JOB SUMMARY
This is a tremendously important time to be working on UK-US trade. On 8th May, the Prime Minister announced the General Terms for a new UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) with President Trump. Since then, this landmark deal has already protected tens of thousands of jobs, saved key British industries across the regions and Devolved Governments and helped support UK economic growth.
As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, the two-way trading relationship between the UK and the US is one of the world’s most important. The total trade flowing in both directions was worth £315 billion in 2024, representing 18% of total UK trade in 2024. We have invested over £1.2 trillion in each other’s economies. Every day, more than a million Britons turn up to work for American-owned businesses; and more than a million Americans work for British-owned businesses.
The US Directorate oversees UK-US trade and tariff negotiations, strategy, policy development, sub-federal market access and much more. We work closely with the Secretary of State, No.10, the Cabinet Office, British Embassy Washington and other government departments to deliver this ambitious agenda.
JOB DESCRIPTION
As Deputy Director for US Strategy and Engagement in the US Directorate, you will oversee the strategy and development of UK-US trade policy, stakeholder engagement, comms and project management of the US trade programme. You will work alongside the Deputy Director for US Negotiations and Deputy Director for US Sub Federal, reporting directly to the US Director.
Areas of responsibility include:
- Developing and coordinating the UK’s trade policy with the US, working closely with DBT colleagues on the US relationship, as well as the Cabinet Office, FCDO, HM Treasury and other relevant Whitehall departments.
- Horizon-scanning and actively monitoring US trade policies and trends; ensuring UK-US trade strategy reflects wider Departmental priorities, such as the Industrial Strategy and Trade Strategy.
- Overseeing DBT’s engagement strategy on UK-US trade, including ministerial visits to the US, engaging with high profile US and UK businesses and other stakeholders, ministerial meetings, roundtables and incoming VIP visits.
- Working closely with DBT press office, comms teams and ministerial private office to deliver communications on US trade.
- Overseeing the planning, delivery and monitoring of negotiating rounds and management of the US trade programme.
- Overseeing all Parliamentary and Devolved Government engagement related to US trade, including correspondence, urgent questions, Ministerial interactions with Parliamentary Committees and Parliamentary scrutiny of the Economic Prosperity deal.
- Running the secretariat for the US Trade Strategy Board.
- Leading and inspiring an inclusive US team of around 15 staff and coordinating a wider Department for Business and Trade and cross-Whitehall team.
- Working seamlessly and side by side with the US Negotiations team to ensure effective delivery of the UK’s trade policy and negotiations.
- Working closely with the British Embassy in Washington DC and the wider FCDO and Department for Business and Trade networks of staff in the US.
NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements
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