Senior Trade Specialist, Life Sciences

View Vacancy - Senior Trade Specialist, Life Sciences | (CHEB24.410)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

Job Category Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)

Job Subcategory SDI (Scottish Development International)

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

About the Embassy

The British Embassy Berne is part of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s world-wide diplomatic network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas.

Scottish Development International (SDI) is Scotland’s international trade agency helping Scottish companies internationalise and playing a valuable role in the British Embassy’s commercial outreach.

Shape the Future of Healthcare: Join Our Life Science Mission

Scotland has been at the forefront of medical innovations for over 200 years and its ability to develop new solutions in healthcare systems, informatics, big data and personalised medicine is class leading. As a part of this success, we are looking for a new colleague to help develop these business areas in Switzerland – and further afield.

Based at the British Embassy in beautiful Berne, you'll be at the heart of Europe's innovation ecosystem. Working closely the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, you'll play a pivotal role for Scottish companies in driving innovation and export growth in life sciences and related healthcare industries.

What You'll Do:

• Identify Growth Opportunities: Analyse market trends, identify trade opportunities, and provide trusted advice and insight to Scottish companies.
• Foster Innovative Partnerships: Build strong connections with Swiss healthcare businesses, researchers, and clusters to foster collaboration and innovation.
• Drive Internationalisation: Assist Scottish companies in expanding their activities into the Swiss market

What We're Looking For:

• A strong understanding of the life science and healthcare sectors in Switzerland and a passion for innovation and technology.
• Excellent communication skills with a strategic mindset and a knack for problem-solving.
• A desire to work in a dynamic, international environment where understanding differing cultures is important.

What makes this role unique?

• Being part of Scotland's fast growing life science and healthcare sectors where animal science and agricultural technologies also play important roles.
• Work with cutting-edge companies across healthcare, precision medicines, informatics and data as well as in areas of sustainability, bio engineering and genomics.
• Drive innovation partnerships between Scottish and Swiss institutions which can contribute to the UK’s economic growth.

What will you be expected to achieve?

• Provide expert support and advice to Scottish companies wishing to enter the Swiss markets within life sciences, healthcare systems and human health.
• Deliver against Scottish trade strategies and export targets and advance Scotland as a centre for life science innovation.
• Build strategic relationships with Swiss organisations, private / public, that increase Scottish trade by identifying export opportunities.
• Lead on the development of innovation partnerships and networks with Swiss stakeholders such as incubators, clusters, academia and industry bodies.
• Collaborate with colleagues from across the UK Government as well as Swiss governmental departments, agencies and Cantons.
• Facilitate key events and activities which support Scottish trade work including webinars, conferences, roadshows, trade missions, Ministerial visits, virtual or otherwise.
• Support Scottish Government activity in the region as well as Scottish and UK Ministerial visits.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Essential on arrival:

• Knowledge of Swiss life science and healthcare ecosystems.
• An experienced networker with existing life science relationships in Switzerland / DACH.
• A fast learner who can demonstrate initiative, resilience, and adaptability.
• A team player with a consultative approach who can collaborate within a geography and virtually.
• Project management skills with ability to prioritise and juggle multiple activities.
• Fluent written and spoken English as well as German (minimum level required C2 under the CEFRL* or equivalent).

Desirable qualifications,skills and experience

Desirable:

• An understanding of government, policy and the role it plays international trade.
• Experience of working in an international trade promotion environment across the region.
• Experience of public speaking and an ability to demonstrate credibility and expertise on complex issues.

Required behaviours Making Effective Decisions, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together

2 December 2024

Grade Executive Officer (EO)

Type of Position Full-time, Permanent

Working hours per week 37.5 hours per week

Region Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Country/Territory Switzerland

Location (City) Berne

Type of Post British Embassy

Number of vacancies 1

Salary Currency CHF

Monthly salary for this position is 8,428.00 CHF gross, payable 13 times a year.

Type of Salary monthly

Start Date 1 February 2025

Other benefits and conditions of employment

This is a full-time, 37.5 hours per week, permanent position. Probationary period of 3 month, during which either party may bring the agreement to an end, in writing with 2-month’ notice.

Monthly salary for this position is 8,428.00 CHF gross, payable 13 times a year.

The annual leave entitlement is 25 days per year pro rata and the Embassy also enjoys an average of 14 public holidays per year.

The final appointment and commencement will be dependent upon successful security clearance and subject to a professional background check. The successful candidate will be subject to professional background and security clearance. The applicant will be vetted to a achieve a security clearance (SC level) both from UK and Switzerland.

The British Embassy in Berne believes in a culture of continuous learning and development and works to give all staff the opportunity to build expertise and achieve personal goals through engaging on the job, learning from colleagues and from formal training courses. The successful candidate will have a tailored induction programme.

The FCDO’s International Academy offers a range of learning opportunities, including accredited qualifications, to help you learn about the work of the UK government internationally, how diplomacy works, and to develop your professional skills.Funding is also available to support your bids for further external training that will benefit you in the role, for example to deepen knowledge and expertise in climate and energy policy matters.

Please note that the successful candidate will need to arrange and pay for their own travel and accommodation, as well as any other living costs and are subject to Swiss taxes.

Visa/work permit requirements:All applicants should have permission to live and work in Switzerland. Applicants must hold a full passport valid for at least 18 months for any EU / Schengen country. All applicants should have the right to live and work in Switzerland.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.

Please note that the successful candidate will need to arrange and pay for their own travel and accommodation, as well as any other living costs and are subject to Swiss taxes.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to terms and conditions service according to Swiss employment law.

Additional information

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet any cost during the Recruitment and Selection process, Security Check nor the costs connected with relocation.

*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR . Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

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