JOB DESCRIPTION

View Vacancy – Deputy Country Director & Head of Investment Poland, Head of Strategic Accounts Central Europe (SEO) | POL25.296

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

Department for Business and Trade roles (DBT)

Job Subcategory

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job:

To provide the DBT Poland Investment team with senior leadership, in-line with PM priorities and wider restructuring of the overseas investment network. The job holder will lead the team responsible for identifying and supporting Polish companies interested in investing in the UK or expanding their existing operations overseas. They will also be responsible for deputising for the Country Director as needed, providing support in delivering DBT’s objectives in Poland across all pillars of work (trade, investment, trade policy and market access).

The successful candidate will lead a dynamic and inclusive team based in the British Embassy in Poland and work closely with colleagues across Europe and in the UK.

What will you be expected to achieve?

• Lead the Poland Investment team to develop inward investment opportunities into the UK, a central aspect of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and a key part of the mission to deliver economic growth. Provide strategy and vision to FDI work in Poland, with a focus on priority sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy.
• Manage the Poland FDI pipeline and, with a particular focus on top investment accounts in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and financial services.
• Design, manage, coordinate and implement individual, bespoke Relationship Management Strategies for key target companies in close cooperation with investment teams at other Central Europe Posts taking personal initiative, securing buy-in from and ensuring cooperation with relevant colleagues in Office for Investment.
• Develop and maintain an extensive and influential network across the Polish investment community with the aim of generating, attracting and facilitating high value Polish Foreign Direct and Indirect Investment. Through this network, identify, pursue and deliver a pipeline of agreed value Investment successes.
• Represent the UK, and the wider Polish and Europe Central trade & investment teams in media and at external events, including through delivery of and active participation in sector-based events such as seminars and briefings and effective comms activities to raise the profile of the UK and DBT’s investment offer in Poland.
• Lead on the implementation of the investment priorities of the Regional Trade Plan in Poland by actively engaging with DBT’s wider Europe Region and investment team, implementing Europe-wide strategy locally, facilitating collaboration across country teams and sharing expertise with other DBT country teams
• Seamlessly integrate into the existing Europe Central FDI team, and hit the ground running to take on a full spectrum of FDI-related work including lead generation, investment meetings, event organisation and delivery, VIP visits and related briefing and reporting according to FDI requirements at Posts.
• Actively contribute to the DBT leadership team in Warsaw across the full spectrum of DBT priorities, by acting as a formal deputy to the Country Director, including managing project budgets of up to £100,000 by ensuring value for money, maximum impact, accurate and timely forecasting as well as delivering and supervising a cross-Team capability building program.
• Work closely with the Head of Strategic Relations to maximize investment outcomes through our Strategic Relationship Management program, both in Poland and in the UK.
• Work with UK Government colleagues in other Embassies and in London, including other investment teams & sector specialists, and facilitate VIP & ministerial engagement where appropriate, to support & manage the investor journey.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Essential on arrival:

• BA degree (or higher) in a relevant field;
• At least 10 years of experience in government, business or investment promotion agencies
• Strategic commercial and economic awareness;
• Experience of line/team management and ability to motivate and empower team members;
• Highly developed sales and customer relationship management skills acquired in a business or institutional environment, with a clear commitment to excellent customer service;
• In-depth understanding of international trade, foreign direct investment and business environment;
• Experience in managing complex projects and budgets;
• Proven track record of success in Business Development;
• Relevant business acumen and experience in managing C-level relationships;
• Sound organisational and communication skills including practical experience in public speaking and social media communications;
• Ability to work effectively and supportively with colleagues and contacts in the immediate and wider team, including in virtual matrix structures;
• Ability to adapt quickly to the changing priorities showing flexibility, effectiveness and independence, whilst being part of an international team split across multiple locations;
• Excellent Polish and English language skills (written and spoken) are required (C1 level or above under the CEFRL or equivalent);
• Proficient command of MS office package and main digital communication platforms (e.g. LinkedIn).

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Desirable:

• Qualification in resource and/or project management;
• Previous or relevant experience of trade policy and market access issues;
• Demonstrable analytical skills, the ability to make sense of complex information;
• Experience in organising successful events for senior stakeholders;
• Knowledge of and experience working with social media and other digital media and producing impactful content;
• Ability to adapt in a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.

Required behaviours

Developing Self and Others, Leadership, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together

Application deadline

21 September 2025

Grade

Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

Type of Position

Full-time, Fixed Term

Working hours per week

37.5 hours/week

Duration of Post

24 months

Region

Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Country/Territory

Poland

Location (City)

Warsaw

Type of Post

British Embassy

Number of vacancies

1

Salary Currency

PLN

Salary

Monthly 23,226 PLN (gross)

Type of Salary

monthly

Start Date

1 November 2025

Other benefits and conditions of employment

This is a full-time, fixed-term position of 5 days (37.5 hours net) per week, from Monday to Friday, for the period of 2 years with the possibility of renewal.

The gross salary for this position is PLN 23,226 gross per month.

Other benefits:

• Staff are entitled to time-off-in-lieu for agreed extra hours worked.
• The annual leave entitlement is 20 or 26 days per year pro rata.
• The Embassy also enjoys a maximum of 14 Polish/UK public holidays per year.

Please note that staff members are responsible for paying any income tax required by the local law.

The successful candidate will be subject to reference checks and the satisfactory completion of a probationary period of three months.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Warsaw are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to Polish employment law.

Visa / Passport requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Poland and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country. The British Embassy does not sponsor work permits.

Learning & Development:

The British Embassy Warsaw offers a wide range of other development opportunities, including shadowing other teams, mentoring and interactive Learning and Development sessions, as supported by the wider FCDO training offer.

The jobholder will be making a significant positive contribution to the UK and Polish economies and gaining experience in innovative business sectors. This is a unique and exciting role within the worldwide UK Government network, with opportunities to travel across Poland and Europe and to engage with diverse and high-level contacts. There is a strong focus on personal learning and development, with a dedicated budget to fund individual courses, job shadowing and other upskilling initiatives. This role provides opportunities to contribute to corporate initiatives that help to make the UK in Poland network a better place to work.

Working patterns: The British Embassy Warsaw has a strong commitment to work/life balance. Standard office hours are 8.30-16.30 with flexi-hours possibility within the opening hours 8.00-18.00. We also have mobile technology and offer hybrid working with remote working days to be agreed with Line Managers.

Additional information

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

The start date mentioned in the advert is just an expected start date. The appointment can start earlier or later depending on several factors.

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 the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

*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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements