Main purpose of job:

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the UK government department charged with promoting and financing international trade and development, and championing free trade. In Brazil, DBT operates within the British Embassy in Brasília, and Consulates in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Recife, with a team who work primarily through a number of sector specific export promotion campaigns.

This is a brilliant opportunity to work on one of the most important export campaigns for UK Government in Brazil. You will work as part of UK Defence and Security Exports (UKDSE), which is responsible for assisting UK Defence, Security and Cyber Security industries in their efforts to export. UKDSE works to build strong relationships with overseas industry, governments, and armed forces, providing specialist export advice and practical assistance to British companies and working closely with UK and Brazil government departments.

This is an ideal position for someone with the ability to work collaboratively with an international team. The job will require the successful candidate to take responsibility for delivering both quickly and to a high standard.

Roles and responsibilities:

The successful candidate will support the delivery of UKDSE activities below:

Trade support 

• Answer chargeable and non-chargeable general and diverse enquiries (personal, telephone, e-mail, work mobile phone) from Brazilian and UK stakeholders;
• Analyse the demands of the covered sector in Brazil and search for UK suppliers that offer matching solutions;
• Organise visits and events for companies coming to Brazil to follow up on the research reports they have commissioned, including elaborating briefings and scheduling meetings with potential partners and key industry bodies as well as supporting product launches

Trade promotion 

• Assist with logistic and administrative arrangements for official events such as missions (inward and outward), lunches, dinners, trade fairs, seminars, webinars, showcases and dialogues
• Build programmes for stakeholders for Defence and Security trade shows
• Support official visits both in the UK and in Brazil
• Input information on business opportunities collected from a range of sources (government tenders/company procurement teams/ business agents) into raising awareness platforms. Identify and contact prospective UK suppliers for said opportunities. Maintain an updated contact database and ensure impact and interactions are recorded on DIT’s database

Administrative support

• Support the core functions of the DBT team;
• Arrange meetings and visit programmes for other colleagues in the team when required;
• Coordinate budget management, monthly updating the Activity Plan and the budget holder, enabling them to make decisions;
• Work collaboratively with other teams for official visits, events, elaborate briefings and/or general support
• Line Manage an intern;
• Support other Defence and Security sector colleagues across Latin America and the Caribbean when required, to ensure a joined-up service for British companies seeking to do business in the region. Countries to be supported include but are not limited to Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Panama
• Ad hoc activities

Opening Markets 

• Develop a structure with the Business Development Manager and the Head of Sector to understand the main issues from the Defence and Security stakeholders and create an action plan to support the UK companies and investors to do business in Brazil

Essential on arrival:

• Professional experience in business, commercial or administrative functions;
• Ability to solve problems, prioritise, organise and manage multiple tasks;
• Capacity to have a high-standard customer-focused approach;
• Committed team player with ability to self-motivate, resilience, commitment and autonomy;
• Experience in event organisation (suppliers, venue, catering, travel and logistics);
• Written and oral fluency and very good formal communication skills in both Portuguese and English;
• Very good command of Microsoft Office (outlook, excel, word)
• Legal status to live and work in Brazil in your own right, from time of application.