Who are we? 

The British Embassy in Berne is part of a worldwide network representing British political, economic, and consular interests overseas. Together with the Department for Business and Trade in Europe we are looking for a Country Director to lead the DBT team in Switzerland (& Liechtenstein). 

Under the leadership of His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe, DBT in Europe promotes British trade and investment worldwide, helps build an appetite for British goods and services globally, and works to promote and support foreign investment in the UK. DBT also brings together policy, promotion, and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment and to help businesses to succeed, as well as championing a free and fair international trading system with global rules.

Main purpose of job:

The UK/Swiss relationship is a priority for both countries and this is a vital, senior leadership role in the British Embassy. The work attracts strong interest from UK senior officials, Trade Representatives and Government Ministers, who will visit from time to time to advance the agenda. It is an ideal role to develop and deploy skills in working internationally and delivering real world results with impact.

The successful candidate will report directly to His Majesty’s Ambassador to Switzerland and lead a team of ten DBT trade and investment professionals based in Berne (with one in Geneva). The Country Director will be responsible for ensuring that all DBT trade and investment ambitions are met. This involves managing the delivery of trade and investment services to UK companies that wish to access opportunities in Switzerland or increase their market penetration, supporting Swiss companies considering investing in Britain, and monitoring market developments and tackling market access issues.

The DBT Switzerland team also play an important role in supporting the ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations between the UK and Switzerland, strategically advising, where appropriate, the UK negotiating team and ensuring provision by the wider team of expert and informed advice on a range of relevant policy areas.

The Country Director will enjoy significant autonomy to set the direction and priorities of the DBT Switzerland team, tailoring the broader DBT Europe Regional Trade Plan and its objectives to the specifics of the Swiss market. They will be part of the wider DBT Europe Country Director cadre, regularly engaging with HM Trade Commissioner for Europe, the Regional Director for Europe West and DBT Europe’s COO. 

The Country Director will also form part of the Senior Leadership Team within the British Embassy in Switzerland, and be expected to play an active role in the wider corporate leadership to enable the delivery of UK Government policies and services in Switzerland. They will work with Economics and Science & Innovation and Climate and Energy colleagues on the UK Switzerland Prosperity Strategy.

This is a challenging, varied and high-profile role and presents an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and commercially driven professional with excellent management and, especially, leadership skills with relevant business experience.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and strategic vision

• Lead the design and implementation of the Switzerland Country Trade Plan, which is an integral part of the broader DBT-Europe Regional Trade Plan, and the commercial elements of the Embassy-wide Switzerland Country Business Plan;
• Provide clear strategic direction to DBT Switzerland, motivating, supporting and coaching a diverse set of team members to ensure delivery across the pillars of the Switzerland Country Trade Plan, managing the structures and resourcing to underpin this;
• Act as a role model for other DBT Europe Country Directors, contributing proactively and constructively to regional initiatives and agenda-setting, taking the role of being a critical friend to Europe’s senior leadership where appropriate.

 
2. Promote and increase UK-Switzerland trade and investment, and shape the international trading system in the UK’s interest

• Enhance market access for UK companies in Switzerland (practical assistance for UK exporters to navigate trade rules; prioritise plans and progress for resolving individual market access barriers);
• Identify and deliver opportunities for British exports to Switzerland and support UK firms to export through marketing promotion activities, proactive account management, enhanced sectoral focus, UKEF available tools, and the Export Support Service and with Switzerland’s high tech and innovation sectors;
• Attract and retain inward investment to the UK from Switzerland (increase share of high-value projects, low carbon, capital investment, R&D and levelling-up, and active strategic relationship management (SRM) of critical accounts);
• Support and advance the current Free Trade Agreement negotiations between the UK and Switzerland, strategically advising where needed the UK negotiating team and providing expert and informed advice on a range of relevant policy areas;
• Champion free and fair-trading systems with Switzerland (building constructive relations with Swiss government trade policy teams; providing insightful intelligence on trading systems issues; advocating UK positions convincingly) and defend UK’s interests and economic security;
• Provide analysis and insight into the Swiss economy and commercial opportunities to HMG customers.

3. Cultivate relationships with key external stakeholders

• Develop a broad and deep range of influential and high-level contacts among Swiss and UK companies as well as delivery partners, government and wider stakeholders, with credibility at Board level;
• Act as a key outward facing representative of the Embassy, DBT Switzerland and the UK Government with strategic business partners in both Switzerland and the UK, including at high-profile events and other external engagements;
• Promote the UK as one of Switzerland’s top commercial partners, including through supporting the Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Switzerland.

4. Corporate leadership role and wider HM Government collaboration

• Establish trusted relationships with DBT HQ in London, DBT Europe, including the HM Trade Commissioner, and with colleagues at the British Embassy in Berne;
• Lead timely and pertinent analysis, and provide advice and support to DBT and wider HMG Ministers and officials on UK-Switzerland trade issues, ministerial visits, and performance;
• Engage proactively with relevant teams within the British Embassy in Berne and DBT to identify  shared objectives and work collaboratively to achieve them;
• Play a senior leadership role within the British Embassy Berne, including as a member of the Board of Management and Senior Leadership Team, promoting a supportive, collaborative “one team” culture.

Lead on discrete projects or horizontal objectives across DBT Switzerland and DBT Europe, as required.

Our Ideal Candidate shows: 

• Full professional proficiency in English and preferably also German, including excellent written skills* (C2 Level);
• At least 5 years of leadership experience in business/commercial environment;
• Excellent interpersonal, team working, and people management skills with a demonstrable leadership track record. The successful candidate will be a credible senior leader capable of setting the direction for and developing a sizeable team of experienced colleagues;
• Strategic relationship management experience, building and implementing stakeholder engagement strategies to achieve objectives; able to show a solid track record of achieving impact with senior level decision makers (‘C-level’ executives);
• Policy skills and the ability to quickly develop a robust strategic grip on the free trade negotiations and oversee market access work. The successful candidate will be proactive and capable of absorbing a wide range of information from different sources and using that to inform and shape their thinking;
• Demonstrated project management skills. The successful candidate will be highly organised, flexible, and able to work at pace; and have a proven record in the ability to juggle multiple priorities and to take de-prioritisation decisions to retain focus on the highest impact;
• Able to demonstrate commercial judgement, with relevant experience in commerce/business development, government or trade and investment promotion.