We are Hiring!
The British High Commission Kigali is recruiting for a Trade and Prosperity Officer to join our team and lead important work at the heart of the partnership between the UK and Rwanda.
The UK’s overall objective is to help build a Rwanda that is stable, open, and prosperous: where all its people benefit from prosperity; where Rwanda has strong and productive relationships with its neighbors; and where Rwanda is a driving force for peace, security and greater development in the region. We also work to support increased trade and investment in Rwanda, including by British businesses and by harnessing British expertise.
This is an exciting role helping to deliver the UK’s trade and prosperity objectives in Rwanda, in turn supporting Rwanda’s economic transformation ambitions. It is a very external-facing role, engaging regularly with businesses and government partners in Rwanda to understand the opportunities and constraints to do business here, and working to increase UK trade and investment.
Purpose of Job
This is an exciting role helping to deliver the UK’s trade and prosperity objectives
in Rwanda, in turn supporting Rwanda’s economic transformation ambitions. It is a very external facing role, engaging regularly with businesses and government partners in Rwanda to understand the opportunities and constraints to doing business here, and working to increase UK trade and investment.
Specifically, the overall purpose is to:
- Increase the value of trade and investment to Rwanda by tackling market access barriers faced by businesses seeking to access the Rwandan market;
- Drive forward British international investment into Rwanda in order to support its ambitious economic growth agenda and achieve mutual prosperity.
BHC Kigali is committed to supporting all staff with their career development plans and the post holder will have opportunity to access significant on the job learning as well as discussing opportunities for other structured learning and development with their line manager.
In this role you will be responsible for:
- Growing and sustaining a network of British businesses and businesspeople interested in or already active in Rwanda, and providing information or signposting support to unlock investment and facilitate trade. You will be the first point of contact for companies reaching out to the British High Commission in Kigali and will deal with enquiries efficiently and professionally.
- Building an effective network with key Rwandan institutions and harnessing it to strengthen economic ties and UK trade and investment.
- Working closely with regional UK Export Finance colleagues to increase uptake of their products in Rwanda. This will involve presenting the UK Export Finance offer to external partners and representing the UK in senior meetings with government officials or businesses.
- Working closely with regional UK Department for International Trade colleagues to develop a strategy for increasing trade and investment in Rwanda.
- Providing data and analysis of UK-Rwanda trade and investment flows and maintaining an up-to-date database on British business activity in Rwanda.
- Supporting the work of the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to strengthen economic ties, for example assisting with trade missions or engaging on policy issues.
- Engaging with the European Business Chamber of Rwanda to understand challenges facing businesses, including British businesses, in Rwanda and facilitating policy dialogue.
- Staying abreast of cross-UK government developments and opportunities (such as from FCDO headquarters, or other government departments like the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) in order to harness the UK’s global network and expertise to deliver in Rwanda.
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
- Qualification: Minimum of a bachelors degree in economics, business, finance, or similar relevant field.
- The ability to build external networks and harness these to influence policy and delivery of the UK’s objectives.
- The ability to communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way and explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.
- Some knowledge of trade, investment and/or constraints to doing business in Rwanda.
- Drive, initiative and the ability to move things forward.
- The willingness to be flexible and responsive to changing priorities, and the resilience to manage multiple projects concurrently.
For more information, and a link to the online application portal, please go to: https://fco.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/appcentre-1/candidate/postings/5088
