Who are we?

The British Consulate in Bilbao is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas, and it is also part of the UK’s Embassy to Spain Network.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is currently looking for a Senior Trade Adviser with commercial experience to join its team in Bilbao. DBT is a UK Government department which helps build an appetite for British goods and services globally, promotes and finances international trade and investment, and champions global free trade.

This role will be part of the International Markets team in Europe, which has a particular focus on supporting Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) export from the UK to Spain. You  will work under the leadership of the head of post in Bilbao, and not only work closely with colleagues in Bilbao and the wider team in Spain, but also with our International Markets Trade Hub based in Prague. The IM Hub team in Prague is the first point of contact for most UK SMEs looking for export support from DBT in Europe.

Are you passionate about international trade? Would you like to make an impact in a fast-moving, high-profile international environment? If so, this position might just be the right fit for you.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Support high-potential British exporters in accessing and winning business in Spain. A core element of the role will be to deliver practical support to UK companies from a range of sectors. This will include researching market and sector information, identifying partners who can provide in-market representation, and identifying new clients.
• Work closely with the International Markets Europe Trade Hub based in Prague to ensure those exporters with products and services in high demand in Spain are triaged to you as a priority. Equally you will ensure the IM Hub are aware of sectors that are not a priority for the wider trade team in  Spain.
• Manage and prioritize enquiries from UK exporters based on market potential, market representation, clients, and challenges companies face in accessing the market. You will communicate high-value opportunities to UK exporters and proactively identify upcoming changes in legislation, market access barriers, and practices to ensure UK companies are prepared to deal with these.
• Seek to expand and strengthen networks of commercial and governmental partners as well as private sector providers of commercial services. There will be a focus on working collaboratively with colleagues both in the DBT team in Bilbao and across DBT  Spain, including sectoral leads, as well as wider Embassy colleagues specializing in key areas of interest such as customs and business policy.
• Act as the key point of contact for the Head of Trade at the Embassy supporting the DBT trade team on matters related to the triage of export enquiries and the wider DBT Export Support Eco-system. They will provide expert guidance and support to sectoral teams in  Spain , helping them determine the best ways to assist exporters through DBT Export Support Service.
• Attend relevant conferences and trade shows in Bilbao and across Spain to support UK small to medium sized exporters and will participate in the coordination of DBT-led events with the same purpose.
• Around 30% of the workload will be dedicated to exploring a specific sector currently not covered by the country team. This will be subject to regular review to ensure the chosen sector focus adds value. The support in this sector will extend to both SMEs and larger, more experienced exporters who require bespoke assistance.
• Reporting and evaluating the IM Spain performance and budget forecast to the IM Europe Leadership Team as well as your local Senior Leadership Team. You will ensure that the value add of the IM work in your market is understood by key stakeholders.
• Support the wider team in building capability through sharing of case studies and best practice in ways of working. You may also be asked to support projects that are relevant for the IM Europe team in addition to your own market.

DBT’s mission in Europe is to improve market access for businesses, champion free and fair trade, and encourage trade and investment between the UK and Europe. This is critical to our economies, supporting millions of jobs, driving economic growth, raising wages, and improving living standards across the globe. For more information about DBT’s objectives, see here.

Our ideal candidate shows:

• Full professional proficiency in Spanish and English (written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
• Experience working in Exports, ideally in a Business-to-Business environment;
• Strong communication skills and presentation skills, both verbal and written;
• Good IT skills, particularly with Zendesk, AI Tools like Copilot and Microsoft Suite;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and excels working as part of a team;
• Strong proactiveness and the ability to work independently, taking initiative to drive tasks forward without supervision;
• Great organisational and time management skills.