arching ambitions are:

Objective 1 - Driving and inspiring UK exports to China, significantly increasing the UK market share of China's goods imports, and more than double the value of UK services exports.

Objective 2 – Strengthened trade policy engagement with China to achieve incremental market access, mitigate business risk and prepare for future trade deals

Objective 3 - Broadening and deepening the UK-China investment partnership, positioning the UK as the top European destination for Chinese investment and providing strong support for UK investors.

Detail

The Department for International Trade (DIT), operating in 108 countries, is helping to secure a deal for the UK as it negotiates a successful exit from the EU. Establishing new relationships around the globe, DIT promotes British trade to ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us, securing and improving economic well-being, stability, and helping to create tens of thousands of jobs.

DIT has one of the largest representations of the 18 government departments working in China, which are coordinated and led by Her Majesty’s Ambassador who is responsible for the UK’s relationship with China. Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) is responsible for Trade and Investment work in China and the Hong Kong SAR, one of nine global regions and the largest DIT overseas network in the world. With c180 staff across six posts - Beijing, plus Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Wuhan – DIT, as part of the UK government network in China led by the Ambassador offers a fast-paced place to work at the heart of UK: China and Hong Kong SAR Government relations.

As Deputy Head you will be reporting to the Head of Consumer based in Shanghai, and helping to provide vision, direction and oversight of the Consumer Team. You will support in identifying and targeting new and emerging opportunities from the consumer sector for British companies with a mixed portfolio of trade, inward investment and trade policy projects from inception to completion, and helping to manage a small team. You will qualify and develop new projects, develop client relationships and engage private and public sector stakeholders, in the process ensuring clients’ needs are effectively met and deputising for the Head of Consumer as required.

You will work closely with DiT HQ and other partners to develop a sustainable pipeline of trade and inward investment project and, through business development and relationship management, contribute to trade and investment objectives in line with the sector vision.

You will support the development and execution of creative and innovative marketing campaigns to catalyse trade & investment across the sector, under the supervision of the Head of Consumer. In addition you will support the Head of Consumer in forward planning and securing resources for the sector and play a lead role in representing sector interests in the UK and China.

The core foci of your role will be to deliver high value business wins for UK businesses exporting and doing business in China, high quality investment from Chinese enterprises into the UK, and also strengthening trade policy to reduce sector market barriers to entry:

• Drive delivery of trade, investment and market access campaigns, project plans, drawing on knowledge and analysis of consumer trends and developments in China and UK markets, companies, financial and policy environments
• Maintain a robust China pipeline of active projects and leads and have a detailed overview of key industry targets
• Help to co-ordinate the activities of small teams spread across 4 locations (Embassy in Beijing plus 3 Consulate-Generals across China (Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing) with close liaison to the separately managed Retail team at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong
• Build strong relationships with key government and industry bodies and business clients both UK and Chinese to build an ecosystem of useful intermediaries that can help us achieve our objectives
• Identify and link new Chinese opportunities and investment interest with UK capability and strategic needs
• Promote UK excellence in the consumer industries
• Provide ongoing aftercare support to existing UK exporters/investors in China and existing Chinese investors in the UK looking at opportunities to grow their business
• Undertake and co-ordinate market research to understand the key market trends and key customers in the consumer industries
• Work in collaboration with the Retail, Food and Drink team and associated sector specialists at DIT HQ in London. In particular a key focus will be supporting DIT’s e-Exporting programme which aims through relationships with key e-market places around the world including in China to help UK businesses to boost their international trade
• Work in collaboration with HMG partner networks and business associates, including to overcome business barriers and market access issues
• Work with CBBC helping them to achieve their targets for business support services and export opportunity responses.

Roles and responsibilities:

Delivering strategic trade and investment campaigns (50%)

• Contribute to ambitious and creative design and delivery of trade & investment campaigns and project plans to deliver a step change in outcomes drawing on knowledge and analysis of consumer trends and developments in China and UK markets, companies, financial and policy environments
• Make a significant contribution to the development of a robust China pipeline of active projects and leads and have a detailed overview of key industry players
• Contribute innovatively to lead generation activity (including research and analysis into “most wanted lists”, events, visits, marketing (including use of GREAT campaigns), engagement with partners etc) to ensure that it supports the development of a high quality pipeline
• Effectively manage team members and deploy them to support delivery against agreed campaign plans

Effective Relationship Management (30%)

• Through your existing contacts you will deliver new/better access to decision makers. You will support teams in identifying and building relationships with key players in China and the UK, including companies, intermediaries, trade associations and government departments to understand their business intentions and needs, in order to identify high value opportunities for trade and investment.
• Facilitate team relationships with UK companies in China to support their business development in China through enhanced collaboration between UK companies and Chinese industry and government.
• Mentor teams in developing relationships with significant Chinese entrepreneurs and companies to support their business growth in the UK, with the aim of generating and growing high-value investment.
• Coordinate virtual sector teams across the broad DIT network, including colleagues in the UK, to develop and implement sector plans, and access new resources
• Motivate and facilitate the sector teams in maintaining a robust China pipeline of projects including through lead generation activities and account management.

Market Research (10%)

• Undertake complex market research, process and present relevant market intelligence Identify and research opportunities to build relationships with key companies and retail channels in China and the UK, including intermediaries, trade associations and Government departments in order to understand their business intentions and needs, as well as the general business environment.

High Impact VIP visit and events (10%)

• Play a leading role in planning, managing and following up on high level visits and event that contribute to sector targets and address business environment and market access issues.
• Act as a lead for the development of important visit programmes (by Chinese companies to the UK and UK companies to China) that contribute to your sector targets; working with CBBC and other networks where appropriate.

• Excellent written and spoken English and good written and spoken Chinese
• Education: Graduate degree or equivalent professional experience/qualification
• Specific role experience: A well developed background of working within or closely related to the consumer/retail/e-commerce industries in the UK and/or China is essential.
• IT: knowledge of internet research, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint is necessary

The successful candidate will have excellent retail knowledge and a good network of contacts with leading industry players within the consumer industries gained from a career in either online or offline retail or similar. They will have a strong business development/sales and marketing background preferably gained in an international B2B environment. Experience of the Chinese and/or UK retail/consumer markets is required and experience of international retail trends and key players would also be a distinct advantage.

The successful candidate will be a passionate, self-motivated, tenacious individual with strong commercial acumen. They will need to thrive in a fast moving, challenging and exciting environment with a focus on delivering demanding commercial outcomes. They will have excellent networking skills, be experienced in relationship managing key clients, able to manage multiple projects remotely and have first rate written/verbal presentation and communication skills. They will need to have an engaging, flexible and confident personality and be able to problem solve creatively and with flair.

• Knowledge of CRM would be an advantage

We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary, good leave entitlement, and insurance plan, etc. The gross starting salary (before all deductions) for this position is RMB 27, 596/ month for Mainland China Nationals and an abated monthly salary of RMB 35, 959/ month for British Nationals and spouses/ partners (all nationalities) of diplomats who are ‘W’ (diplomatic) visa holders and meet passport criteria.

We also offer excellent development opportunities and a 22-day annual leave entitlement in pro rata. Conditioned working hours is 35 hours/ week from Monday to Friday and flexible working can be arranged upon personal needs. For more details on our Total Rewards Package, please visit our website http://www.gov.uk/government/world/china.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Beijing is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Chinese employment law.

Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 (CST) on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

Indicated start date is provisional and subject to successful completion of reference and security checks.

To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

Kindly check your application centre or email regularly for any update on the status of your application.