The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for a Trade Officer for the Healthcare sector under the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), on a fixed-term contract for two (2) years.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the British Government’s trade and investment development organisation. Its aim is to enhance the competitiveness of companies in the UK through overseas trade and investments and attract high-level of quality foreign direct investment into the UK. We work with UK based businesses to ensure their success in overseas markets and international investors to help them bring high-quality investment to the UK. DBT has a network of trade teams across Saudi Arabia that work closely together to deliver services to UK and Saudi businesses.

This is an exciting and historic time to be in Saudi Arabia. In recent years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has accelerated its Vision 2030 programme of social and economic liberalisation to diversify its economy. The UK enjoys an excellent reputation for its healthcare services and goods and plays a vital role in delivering public policy and providing social value in areas such as public health, employment and skills, and community cohesion.

The Trade Officer will support the Senior Trade Advisors in the Healthcare and Life Sciences sectors. The job will involve supporting trade promotion activity, administrative support, maintain and update contact databases and activity plans, and support logistics of events and arrange webinars. The jobholder will need to be flexible and may be required to shift focus and respond to changes to sector priorities based on operational requirements as guided by the DBT KSA Director. 

Duties and responsibilities:

• Support the Senior Healthcare and Life Sciences Trade Advisors and develop and engage in a wide range of relationships in Saudi public and private sector organisations to understand and promote commercial opportunities in the Healthcare sector.
• Support the Senior Trade Advisors in arranging visits by DBT sector specialists with in-country support, including (but not limited to) official programmes, trade missions, events, and trade shows.
• Provide support to private sector stakeholders, promoting opportunities within UK plc, seeking to increase UK commercial wins and meet DBT targets within the healthcare sector.
• Provide basic market analysis and guidance on doing business in Saudi Arabia to UK companies.
• Maintain and update activity plans and buyer and seller lists.
• Provide logistical support on organising webinars and other virtual trade promotion activity.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future and this would be at the discretion of the line manager or head of section. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. The jobholder may also take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis.

Key behaviours required:

• Managing a Quality Service – Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
• Working Together – Forming effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.
• Delivering at Pace – Taking responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

Eligibility:

• The successful candidate must be able to secure a local residence and work permit in Saudi (iqama) OR already have the right to work and reside in Saudi.
• The British Embassy provides visa sponsorship. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy’s sponsorship.

• Previous experience of working in a commercial or trade role and/or business development.
• Ability to multi-task and have good organisational skills. Ability to prioritise own workload and meet deadlines, and respond quickly and flexibly to meet multiple and changing priorities
• Excellent interpersonal skills and able to influence and network confidently with industry leaders, government officials, and senior businesspeople; and collaborate effectively across Embassy teams.
• Collaborative approach to colleague and stakeholder partnerships. Ability to develop and maintain a range of contacts to build effective working relationships.
• Resourcefulness in solving problems and demonstrates good judgement.
• Team player who is capable of working on their own initiative.
• Strong customer focus and ability to deliver quality service
• Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) in English and Arabic. Ability to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely.
• Strong IT computer skills and in using MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).