View Vacancy – Country Head – India, Nepal and Bangladesh, UK Export Finance, Grade – G7, Mumbai

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience segment and the behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Main purpose of job:

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is seeking a Country Head for India, Nepal and Bangladesh.  The successful candidate will be based in the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai.

The UK Government is expanding commercial team in South Asia, with a focus on growing UK trade within the region.  Finance is a critical part of promoting more trade between the UK and our overseas partners. UKEF’s Country Head will shape long-term partnerships for prosperity and stability between the UK and India, Nepal and Bangladesh. 

UKEF’s Country Head will join a regional team across UKEF, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).  

About UK Export Finance

UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency (ECA) and operates in partnership with DBT.

UKEF’s mission is to advance prosperity by ensuring that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance and insurance, doing that sustainably and at no net cost to the taxpayer. In 2022/23, UKEF provided £6.4 billion worth of support for UK exports to nearly 100 countries.

UKEF Business Plan

UKEF four-year business plan has 4 delivery objectives, which set out what we need to achieve to realise our mission, and three organisational objectives, which define the resources, skills and operational capabilities we will need to do that.

You can read our Business Plan in full HERE and find out more about the Department’s work in the latest UK Export Finance Annual Report and Accounts.

Partners, stakeholders and observers 

UKEF works closely with partners within government, most notably DBT and the FCDO. In the private sector our principal partners include trade associations and financial institutions. 

Our work is varied and complex, spanning all business sectors and all corners of the world. UKEF is delighted to have been named best Export Credit Agency by Global Trade Review and Trade Finance Global. This is a recognition of our innovative approach to supporting exporters, comprehensive product offering and substantial appetite to take on new business. 

About the Department for Business and Trade

DBT is the UK Government department that helps foster UK exports and inward investment. DBT officers at overseas Embassies, Consulates General and High Commissions liaise with the UK headquarters and other departments across the UK Government to generate commercial, policy and institutional collaborations.

Main purpose of job:

UKEF’s Country Head will be responsible for promoting UKEF’s export finance capabilities and developing new business opportunities in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. 

The purpose of the Country Head’s role is to promote export growth through finance.  This will involve building relationships and partnerships with business, government and other stakeholders.  The jobholder will proactively collaborate with DBT and FCDO officials in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, playing an important role on wider Government initiatives involving UKEF, including by strengthening the UK Government’s exports offer. 

As the sole UKEF representative in the relevant British Embassy or Consulate General, the jobholder will work as part of a wider team across British Government Departments, including local DBT and FCDO leads.  

The Country Head will report into UKEF’s London headquarters, and will join UKEF’s strong cross-Asia network of Country Heads based in South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and China. The Country Head will form part of a dual reporting structure, reporting to both UKEF’s headquarters in London and the Department for Business & Trade in South Asia.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

The Country Head’s key responsibility is to build UKEF’s business and profile overseas, helping to grow UKEF-supported exports by focussing on five areas of activity:    

In performing these objectives, the Country Head will form part of the wider Embassy or British Consulate General team, and will contribute to DBT’s South Asia trade and investment objectives. 

1) Build, expand and progress new business opportunities for UKEF

• Build a diversified pipeline of bankable deal opportunities for UKEF in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• Manage early stage structuring and bankability assessments of new transactions, working in close coordination with UKEF’s London team to enhance the prospects of UKEF involvement in overseas projects.
• Demonstrate a strong command of the UK supply chain in key areas such as energy and infrastructure.
• Raise UKEF’s profile in India, Nepal and Bangladesh through engagement with C-Suite business leaders, high-profile government representatives and senior leaders within regional and international banks.

 2) Develop and execute UKEF’s growth strategy in India, Nepal and Bangladesh

• Deliver UKEF’s future growth strategy in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• Develop tailored strategies to expand UKEF’s track record and future business pipeline in India, Nepal and Bangladesh
• Represent UKEF at high profile speaker engagements, industry events and conferences locally and across the South Asia region.
• Support DBT’s local strategic planning, ensuring alignment with UKEF’s strategy and embedding UKEF financing into DBT export campaigns.

3) Build and share market knowledge 

• Gain insight into the strategic business objectives of key public and private sector stakeholders in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• Integrate first hand market insights into UKEF’s strategic plans for India, Nepal and Bangladesh, sharing local market knowledge with the UKEF, DBT and FCDO teams.
• Track project and sector development plans and priorities of the governments of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• Act as the lead source of UKEF advice to local DBT teams, including integration of UKEF objectives in priority campaigns led by the DBT in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

4) Establish and maintain stakeholder relationships – 

• Build and expand UKEF’s business networks and enhance the profile of UKEF products across these networks.
• Integrate DBT sector leads in core UKEF outreach activities in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, creating cohesive business development strategies involving DBT and FCDO at a local and regional level.

5) Build awareness of UKEF support capabilities 

• Develop tailored presentations to enhance awareness of UKEF’s products and capabilities across the local business community.
• Enhance DBT team members’ command of UKEF’s financing products through regular presentations, workshops and joint meetings.
• Lead UKEF collaboration with the local DBT team.
• Coordinate and support visits from UKEF management and support visits from ministers and senior officials from the UK government.

This list is not exhaustive; the Country Head may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.  The Country Head would be expected to take on a wider corporate contribution to working life in the Embassy or Consulate General, as applicable.

Language requirements:

Language: Fluent oral and written English.  In addition, relevant language skills for working in India, Nepal and/or Bangladesh would be desirable.

Level of language required: Fluent

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The successful applicant will have access to a range of Learning and Development opportunities with in-house and e-learning, with the potential for overseas training. From time to time there will be requirements to assist other teams within the Department, working with other members of the team to build overall experience through delivery of training and awareness session.

 A training programme will be provided with UK Export Finance in London.

Working patterns:

In-person attendance is expected at the Embassy or High Commission.

As Country Head, you will be expected to travel regularly to the markets that you cover, both internationally and domestically.  The role will involve up to four trips to UKEF’s London HQ annually.

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

Note that no relocation allowance or expenses are available as part of the role.

Essential on arrival:

Qualifications:

• Degree and/or equivalent professional financial or accounting experience
• At least ten years’ professional experience in a banking, finance or export credit agency/ project finance advisory role
• Proven experience of structured finance / trade finance
• Prior experience and demonstrable track record of business origination/ business development
• Strong team player, with an ability to contribute to a regional team across various UK Government departments, in a fast-paced environment
• Commercial skills, well versed structuring of export credit agency-backed projects
• Extensive experience analysing accounts and balance sheets and conducting preliminary credit / bankability analysis
• Network of C-Suite contacts in the business and financial world in India.  Network of senior contacts in Nepal and Bangladesh beneficial.
• Proven ability to take the initiative pursuing the objectives in the job description
• Proven competence in leading strategy development and business planning
• Proven advisory and negotiation skills at senior levels, with an ability to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication
• Experience working with exporters and project developers
• Competent in Microsoft Office applications and appetite to embrace data-driven pipeline management tools
• Confident public speaking and networking skills
• Recognition of the importance of developing a strong business network
• Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the role and work outside normal office hours as required