Job Posting – Head of Technology, Department for Business & Trade Germany (DEU23.662) – Munich

The UK’s Department for Business & Trade (DBT) in Germany is looking for a Head of Technology who will lead a team of technology trade and investment experts, to be based at the British Consulate General in Munich.

Our Setting:

The DBT Germany team is made up of approximately 40 staff, based in the Embassy in Berlin and Consulates-General in Düsseldorf and Munich. It is the largest team in the DBT Europe Region (around 300 staff in 34 countries in total) and works closely with colleagues in London and across the UK to improve market access for business and boost exports and investment. In Germany, DBT is made up of sector-focussed teams, with cross-cutting support from a core office, the Strategic Communications Team and the Trade Policy and Market Access team. DBT Germany’s work is crucial to supporting the UK economy: Germany is the UK’s second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade accounting for more than £132bn in 2022 – 8% of total UK trade. The UK and Germany are long-standing partners with shared interests in free and fair trade, WTO and rulebook reform and supporting multilateralism.

Commercial Context:

The UK has one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems in the world, with a particular strength in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum, and Cyber Security. German scale-ups and established technology companies have created thousands of high value jobs across the UK in recent years.

In 2022, the UK exported more than £3bn in technology services to Germany. Exports to Germany in the UK Office for National Statistics category “Computer Services” have more than doubled since 2016.

Role & Responsibilities:

Securing strategic investment will be your key priority, followed by strategic leadership for the team on Market Access & Exports. All roles and responsibilities in DBT Germany are flexible and our staff adapt their work in line with Ministerial priorities and developments in the British and German markets.

Your Mission:

Securing Strategic Investments:

As a team leader, you will be ambassador of the UK’s technology potential in Germany. You will need to develop a deep understanding of regulation, industry technology trends, and future developments. Your task is to craft compelling, tailor-made investment proposals for potential investors. The technology team covers a diverse range of themes, including AI, Quantum, and Cyber Security. Your team’s mission is to secure strategically important investments from German technology companies. You will also be responsible for maintaining a steady stream of investment projects and be comfortable engaging with senior manager and C-Level decision makers on behalf of the British Government.

Market Access & Boosting Exports:

Germany is a vital export market for UK technology companies. Your team’s role is to support UK firms looking to expand to the German market by finding high value opportunities and contacts. Your team will manage the most important export relationships and identify high-potential export opportunities, under your guidance.

Following the signing of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, your leadership also extends to ensuring your team stays on top of the most critical policy and market access topics as they relate to the free trade agreement and any future reviews. This involves close collaboration with policy leads in DBT and other government departments. You will actively identify market access barriers that should be resolved to unleash the full potential of the UK’s technology ecosystem.

Strategic Leadership:

You will lead your team with expertise and enthusiasm, delivering a well-planned investment, export and market access strategy that focuses only on the highest-value opportunities for the UK. The successful candidate will provide leadership to the DBT Germany Technology Team, with responsibility for the Team’s strategy to support Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from German tech companies into the UK, as well as grow exports from UK tech businesses to Germany.

You will coordinate budgets, business planning and strategic commercial project efforts across various government stakeholders, ensuring we harness the full potential of UK industry and government policy. You will serve as the go-to expert and advisor for the Germany Senior Management Team on all things related to technology and support the Consul General who oversees your sector. You will contribute to the effective leadership and smooth running of the Consulate. As a senior member of DBT Germany, you will draw on your experience and insight to supporting and accompanying senior diplomats and Ambassadors, visiting Ministers, and officials from the UK. Your team will support events and initiatives that foster collaboration between the UK and Germany, showcasing UK capabilities and values. You will do occasional external speaking engagements. Members of your team will spend some of their time working on capital investment, which is led out of DBT Germany’s Core Office at the Embassy in Berlin.

Requirements:

As a senior member of the DBT Germany team, the jobholder will need to be creative, strategic and able to mobilise a wide network (both inside government and in the private sector), in order to build a pipeline of potential investors into the UK. They will have exceptional relationship management skills to ensure sustained, sophisticated and tailored engagement and have the ability to work credibly at the most senior levels. The role will demand strong leadership skills to engage and motivate a high-performing and diverse team working across three Posts in Germany, as well as the ability to collaborate strategically with Policy colleagues in the Embassy and DBT teams in other markets.