Department for Business and Trade Looking For Senior Trade Policy Advisor, Grade – HEO, New Delhi at Delhi, Delhi, Full Time

Main Purpose Of Job

The Trade Policy Team, within the British High Commission in New Delhi, leads on the UK’s bilateral trade relationships across South Asia. The team is responsible for improving market access for UK companies including through supporting negotiations on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with India, expanding work to reduce market access barriers across South Asia to benefit businesses and citizens of both countries, and for promoting the rules based international trading system across the region in support of British business.

This role is part of a team that has the responsibility for supporting the delivery of the UK’s objectives in FTA negotiations, including implementation should the deal be agreed, and ensuring this delivers for UK businesses. Should a deal be agreed, an important part of this role will be working to establish the government-to-government governance structures to oversee the implementation of the FTA.

This role will require building high quality relationships with stakeholders inside and outside of the Government of India, by undertaking detailed research, and working closely with the Negotiations Team in the UK Department for Business and Trade. The job holder will play a key role in providing analysis and intelligence on India’s likely positions/approaches to specific chapters of a UK-India FTA. This work will shape how the UK approaches negotiations on these chapters and will be fundamental to ensuring a successful outcome for UK businesses.

The job holder will also support the team’s market access objectives of removing barriers for UK companies to do business in India and resolve any live company issues.

The role will demand an ability to approach your work in a proactive and independent manner, apply a high-level attention to detail, and build high value relationships.

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:

In This Role You Will Be Responsible For

Support and lead work on FTA chapters, with a particular focus on those affecting Trade in Services. Support and lead on implementation of the deal, should agreement be reached. (60%)

Responsibilities

You will be responsible for building a nuanced understanding of India’s approach to trade in services and other chapters of the FTA in relation to the UK’s positions. You will do this through:

• Building a network of stakeholders – from inside and outside of the Government of India – who have influence on India’s policies in these chapters.
• Leveraging these relationships to gather intelligence and to influence.
• Providing detailed analysis back to Chapter Leads in the UK Department of Business and Trade to support the UK’s negotiating positions.
• Work across the India Network to ensure that the work on these chapters supports wider UK Government in India objectives where possible.
• Work with the market access team to ensure that, where possible, market access barriers related to these chapters are being removed via a UK-India FTA.
• If agreement on the deal is reached, work to establish the government-to-government governance structures to oversee the implementation of the FTA.
• Support the upskilling of sector leads to understand the content of the agreement so that businesses they support can maximize its utilisation after entry into force.

Supporting wider aspects of the UK’s trade policy and market access work in India (40%)

You Will Be Expected To Support Market Access Work Within The Team, Specifically Covering Key Sectors Such As Technology, Defence And Professional Services. The Aim Of This Work Is To Create Strategies And Engagements Plans That Will Help Resolve Market Access Barriers In These Sectors. This Will Range In Nature But Could Include Work Such As

• Guiding and supporting existing UK businesses in India, when faced with challenges and issues, affecting their profitability and/or investments in India.
• Supporting projects and designing lobbying strategies to progress barriers with the Government of India and state governments.
• Undertaking bespoke analysis on a particular sector and issues it may face, horizon scanning for any legislative changes that could impact UK companies.
• Working to ensure join up between the FTA work and the market access work, especially during any implementation phase of the FTA.
• Engaging with parts of the India Network, businesses, and the Government of India on bespoke issues.

Language Requirements

Language: English

Level of language required: Fluent

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

The British High Commission promotes learning and development, and this is a core part of our offer to our staff.

Working patterns: Office working 4 days a week is mandatory.