Main Purpose of Job:

This is a new role leading the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Japan team’s work to develop opportunities in the West of Japan. This role will be responsible for DBT’s presence in Western Japan, leading the team to support both Japanese and British companies across a range of high-profile industry sectors.

This role and the team will be externally-facing, flexibly working on all sectors across commercial growth opportunities in the West of Japan, with a focus on investment in priority sectors initially including life sciences, advanced manufacturing and AI/tech. The role will work together with the Deputy Consul General in Osaka and sector specialist teams in Tokyo to identify and develop opportunities, strategically deploying seniors in Osaka (Consul General) as well as more widely (HM Ambassador, HM Trade Commissioner, DBT Country Director, UK visitors etc) to advance the most significant commercial wins in the region.

By way of context, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) supports both Japanese and British companies across a range of high-profile industries for example automotive, life sciences and technology. The Investment team focuses on attracting and growing Japanese investment in the UK in important sectors. The Trade Team focuses on boosting trade between Japan and the UK, particularly through advising British companies who want to enter and grow in the Japanese market and through identifying and resolving market access barriers. Both teams promote the UK in Japan, and work towards their objectives through a strong programme of stakeholder engagement to target trade wins and investment projects e.g. regular meetings with key businesses, hosting events, supporting visits from the UK from Ministers, senior officials and businesses, etc.

DBT Japan is an exciting team to work in at the centre of the UK’s ambitions on driving new trade and investment partnerships between the UK and Japan. The team is friendly and welcoming, and DBT Japan is a fun, nice and vibrant place to work.

The UK Government’s Japan Network is a busy and diverse post at the heart of the UK government’s work in the Indo-Pacific. Our work on security, digital and technology, trade and economic, and climate and energy partnerships with Japan is at the centre of the Foreign Secretary’s foreign policy agenda and our commitment to the region. 

The British Consulate-General in Osaka represents the UK across Kansai and West Japan, delivering UK objectives on growth, security and people to people connections. The Consulate-General Osaka is a small team comprising DBT and FCDO staff working together under the Consul General. The DBT West Japan team will consist of both DBT and FCDO staff.
 
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) operates around the globe, and DBT APAC is a fast-paced and exciting place to work. DBT promotes UK 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. His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC), based in Singapore, is responsible for Trade and Investment work in the APAC region. 

What the Jobholder will be Expected to Achieve:

Lead DBT’s presence in the British Consulate-General Osaka

• Identify and shape key commercial opportunities for the UK in the West of Japan and lead team to seize and develop these to deliver the UK’s growth objective.
• Set and deliver against clear targets, building an evidence base for the UK dedicated growth-focused presence across core priority sectors in the West of Japan.
• Establish strong relationships across industry stakeholders (focusing on the most important clients and investors in the West of Japan including large Japanese corporates and UK companies with the most synergy with the Japanese market) then use these relationships to maximise UK economic growth potential.
• Implementing an effective account management approach with key businesses (both UK and Japanese).
• Developing innovative strategies for lead generation and working with comms colleagues on an integrated marketing approach including delivering campaigns to raise the profile of the UK in the West of Japan, for example through the GREAT campaign. 
• Support the implementation and promote utilisation by companies of the UK-Japan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and wider efforts to reduce market access barriers to the Japanese and specifically West of Japan market.
• Work closely with the Sector Teams across Japan Network (with regular travel to Tokyo or across West Japan) and the Department for Business and Trade Headquarters in the UK and other UK government departments to leverage sector specialist knowledge and effectively bridge between Japan and the UK.
• Driving performance. You will support the Deputy Consul General and Consul General to drive the performance of the team to deliver against agreed targets and priorities and using data and analysis to track performance.

Support Consul General Osaka on Growth activities

• You will support the Consul General Osaka and BCG team on delivery of all growth-focused activity in the West of Japan and to deliver the parts of the DBT Country Trade Plan owned by the Consul General. 
• You will support the Consul General and Deputy Consul General, deputising where needed, on engagements, events, briefing and other demands as needed.

Core planning, operational and business functions

• Work with the Deputy Consul General and Consul General to carry out business planning and strategy development, considering changes in the West of Japan market and how those link to opportunities for UK economic growth, influencing and contributing to the overall Japan Network Trade Plan and Country Plan.
• Oversee operational, people plan and business functions across the DBT West Japan team, including business planning, knowledge management, finance, events, visits, recruitment as well as learning and development, seeking advice from seniors and coordinating across DBT West Japan and the wider BCG.
• Report updates of DBT West Japan activity and results to the Deputy Consul General and Consul General for them to feed into broader DBT Japan and Embassy governance structures – coordinate inputs from teams as needed and be able to present to quarterly review boards.

Team member of the British Consulate-General Osaka

• As a key member of the British Consulate-General Osaka team you will be expected to take on a corporate responsibility to support making the Consulate-General a better place to work.
• You will support delivery of 1HMG priorities in Osaka delivered by the Consulate-General such as VVIP visits and the King’s Birthday Party.

Team leadership

• You will lead a West of Japan-focused growth team working closely with the Deputy Consul General.
• You will line manage or countersign two individuals and be responsible for their activity in the BCG, coordinating activity and building a positive team culture for DBT West Japan.

Resources Managed (Staff and Expenditure): 

• Line management of 2 staff
• Will oversee DBT budget for West Japan

• Experience working with or for the Japanese private sector 
• Experience engaging senior Japanese business leaders
• Familiarity with the likely focus sectors and capability to quickly develop expertise in all
• Strong communication skills – you will be able to communicate clearly both orally and in writing with internal and external stakeholders.   
• Strong drive, determination and good organisational skills to deliver at pace across competing domains and sectors
• Flexibility to be able to quickly and successfully pivot to new and urgent priorities

Language requirement:

This role requires written and spoken proficiency in both English and Japanese. fluency (minimum of C2 level for CEFR framework*) in one language and business level (minimum of B2) in the other.

*Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages sets the following mastery or proficiency levels:

• C2: Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express themself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
• B2: Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.