The British Embassy in Abu Dhabi is part of a worldwide network that represents political, economic, security and consular interests overseas. We are looking for an Investment Partner who will be based in Abu Dhabi under the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) on a fixed-term contract for three (3) years.

The Office for Investment is the central function to HMG’s growth priority to secure investment, job creation and increase productivity across the UK.  Utilizing appropriately senior talent from across the private and public sectors the Office for Investment operates across the full breadth of HMG ensuring a consistent and commercially attractive proposition to attract global capital into strategically important sectors highlighted in the UK’s Industrial Strategy.

The Middle East will be imperative to achieving its growth and investment mission. Home to four of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds and numerous other state related funds, representing trillions of pounds of capital, the region is unique with its intersection of government and commerce. The UK holds a number of investment partnership agreements across the GCC accounting for investment commitments of over £40bn.

As part of HMG’s broader expansion of the UK Office for Investment, the Middle East and Pakistan region will create a dedicated Office for Investment team within the regional Department for Business and Trade structure.  This is new team will consist of senior investment partners based in United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Based in the United Arab Emirates this role will be expected to lead on the development of relationships with the market’s sovereign wealth funds and wider investor base, promoting UK opportunities and unlocking investment barriers to drive investment and growth into the UK.

This is an excellent opportunity for a dynamic and highly motivated individual to play and active role in the economic growth mission of the UK.

The role holder will work to Regional Director of Office for Investment.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Investment Target Delivery: Responsible for delivering HMG’s ambitious investment targets across the UAE and will be expected to define and implement a strategic in market approach to the country’s largest investors and capital pools. In addition to local responsibilities, the role holder will be expected to play an active role in the regional Office for Investment team, highlighting and implementing best practices.
• Relationship Management: A core responsibility will be the development and management of relationships across the full cadre of investment entities including sovereign, private equity, venture capital and family offices. Appropriately senior commercial experience and interpersonal skills to operate at this level will be a fundamental requirement.
• Propositions and Investment Knowledge:-Building on existing knowledge base of investment principles, the role holder will be expected to develop a deep understanding of target customer investment appetite and thesis, utilising this local knowledge to provide a market view to creation of UK investment propositions and effectively promoting these to investor base. This role requires a thirst for building networks, a desire to lead and the confidence to communicate publicly. Combining self-motivation with the ability to work collaboratively in identifying opportunities for the UK and designing strategies and propositions to position us for success. The leading candidate will be an individual who can build longstanding and credible relationships with key interlocutors.
• Unlocking Barriers: The role holder will be expected to demonstrate sound and balanced judgement, identifying and unlocking potential investment barriers in line with HMG’s strategic objectives. Working alongside UK colleagues across Whitehall to ensure effective risk mitigation and inward investment growth.
• Ministers/Official Dialogues: Extremely regular engagement with senior officials including Secretaries of State. Ministers, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner MEAP and Her Majesty’s Ambassadors around the region, to proactively engage leading investors. The post holder will contribute to, or lead on, a number of high-profile inward visits of UK ministers to advance opportunities in this area.
• Stakeholder Engagement: A regular out of hours element is a main part of the role in order to develop and engage stakeholders and potential investors. The jobholder will require to attend evening events etc. to build relationships.
• Sector Engagement: The role will be expected to operate across sectors collaborating with DBT sector cluster leads in market to promote respective investment opportunities.
• Investment Pipeline: The role holder will be accountable for robust pipeline management, identifying and addressing both opportunities and risk to ultimate investment growth objective.
• Line Management: Line management and development of Investment Officer resource.
• Embassy: In addition to OFI responsibilities, the role holder will be expected to play an active role in the United Arab Emirates Embassy.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required.

The FCDO is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We do not discriminate on any basis, including categories protected by law. In keeping with the FCDO’s commitment to disability inclusion in the workplace, hiring managers must incorporate the principles set out in the FCDO Disability Confident scheme job applications in the CBS recruitment process.  Our CBS are recruited by Missions in-country in line with local employment laws.

Resources Managed

• Direct line management of AO employee

Key Behaviours Required:

• Communicating and Influencing – Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
• Delivering at Pace – Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
• Seeing the Big Picture – Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
• Managing a Quality Service: Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.

• Commercial experience- engaging with external counterparts, developing appropriately senior relationships.  Demonstration of ability to deliver growth.
• Leadership – including line management and functional leadership of programmes.
• Confident with an ability to deliver high quality verbal and written briefs.
• Excellent communication skills in English both verbal and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely and ability to write to a high standard for a wide range of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with confidence to work on own initiative and a proven ability to engage and influence at a senior level internally and with external contacts.
• Excellent organisational skills to respond effectively to tight – and changing – deadlines and priorities. Exceptional analysis skills, able to bring together complex pieces of information and present in a simple format.
• Strong IT computer skills using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and internet/ web applications.