View Vacancy – JPN (Tokyo) – Senior Food and Drink Trade Adviser, EO

Main Purpose of Job:

This is a role in the Food and Drink Trade Team in the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) at the British Embassy in Tokyo. The main purpose of the role is to support British companies to successfully enter and grow in the Japanese market.  This may be through helping deliver promotional campaigns to both trade and consumer audiences, building relationships with key industry and government stakeholders, undertaking market research and keeping up to date with the latest industry trends and providing direct support and advice to UK businesses. You will also work with policy colleagues to resolve market access barriers and help create the right market conditions for UK exporters.  You will also need to look at innovative approaches to ensure we are delivering the best quality of service to UK companies within our existing resource constraints.  As well as working on food and drink, you will be required to flex to take advantage of new opportunities and support across other sectors, in order to ensure that the Trade Team as a whole is focussed on the highest priorities.  

In 2025, the role will also support our activity, including trade missions and events, at the UK pavilion at EXPO2025 Osaka, Kansai. The EXPO2025 Business Programme is an integral part of the aim of DBT to use EXPO2025 as a catalyst to showcase the strengths of the UK in priority sectors and introduce more UK companies to the Japanese market through events and visits around EXPO2025. For the duration of Expo, the jobholder will need to be flexible regarding travel to Osaka and the EXPO site, especially during the “run-phase” (12 April-12 November) when we will receive a high number of visitors and trade missions to Osaka and Tokyo.

The Department for Business and Trade operates in 108 countries. Establishing new relationships around the globe, DBT promotes UK trade to ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us, securing and improving economic well-being, stability, and helping to create tens of thousands of jobs. His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) is responsible for Trade and Investment work in the APAC region. With over 280 staff over 14 markets, DBT APAC is a fast-paced, exciting place to work.  

This is a great opportunity to be part of an international team that contributes to the success of the UK’s trade goals.  

What the Jobholder will be Expected to Achieve:

• Promote the UK’s strengths in food and drink by engaging with Japanese stakeholders including industry (importers, retailers, distributors etc.), the UK and Japanese Governments and media.
• Manage and lead the delivery of promotional events including trade fairs, campaigns, webinars, reverse pitches, trade missions and delivery of income generation events.
• Independently and proactively research and identify trends in the Japanese market and identify potential new areas for the UK companies to win contracts in short to long term.
• Develop a network of useful contacts and account manage UK and Japanese companies, supporting the UK companies to win contracts/expand their business in the Japanese market. You will keep contacts up to date on the relevant CRM systems.
• Develop a pipeline of opportunities for UK companies to win contracts with Japanese companies.
• Proactively identify market access issues that UK companies face in entering the Japanese market and lead on developing and implementing plans to tackle these.
• Lead on drafting and delivering a strategic stakeholder engagement plan.
• Support development and implementation of the team’s strategy, considering how our team supports wider DBT and Embassy objectives.
• Support UK companies through market research to assess their marketability in the Japanese market and provide advice on exporting to Japan or developing their business in the Japanese market.
• Develop expertise on the practical and regulatory processes relevant to exporters, support businesses to navigate these, clearly communicating technical issues to generalist audiences.
• Look for innovative approaches to maximise the support we can offer companies within our existing resource envelope.
• Supporting visit programmes for Ministers and Trade Envoys, leading on delivering particular elements.
• Manage requests from external stakeholders for collaborations with the Embassy (koen).
• Corporate contribution. Contribute to the broader goals of the Japan network. This will involve a role in crisis response, as well as other roles such as leading a committee or a cross-network event.

This is an exciting, varied role where the jobholder will be able to make a real difference in supporting the success of the UK food and drink industry. Flexibility, creativity and a positive, can-do attitude are essential for this role. The jobholder will be expected to proactively seek ways to improve our support for UK companies within existing resource limits, through innovative solutions and new approaches. Other skills required for the role are:

Strong communication skills – You will be able to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. You will be able to write in different styles, for a range of purposes and audiences, tailoring your approach accordingly. For example, you should be able to draft high quality briefings, speeches or readouts and minutes from meetings. You will have the confidence to contribute in meetings, adapting communication style to ensure engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders. You will be able to listen and constructively and objectively respond to comments and questions. You will be able to handle conversations with confidence and sensitivity. 
 
Interpersonal skills – The food and drink sector team have many stakeholders so you will need to be good at establishing relationships at all levels and proactive in building and sustaining a range of internal and external contacts. You will be confident in engaging with senior stakeholders. 
 
Organisational skills and delivering at pace – You will be required to organise events and visits that contribute to team’s objectives. In addition to effective planning to manage the logistics, you will also need to able to understand the visit/event objectives and deliver activity to meet these outcomes. This work is often fast-paced and requires thinking on your feet.
 
Working under your own initiative – You will be able to operate with autonomy, whilst working to your team head. You will take initiative and be confident in making decisions, seeking input from seniors and others as appropriate. 

Understanding the bigger picture – You will understand how your work and the work of the team supports wider objectives in the Japan Country Plan. You will have an interest in expanding your knowledge and keeping up with issues related to your work. 
 
Sector knowledge – Through research, keeping up with developments, and using your stakeholder network, you will develop a strong understanding of the food and drink sector in Japan and the UK. You will use your expertise to support DBT to have an effective strategy for client management and to identify future trade opportunities.  

Data skills – You will be comfortable handling and interpreting data – with the ability to write/present information in a clear and concise way. 
 
In all roles you will make a corporate contribution – contribute to the wider work of the Embassy, including taking an active role in the crisis response plan and participating in crisis exercises.  

Resources Managed (Staff and Expenditure): 

• Oversight of project and programme spend

• Proven ability to work with businesses (either in the private sector or public sector)
• Proven stakeholder relationship management skills

Language Requirements:

This role requires written and spoken proficiency in both English and Japanese. Fluency (minimum of C2 level for CEFR framework*) in one language and business level (minimum of high B2) in the other.

*Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages sets the following mastery or proficiency levels:

• C2: Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express themself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
• B2: Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.