Foreign & Commonwealth Office Dubai Jobs 2022 – Apply Online DXB – SDI Regional Manager, Middle East and EMEA Consumer Industries (G7) Vacancy in Dubai, UAE

The British Embassy in Dubai has a vacancy for a Regional Manager, Middle East and EMEA Consumer Industries under Scottish Development International (SDI). This is for a fixed-term contract for three (3) years.

Scottish Development International (SDI) is Scotland’s trade and inward investment agency responsible for delivering on the Scottish Government’s ambitious international trade strategies.

This is a pivotal role for achieving SDI’s strategic and operational trade objectives and ensuring market trends and insights are factored into the development of the Consumer Industries operating plan.

Based out of the British Embassy in Dubai, the role also involves leading a team of Food & Drink and Consumer Industries Trade Specialists within Europe to deliver exporting support to Scottish exporters and undertake trade development work. The role ensures that specialists are working with those companies most likely to deliver against SDI targets, and that colleagues based overseas are working as part of an account team with colleagues in Scotland to provide appropriate support.

The jobholder is accountable for the delivery of all Consumer Industries trade support and trade development activity undertaken within EMEA. There is also a significant and important Regional Management element to this role with a need to have oversight of SDI’s trade & investment delivery across the Middle East, including a duty of care for all SDI colleagues based in the Middle East. The jobholder will report to the Head of Global Trade, Consumer Industries based in Scotland.

Whilst the job is based in Dubai, there is an expectation of some travel to Abu Dubai as per work demands. The role will also involve regional travel in the Middle East and at times to Scotland for business purposes.

Duties and responsibilities:

The jobholder will contribute to the creation of ambitious, credible, and deliverable global operating plans to achieve exports from Scotland through exercising critical thinking and sound judgement through an evidence-based approach and collaborating with global counterparts. This will involve:

• Contribution towards SDI business plan measures and targets through a focus on executing priority activities and deploying resources in line with the operating plan.
• Leadership of a motivated, engaged and highly skilled team, with a focus on coaching and continuous improvement through learning and development.
• Development of a strong and supportive strategic partnership at a regional, national and international level through personal credibility and pragmatism.
• Support and embed a culture that enables the new global approach to trade through personal leadership displaying exemplary resonant behaviours.
• Accountable for the design, support, and delivery of approaches and activities in a way that makes best use of people and financial resources to produce strong deliverables across the geography.

Specific Consumer Sectors Trade responsibilities include:

• Ensuring that there is a robust, geographically relevant, dynamic sector operating plan(s) or equivalent and managing performance against those plan(s), alongside Scottish Enterprise/ Scottish Development International/ Highlands and Islands Enterprise colleagues and partners, including the Department for International Trade (DIT).
• Acting as senior regional lead for specific events taking place within the geography and managing senior-level relationships to champion the sector/ geography, its trade opportunities, and the work of SDI to clients, partners, and stakeholders.
• Providing specific market insight relating to the sector in your specific geography, providing guidance to colleagues and partners.
• Identifying and progressing (via team members) major trends and opportunities and shaping trade development and trade support activity in the geography, including new market access opportunities.

Specific Regional Management responsibilities include:

• Accountability for the effective, efficient, and compliant operations of SDI’s delivery across the Middle East region, including people and financial resources, key relationships and operational delivery.
• Senior regional lead for ministerial and senior level visits to the region, ensuring all delivered activities support the delivery of SDI’s trade & investment objectives.
• Development of a country business plan/ brief and performance overview, including a synthesis of market insights beyond Foreign Direct Investment/ trade responsibilities.
• Scottish partnership development, especially with respect to the role universities play, as well as chambers, local authorities, etc. and contribute to Scottish Government country-specific plans.
• ‘Local’ partnership development especially with UK Government (FCDO/ DIT) as well as many intermediaries from across the region.

Specific People Management responsibilities include:

• People management responsibility for a team of 8-10 direct/ indirect reports, across multiple locations, with a strong focus on coaching and performance management
• Directly supporting team members with more complex or challenging company/ customer work, involving company visits.
• Ensuring the team culture is strongly focused on performance and customers (internal and external) and that accurate, up-to-date management information is maintained on internal systems
• Establishing personal credibility and demonstrate valuable contribution to Scotland’s economy through managing senior level partner and stakeholder relationships.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.

Key behaviours required:

• Seeing the Big Picture – Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
• Changing and Improving – Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.
• Making Effective Decisions – Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
• Communicating and Influencing – Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.

• Ability to lead complex teams in challenging environments (e.g., across multiple cultures, economic systems, administrative jurisdictions, etc.).
• High degree of sensitivity in working with people from different backgrounds, cultures, etc. and doing so to achieve results. Strong team-working ability with experience of working in a multi-partnership context.
• Experienced in people management and resonant leadership, with the ability to successfully manage a team to meet challenging targets and high performance, within a supportive coaching environment.
• A highly skilled communicator and negotiator, able to develop relationships with senior colleagues and stakeholders within a complex and challenging environment.
• A team player with a consultative approach who can collaborate within a geography and ‘virtual team’ to achieve common objectives
• Strong customer relationship management skills, with high levels of confidence and credibility in dealing with senior personnel.
• Diagnostic, strategic challenger; influencer with excellent facilitation skills.
• Ability to quickly analyse complex situations and take creative and innovative approaches to staying ahead of the competition.
• Business development as well as research and analytical skills acquired in an international market development context. Must be able to demonstrate the ability to quickly acquire the requisite level of specialist knowledge to engage credibly with senior industry representatives in the sector.
• Experience of working in an international trade environment supporting companies to export.
• Experience of taking management responsibility for international market events.
• Understanding of economic development, international trade & investment, and sector development, with detailed knowledge of relevant sectors.
• A strong knowledge of the Consumer Industries sector, ideally in the EMEA region.
• An experienced networker with existing business relationships in the UAE, GCC, or wider EMEA region.
• Knowledge and experience of working in the EMEA region.
• An understanding of the work and focus of SDI
• Exceptional planning and organisational skills, ability to work independently, apply initiative, and work under pressure to meet multiple and changing priorities, deadlines, and objectives
• Experience of managing team budgets.
• A relevant degree level qualification (or equivalent level of experience).
• Excellent communication skills in English. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
• Strong IT skills and well versed in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams) as well as CRM systems.

• Knowledge of cloud-based systems including CRM (MS Dynamics).
• An understanding of government and the role it plays in international trade.

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including: 25 days of leave per annum; on-site swimming pool, gym, and sports facilities (subject to COVID-19 restrictions).

Salary is at AED 38,967 per month.

There are no other allowances payable as part of this package. No accommodation and relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

Effective 01 January 2022, the Embassy will be open from Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 18:00. Conditioned working hours are 38 hours per week (including breaks), and specific working hours for this role will be confirmed at a later time.

Whilst the role is based Dubai, the jobholder will be required to visit the Embassy in Abu Dhabi, subject to COVID-19 restrictions and to operational needs. The jobholder will also be expected to visit to take part in relevant meetings and events, which may also require out-of-hours work (evenings/ weekends). Flexible working arrangements may be considered based on operational requirements and agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Embassy policies.

The role will also involve regional travel in the Middle East and at times to Scotland for business purposes.

The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy’s sponsorship.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must attach 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and 2) a covering letter to their online application form.

Your application must also include examples of when you have demonstrated the required behaviours in the Behaviours Questions section of the online application form.

Applications that do not include these information will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is at 23:55 (UAE local time) on 15 June 2022.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Process:

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two months. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, only those shortlisted for the next step of the recruitment process will be contacted. Any assessments and/ or interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.

The British Embassy Dubai is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.