Main purpose of job:

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for promoting UK trade and investment with the rest of the world. We are the department for economic growth. We support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the UK. 

The overseas network is a vital asset in delivering the UK’s trade and investment ambitions. Embedded within British embassies and high commissions, our trade teams—led by His Majesty’s Trade Commissioners—work in close coordination with diplomatic staff to promote UK exports, attract investment, and improve market access. Through commercial diplomacy, they build strategic relationships, provide expert market insight, and support UK businesses to navigate local conditions and seize opportunities. This integrated approach ensures our efforts align with broader UK priorities, including sectoral growth, supply chain resilience, and clean energy transition.

The DBT team across Latin America and the Caribbean (LATAC) will be led by Amy Barklam, the new HM Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean. The team is responsible for:
•    growing the overall trade and investment relationship between the UK and LATAC markets
•    improving market access for British companies, including small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)
•    developing trade policy. 

Information About the Role:

This Higher Executive Officer (HEO) role will be part of our regional exports and trade promotion team – which aims to connect UK businesses with high-value international opportunities—helping UK exporters, and the economy, to grow. 

The role will be based in Chile and will support the delivery of priority export promotion campaigns (both in Chile and across the Latin America and Caribbean region). These export campaigns will be centred around the growth priorities and trade opportunities outlined in the UK’s recently published Modern Industrial Strategy and Trade Strategy. Operating under the direction of our regional senior management, the HEO will build a pipeline of high-value export opportunities aligned to our export campaigns, and work hand-in-hand with UK businesses in pursuit of these export opportunities.

This role involves developing commercial strategies that incorporate UK government levers (such as UK Export Finance). The successful candidate will need to work with senior internal and external stakeholders to implement these strategies, to ultimately support UK businesses secure high-value export opportunities across LATAC. 

Roles and responsibilities: 

• Plan and implement export promotion strategies to deliver export campaigns across the LATAC region, ensuring alignment with broader departmental priorities (as set out in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and Trade Strategy).
• Build and maintain pipelines of export opportunities, through developing relationships with key public and private sector stakeholders across markets in LATAC.
• Conduct market research and maintain up-to-date intelligence on LATAC markets, identifying trends, opportunities, and barriers to trade.
• Foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including trade associations, sector experts, and regional partners, to promote UK capabilities in the region.
• Account manage select UK businesses that fall within a priority export campaign.
• Collaborate with trade policy colleagues in DBT to address market access barriers and unlock commercial benefits for UK exporters.
• Collaborate with FCDO colleagues, both in the UK and across UK Missions in the LATAC region, to inform upstream “market-making” interventions that support partner country objectives and create commercial opportunities for UK industry.
• Develop, with the support of DBT comms, a communications strategy to drive the success of DBT’s export campaigns in the region.
• Provide expert advice and support to senior colleagues, contributing to policy development and operational planning.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

This role will likely manage 1 intern and may also be given a budget allocation to support operational delivery. 

Language requirements: 

Language:  English, Spanish

Level of language required:   Fluent written and spoken (CEFR C1 essential; C2 in at least one language preferable) 

Essential on arrival: 

• Fluent Spanish and English (both written and spoken).
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Proven ability to form professional relationships and build trust with a wide range of contacts from different backgrounds including at senior levels.
• Relevant work experience, such as but not limited to: successful business development, building client relationships, growing market share or developing accounts.
• Experience of account and/or project management