Export Support Service – Hub & Operations Manager - (04/24 JHB) at British High Commission

Main purpose of job:

Based in the British High Commission in Johannesburg, this role is an exciting opportunity to work with business and government in an international setting covering the entire Africa region at the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT). DBT is the UK Government’s department for economic growth. DBT supports businesses to invest, grow and export, and the work we do has a real impact on jobs and growth across the UK.

This role is part of DBT’s Export Support Service – International Markets (ESS-IM), a free government service which supports UK Small-Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to export across the world, with market-specific insight and guidance, provided by DBT teams based around the world. As part of DBT’s global ecosystem of export support for UK businesses, the ESS-IM MEaP Hub is the first port of call for SME’s looking to explore MEaP’s extensive trading opportunities. ESS-IM is part of the UK Government’s commitment to support UK businesses ‘sell to the world’ and grow the UK economy through exports by reaching the ‘Race to a Trillion’ challenge, laid out in the 2021 Export Strategy: Made in the UK, Sold to the World.

It is an exciting time to join the ESS-IM team in MEaP – with the service having launched only a year ago (April 2022), this role offers the opportunity to drive the operations and support the development of ESS-IM in the Africa network. The postholder will be expected to deliver an excellent service for UK businesses, manage the hub team and ensure the ESS-IM network in Africa has the tools required to work effectively.

In addition to your responsibilities, you will be part of a high-performing, ambitious global ESS-IM team. This role is ideal for existing or aspiring trade professionals looking to make a difference and develop their careers at DBT.

Responsibilities include:

Delivery:  

• Working with the Head of the Africa International Markets Team, you will support the running of the Africa Enquiry Hub which essentially manages directs and triages all SME enquiries for Africa to the International Market advisors throughout Africa.
• You will provide overall governance and oversight for the operational effectiveness of the ESS-IM Africa Hub, driving continual improvement of the service. Improvements and oversight will come from ensuring the people, process and tools available to the ESS-IM Africa team are effective, for example managing the Operations Officer, to planning on staffing and recruitment linked to changes in enquiry volumes.

Strategy:

• You will provide operational assessments (essentially what are the key growth countries and sectors within Africa) into the team’s strategy, working with colleagues in ESS-IM UK team to ensure ESS-IM Africa’s support for UK SMEs contributes to growing UK exports to the region.
• Leading the Africa operations hub team to ensure the hub provides actionable intelligence in support of decision making in the HMTC Africa team and for the ESS-IM service.

Leadership:

• You will manage one member of the hub team, while leading the approach to triage, data management, performance and reporting.
• You will promote the profile of the ESS-IM team within the Africa network by communicating the hub team’s work and demonstrate potential opportunities for collaboration on shared objectives.

Communications & Insight:  

• Promoting ESS-IM internally, such as through secretariat of the ESS-IM Africa and UK working group, and identifying opportunities to boost client referrals to ESS-IM Africa, using  communicating the hub’s operational data to meet its engagement objectives.
• Act as an advocate for the ESS-IM Africa team externally and internally where needed

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• 1x A2

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 

• Experience of working in a commercial, business-focused team to deliver value for money outcomes
• Line management experience or task management experience
• At least three years’ experience working in trade and investment
• Experience managing a team working remotely
• Fluent in written and verbal English 

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 

• Experience of operational delivery in triaging and allocating staff to work schedules
• Experience and/or understanding of DBT Africa’s priorities and activities
• Experience of working with UK SMEs to enter African markets
• Experience working in an international organisation