View Vacancy – Senior Sector Manager – Security and Defence, Grade – SEO, New Delhi

Note : All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’’

Main purpose of job:

Both Trade & Investment and Defence & Security are top priorities within the British High Commission India Country Business Plan. UK Defence and Security Exports are responsible for:

• providing UK defence and security companies with specialist support to promote exports, partnerships and collaboration.
• helping UK defence and security industries export their products
• maintaining relationships with the Government of India to promote British defence and security capability
• working with UK MOD and industry to ensure defence and security products have export potential

The team is supported by cadres of defence and security specialists who provide first hand advice on defence and security capabilities.

You will be a key member of the UK Defence and Security Exports (UK DSE) India team within the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT), working to identify and develop export and partnership opportunities for the UK’s defence and security industry.

The team focuses on building opportunities for the UK defence, security and cyber sectors, and is responsible for addressing high value opportunities with the Indian Central and State Governments and within the Indian private sector. Based in Delhi, you will have autonomy over the Cyber and Homeland Security sectors. You will build on existing work and develop new strategies to help UK companies find routes to market and successfully secure business through successful delivery. You will be expected to interact with senior Indian Civil Servants, members of the police, paramilitary and security forces and academics. In addition, you will take responsibility for organising inward visits by Ministers and VIPs, trade missions, and participation in UK exhibitions and events. In this busy but rewarding role, you will be required to act on your own initiative to develop and deliver a strategy to support UK interests in the Security sectors and capitalise on commitment from respective Prime Ministers towards shared security and prosperity through national resilience.

As a Senior Sector Manager for Security and Defence, you will act on behalf of the First Secretary Defence and Security in their absence. You are likely to have line management responsibility for HEOs in the team. You will also need to assist with any upcoming team recruitment campaigns.

This role requires some flexibility as on occasions working or travelling outside office hours will be necessary in support of UK DSE events and exhibitions. Travel within India and occasionally to the UK will be required. UK DSE is committed to ensuring the right work-life balance for our staff so flexi time / time off in lieu will be available.

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

Leadership and Team Support role (40%)

On the job spec, leadership section: suggest tweaking so event delivery is less prominent. Alt eg ‘leading/organising trade delegations to attend industry/sector events’. And/or a focus on campaigns. Risk is that otherwise you’ll get events focused people applying rather than more strategic minded folks.

• The Department for Business and Trade India office is a very busy environment with regular trade missions, inward and outward VIP/ministerial visits, and exhibitions (with several UK companies participating). You will be responsible for leading on security sector delegations to attend industry/sector events, in line with current campaign priorities. You will also support the First Secretary Defence and Security on defence sector delegations and events. This will include taking Indian delegations to relevant exhibitions and events in the UK.
• Provide leadership and management support to direct reports and others within the team, ensuring team members recognise how their work fits within the work of the British High Commission network in India. Proactively seek ways to improve team ways-of-working within UK DSE India.
• Build relationships with security-sector focussed colleagues elsewhere in the UK Government Network and Trade Associations to ensure a joined-up ‘Team UK’ approach. Represent UK DSE India effectively to provide visibility of the team’s Defence and Security objectives.
• Actively seek ways to utilise senior officials to promote the UK’s Defence and Security capability to India. Subsequently contribute to wider UK DSE briefing as required.

Security Sector (50%)

• Work with the HEO security sector Senior Trade Advisor in the team to identify, develop and deliver high-value business opportunities for UK companies within the security and cyber sectors across India.
• Use existing experience and/or contacts to build and maintain a network, through which you can ensure that UK industry remains aware of the market environment and are well-placed to secure partnerships and commercial success.
• Work with British companies and liaise with senior Indian authorities to organise and deliver clear commercial contribution to high profile (often ministerial) events and delegations.
• Target existing internal and external calendar of opportunities in the sector, both in India and the UK, to deliver outputs for UK areas of strength.
• Develop and manage relationships with key external stakeholders, including the Indian police, security forces and senior management of both UK and Indian Industry. Use those contacts to build and proactively communicate the opportunities present in India.
• Provide expertise and insight into the sector and the opportunities that exist within in it. ‘Add value’ to Industrial decision-makers by operating beyond available open-source material to act as a credible adviser.
• Deliver an apportioned share of Business Wins and Service Deliveries for the UK DSE team.

Corporate (10%)

• Work closely with the various departments of the British High Commission team to deepen the UK’s commercial relationship in India.
• Support the business of the wider Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and British High Commission networks as necessary in helping to organise and deliver major events.
• Develop and maintain engagements with British companies through various DBT services and business plan activities.
• Maintain a good depth of knowledge about the full range of business and related political issues across India, so that the jobholder can speak authoritatively to external stakeholders.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

2 X HEO

Language requirements:

Language: English, (Hindi desirable)

Level of language required: Fluent written and spoken English

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

The British High Commission Network in India provides ample L&D opportunities to its staff to grow in their professional journey. The 70/20/10 learning, and development model is applied, with both internal and formal opportunities readily available.

In addition, DBT team provides opportunity for sector specific ‘developing skills & knowledge’ training to increase understanding of the UK market.

Working patterns: 

Yes, the Network allows you to work from home for one day per week. So, one day within a five-day working week can be spent at home (if desired), while the other four must be spent in the office, travelling with work, or in meetings outside the office.

Other skills / experience / qualifications:

Education:

• A degree or equivalent qualification, or the ability to demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge and skill /experience in the required sectors – Defence or Security.

Experience:

• 4-6 years relevant experience of working in a relevant office environment.
• Previous experience in/knowledge of either Indian Defence or Security market.
• Team leadership experience. Evidence of having managed senior relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work as a reliable member of a team.
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to communicate locally within an office-based team and wider to colleagues across the India and Global (particularly UK Network)
• Efficient with excellent planning and organisational skills, including the ability to plan and organise timetables or diaries for others.
• Effective English written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work both on own initiative and under supervision.
• Good all round IT skills and ability to set up administration systems reflecting good practise.
• Responsive, motivated and ability to ‘get things done’.
• An interest in working with international delegations, UK company visitors and organising itineraries, meetings and briefings.
• A willingness to learn to learn about the work of UK Defence and Security market