International Export Finance Executive, UKEF International Network – Embaixada Britânica

To develop and lead the implementation of a plan to increase British exports to Latin America and the Caribbean through the strategic use of UK Export Finance products, working in close partnership with Department for International Trade colleagues.

Roles and responsibilities:

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the UK’s government department responsible for promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade. UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, working alongside the Department for International Trade as an integral part of its strategy and operations.

In late July 2017, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer visited Brazil, announcing the intention to double UKEF support available for British exports to Brazil to £3 billion. This increase in financing available from UKEF has been mirrored across the region and the successful candidate will be one of the first International Export Finance Executives recruited to a global network.

They will act as the eyes and ears of the UKEF Business Group primarily in Brazil, with growing responsibility for the wider Latin America and Caribbean region, supporting the objectives of DIT locally and the UKEF International Business Development (IBD) team to grow UKEF supported exports by focussing on 5 key areas of activity:

1.     Build Awareness of UKEF Support Capabilities

• Lead local campaigns to raise the profile of UKEF through engagement with the business community, government bodies and other stakeholder organisations.
• Deliver UKEF marketing plans, ensuring that messages are appropriate to the audience, removing complexity, building understanding and developing a localised message where possible.
• Develop and implement PR activities that educate the business community on UKEF products.
• Develop UKEF knowledge base within local DIT team.

2.     Build and Share Market Knowledge

• Develop detailed knowledge and insight of public and private sector organisations, including their strategic business planning and development objectives. Implement findings into UKEF strategic plans.
• Understand and interpret host government trade policy, priority sectors and projects.
• Ensure timely export intelligence and insight for IBD, enabling opportunities for UKEF.
• Act as the lead source of UKEF advice to local DIT teams, including integration of UKEF objectives into HVCs.
• Take the lead in leveraging expertise, knowledge and networks of local staff, business chambers, and other local channels in their capacity as multipliers.
• Identify the competitive framework (Export Credit Agencies and Supply Chain), articulate the difference of the UKEF offer and seek collaboration where appropriate.
• Exploit local knowledge, experience and networks to gather intelligence of local commercial banking sectorial focus and appetite for risk.

 3.     Establish and Maintain Stakeholder Relationships

UKEF primary stakeholders are buyers, UK exporters, project sponsors, host government departments etc.  This role will be required to:

• Identify key buyers and sponsors in the target markets.
• Exploit knowledge and experience to build robust business networks and develop calling plans to enhance the profile of UKEF.
• Oversee the development of mechanisms to record and coordinate business outreach activities.
• Maintain and develop regular contacts with local senior sponsors, banks, public sector organisations, government bodies and UK businesses to identify export opportunities that could benefit from UKEF support.

4.     Create and Deliver Strategic Plans

• Lead and coordinate country strategic planning, aligned to UKEF organisational objectives, supporting HVCs where ‘leading with finance’ could be an important driver.
• Embed UKEF offer into DIT export promotion through its sector specific high value campaigns (HVC).

 5.     Progress Business Development Opportunities

• Lead the local coordination of UKEF local campaign activities.
• Engage the UK Export Finance Manager (EFM) Network to ensure seamless coordination between the UK supply chain and local sponsor.
• Lead UKEF local relationships with providers of trade finance and risk mitigation products (e.g. banks, credit insurers, brokers, and others) and to introduce customers / sponsors who require their services.
• Lead UKEF collaboration with the local DIT team to develop innovative export solutions for UK companies.
• Coordinate and support visits from UKEF Business Group management.

This list is not exhaustive; the International Export Finance Executive may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.

Resources managed:

• Travel budget and local operations costs.

• Experience in International Export or a background in the Financial Service Industry.
• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Business, Economic, International Relations, Finance or equivalent.
• Knowledge of local capital markets.
• Knowledge of wider business and political environment that might influence investment decisions.
• Good interpersonal skills and an ability to cultivate and maintain a range of contacts at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written in English and Portuguese.