Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)  

The British Embassy in Doha is part of a worldwide network that represents political, economic, security and consular interests overseas. We are looking for an Investment Partner who will cover both Qatar and Kuwait, under the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

The Office for Investment is the central function to HMG’s growth priority to secure investment, job creation and increase productivity across the UK. Utilizing appropriately senior talent from across the private and public sectors the Office for Investment operates across the full breadth of HMG ensuring a consistent and commercially attractive proposition to attract global capital into strategically important sectors highlighted in the UK’s Industrial Strategy.

The Middle East will be imperative to achieving its growth and investment mission. Home to four of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds and numerous other State related funds, representing trillions of pounds of capital, the region is unique with its intersection of government and commerce. The UK holds a number of investment partnership agreements across the GCC accounting for investment commitments of over £40bn.

As part of HMG’s broader expansion of the UK Office for Investment and in line with Ministerial guidance, the Middle East and Pakistan region will create a dedicated Office for Investment team within the regional Department for Business and Trade structure.  This new team will consist of appropriately senior investment partners based and covering the priority markets, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. 

Based in Qatar and providing coverage to Kuwait, this role will be expected to lead on the development of relationships with the markets’ sovereign wealth funds and wider investor base, promoting UK opportunities and unlocking investment barriers to drive investment and growth into the UK.

This is an excellent opportunity for a dynamic and highly motivated individual to play an active role in the economic growth mission of the UK.

The jobholder will work to the DBT Country Director, Qatar and Regional Director of the Office for Investment.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Investment Target Delivery: Responsible for delivering HMG’s ambitious investment targets across both Qatar and Kuwait and will be expected to define and implement a strategic in-market approach to the country’s largest investors and capital pools. In addition to local responsibilities, the role holder will be expected to play an active role in the regional Office for Investment team, highlighting and implementing best practices.

• Relationship Management: A core responsibility will be the development and management of relationships across the full cadre of investment entities including sovereign (Qatar and Kuwait are home to two of the largest sovereign wealth funds globally), private equity, venture capital and family offices. Appropriately senior commercial experience and interpersonal skills to operate at this level will be a fundamental requirement.

• Propositions and Investment Knowledge: Building on a strong existing knowledge base of investment principles, the role holder will be expected to develop a deep understanding of target customer investment appetite and approach, using this local knowledge to provide a market view to support the creation of UK investment propositions and effectively promoting these to investor base. This role requires a thirst for building networks, a desire to lead and the confidence to communicate publicly. Combining self-motivation with the ability to work collaboratively in identifying opportunities for the UK and designing strategies and propositions to position us for success. The leading candidate will be an individual who can build longstanding and credible relationships with key interlocutors.  

• Unlocking Barriers: The role holder will be expected to demonstrate sound and balanced judgement, identifying and unlocking potential investment barriers in line with HMG’s strategic objectives. Working alongside UK colleagues across Government to ensure effective risk mitigation and inward investment growth.

• Ministers/Official Dialogues: Extremely regular engagement with senior officials including Secretaries of State. Ministers, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner in the MEaP region and His Majesty’s Ambassadors around the region, to proactively engage leading investors. The post holder will contribute to and lead on high-profile inward visits of UK ministers to advance opportunities in this area.

• Stakeholder engagement: A regular out of hours element is a key part of the role in order to develop and engage stakeholders and potential investors. The jobholder will be expected to attend evening events etc. to build relationships.

• Sector Engagement: The jobholder will be expected to operate across sectors, collaborating with DBT sector leads in market to promote and develop respective investment opportunities.

• Investment Pipeline: The jobholder will be accountable for robust pipeline management, identifying and addressing both opportunities and risks to investment growth objectives.

• Line Management: Line management and development of Investment Officer resource.

• Embassy: In addition to OFI responsibilities, the jobholder will be expected to play an active role in delivering British Embassy, Doha corporate and business objectives.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future and this would be at the discretion of the line manager or head of section. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs.

Candidates will need to demonstrate the following Key Behaviours and Diversity & Inclusion during the interview:

Key Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing - Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.

• Delivering at Pace - Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

• Leadership - Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.

• Seeing the Big Picture - Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.

• Working Together - Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The British Embassy Doha has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination and is fully committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive work environment for all.

We are committed to valuing diversity and to equality of opportunity. Our aim is to create and promote an environment in which all staff are treated fairly and with respect and feel able to contribute to the best of their abilities.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Leadership - including line management and functional leadership of programmes.

• Excellent communication skills in English both verbal and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely and ability to write to a high standard for a wide range of audiences.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with confidence to work on own initiative and a proven ability to engage and influence at a senior level internally and with external contacts.

• Commercial experience- engaging with external counterparts, developing appropriately senior relationships.  Demonstration of ability to deliver growth.

• Excellent organisational skills to respond effectively to tight – and changing – deadlines and priorities. Exceptional analysis skills, able to bring together complex pieces of information and present in a simple format. Strong IT computer skills using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and internet/ web applications.

  
  

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

• Existing knowledge of the UK or Qatar economy, ideally both, with demonstrated ability to rapidly master a wide range of economic, investment and trade issues.

• Three (3) years’ experience, ideally in the investment promotion and/or Financial Services sector.