Deputy Director ?Capital Investment Sector, North America

Main Purpose Of Job Be part of the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) mission to drive more trade and investment between North America and the UK. With a mature, high spending consumer market and an open, liberal economy, world-class talent and a business-friendly regulatory environment, the UK is the leading destination for foreign investment in Europe, and the second highest investment destination in the world.  The UK is also the world’s seventh largest exporter and the second largest services exporter. 

We employ over 150 people across North America, all united by our vision of a future where we champion open and fair global trading that drives growth, creates better jobs and higher wages, and improves living standards in the UK and around the world.  We seek talented team members with the passion and drive to help us in our mission to build a global appetite for British goods and services; drive investment; negotiate trade deals and open up markets; improve international trading standards and fight unfair trading practices (see www.gov.uk/DIT).  

North America is the largest source of investible capital in the world and is home to the majority of the world’s leading investment firms. DBT’s mission is to attract high value, high impact capital from major North American investors to help deliver on the UK government’s overarching strategic priorities.

Based at the British Consulate-General in San Francisco, the Senior Capital Investment Officer (SCIO) will proactively identify, target, prospect, develop, and manage new and existing relationships with some of the world’s major institutional investors, with particular focus on university endowments, insurance companies’ investment arms, and public sector pension funds across the US. With dual reporting lines to the Director of Trade, San Francisco, as well as to the Sector Director for Capital Investment – North America, you will work as part of a team located across North America with responsibility for driving strategic capital investment from the United States and Canada into all regions of the UK, as well as being a valued contributor to the San Francisco-based regional team.

Additionally, the successful applicant will be expected to exercise their sector knowledge and expertise in support of the Sector Director to provide additional sector leadership capacity within the network, including engaging with key stakeholders in Whitehall, and directly managing strategic accounts. This will include periodically deputising for the Sector Director and traveling outside of the candidate’s primary Post. There will also be line management of one or more Senior Capital Investment and Capital Investment Officers, as well as supporting the Sector Director more broadly in the effective leadership and efficient operation of the North America Capital Investment Sector team.

You will work as part of a team located across North America with responsibility for driving strategic capital investment from the United States and Canada into all regions of the UK, as well as being a valued contributor to the San Francisco-based regional team.

Roles And Responsibilities

• Together with the Sector Director, shape, promote, and deliver the Integrated Sector Plan for Capital Investment, North America, in consultation with key stakeholders and wider UK government departments. Plan and lead cross-team projects in the execution thereof. Represent the region in cross-departmental and cross-UK government working groups.
• Keep pace with market trends both in the capital investment sector, as well as key focus industry verticals, with particular focus on renewable energy, infrastructure, life sciences, deep technology, real estate and sport. Understand and communicate UK government strategy in relevant sectors.
• Proactively target investors with strategies and portfolios aligned with UK government priorities, as well as the propensity to increase their asset allocation and exposure to the UK. Successfully build and manage a pipeline of knowledge-driven investment opportunities and projects in focus industry verticals
• Provide a comprehensive account management service to a diversified portfolio of key investors based on the west coast of the US. Support and build positive relationships at multiple levels and touch points, coordinating closely with UK-based colleagues at DBT headquarters in London.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to deliver high-impact programming, including developing and hosting roundtables, seminars and trade missions, preparing briefing materials and contributing to Ministerial and other VIP visit programmes.
• Utilise existing CRM tools to capture investor engagement and manage investment project progression.
• Provide day-to-day leadership of direct reports. Support the Sector Director in the overall leadership of the North America Capital Investment Sector team, including direct oversight of budget forecasting and compliance, activity reporting, and team operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Resources Managed

• Line management of one or more Senior Capital Investment and Capital Investment Officers.
• Manage events and travel budgets.