Policy Advisor – Free Trade Agreement Utilisation

Position description

This is an exciting time to join the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). DBT is the department for economic growth. We support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating high quality jobs and opportunities across the entire UK. We are an international department and we work closely with our colleagues who are based in 108 countries worldwide. 

DBT will: 

• Redraw our rules to ensure businesses thrive, markets are competitive, and consumers are protected

• Secure investment from UK and international businesses

• Advise, support, and promote British businesses to grow and export

• Open up new markets for businesses by removing barriers and striking trade deals

• Promote free trade, economic security and resilient supply chains

We are seeking a Utilisation Advisor to join the Free Trade Agreement Utilisation (FTAU) team. The FTAU team’s main objective is to help ensure UK exporters are fully equipped to take advantage of new opportunities provided by Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). We do this through a combination of trade policy expertise, deep knowledge of FTA markets, working closely with exporters, and working in partnership with DBT’s wider export support offer.  

FTAU works together as a team to achieve our objectives across several workstreams and FTA markets. Our connections are also key to achieving our objectives and we work with lots of teams in DBT, both across the UK and overseas, as well as other government departments. In addition, we work closely with many external stakeholders such as Business Representative Organisations and directly with exporters, to ensure we are responding to the interests and needs of UK businesses looking to grow internationally.  

FTAU is a friendly and welcoming team with members from a wide variety of professions. As a team and department, we are committed to being an inclusive employer and building a culturally diverse workplace. We actively encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.  

Job description

• The primary focus of this role will be on the Latin American markets that form part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Free Trade Agreement – Chile, Mexico and Peru. This is a very exciting time to be working on CPTPP, as the UK will be joining the trade bloc in December 2024.

• You will be expected to quickly get to grips with the provisions of CPTPP, how those provisions impact businesses in practice, and be able to communicate them to internal and external stakeholders.

• If new FTAs are signed, and the priorities of the team change, you may be expected to work on other FTAs, for example India or the Gulf Co-operation Council.

• The role requires you to build and maintain a large network of contacts across DBT, other government departments and international partners to support the deepening of the UK’s trade relationships.

• You will be expected to form working relationships with our colleagues overseas; as this will be vital to ensure that they are supported to understand the opportunities in market and answer questions from stakeholders when the deal enters into force.

• You will be expected to research the practicalities of FTA Utilisation in Latin America and draft guidance for both colleagues and business, under the supervision of the CPTPP leads.

• In the run-up to and after entry into force of CPTPP, FTAU have a lot of planned engagement with businesses. You will be expected to attend and support these events.

• Another key part of FTAU’s work is ensuring DBT colleagues understand FTA utilisation. You will get the opportunity to work on materials for and present to internal colleagues on CPTPP.

 

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills

• You have experience working in a fast-paced environment, where you must balance competing, and often changing priorities while taking into account the broader context of your work

• You are able to collaborate and build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across DBT, other government departments and external to government

• You have an understanding of trade policy and/or experience of working in international trade roles

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience and/or understanding of UK government export policy, DBT’s export support services and FTAs

• Experience drafting guidance for a range of different stakeholders and audiences

• Experience and/or understanding of issues facing UK exporters

• Experience of working internationally, including some interest or experience of working with the Latin America and Caribbean region

• Spanish language (not essential)

Personal Attributes and Skills

We are looking for a proactive self-starter with a keen eye for detail and the ability to work on a variety of projects at one time. They will also be comfortable regularly engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. 

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on tendersglobal.net