Space Trade

The Department for International Trade (DIT) helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade deals, and champions free trade.

We also play a key role in ensuring that investment and investors coming to the UK are the right ones, with the right intentions that will benefit the UK economy and our national security. With the new National Security & Investment Act 2021 now fully enacted, it is more important than ever to ensure foreign investment into sensitive sectors like Space is carefully overseen.

The Space Sector Team in the Department for International Trade promotes UK space capability overseas to international customers and investors to grow UK prosperity and meet national requirements. We also play a leading role in the Department’s work on investment security, working closely with the Investment Security Unit led out of the Department for Business, Energy, & Industrial Strategy.

We are the sector experts within the Department for International Trade supporting decision making and delivery across the Department’s full range of objectives, providing expertise and advice to senior officials and Ministers.

Space continues to increase in importance to the UK’s economy and national security, with exports and inward investment playing a key role in this. With the establishment of the UK’s new National Space Council, this is an exciting time to join the growing space community across the Government.

The role offers a stretching opportunity across the full range of global prosperity, trade and investment, and security objectives in the space sector.

Job description

This is a stimulating and exciting role in the space sector, part of a growing team in DIT. You will help drive the delivery of the UK Government’s Space trade and investment ambitions across four of the regions led by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners including North America, Europe, The Gulf, and Indo-Pacific.

You will support the sector in growing the UK’s market share of the global space sector and in positioning the UK as the globally competitive destination for foreign direct investment. You will also work closely with colleagues in British Embassies and High Commissions overseas to improve the UK supply chain’s understanding of doing business in these regions and identify new opportunities.

You will be a sector expert within the Department and internal champion with senior stakeholders across Whitehall. You will develop policies and strategies in support of our space trade ambitions for two of our four key regions aligned to wider UK Government economic, diplomatic, and security objectives.

You and the team will be engaging with businesses, from the world’s largest space companies to innovative start-ups. You will be a confident advocate of the department’s objectives and have credibility with a range of external stakeholders.

You will join a small but growing team and be part of a wider government space community working jointly with BEIS, UK Space Agency, Ministry of Defence, and others to deliver as one team on the Government’s ambitious plans for the Space sector particularly in exports and foreign direct investment.

Hybrid Working

Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.

Informal hybrid working arrangements will be available as agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Most DIT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average. If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London weighting.


**Responsibilities**:
Desirable Criteria
- Understanding of the Space sector, technology or advanced manufacturing
- Working with UK businesses
- Working with international stakeholders or working internationally
- Experience of delivering trade and investment or commercially focussed outcomes

Personal Attributes & Skills

To be successful in this role you will need to enjoy building relationships inside and outside government and be curious about how space businesses work and what drives them. You will bring energy and new perspectives to the team and be willing to question the way things are done. You will be able to clearly communicate through written, oral, and presentational forums with stakeholders inside and outside of Government at all levels, including Senior Civil Servants and Ministers.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture

**Benefits**:

- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know
Security

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