Senior Trade Advisor - Aerospace

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Main purpose of job:

Based in the British High Commission in New Delhi, this is an exciting opportunity to work with business and government in an international setting, within the aerospace team at the UK Department for Business & Trade (DBT). DBT promotes UK trade and investment globally, which is crucial for the UK's prosperity. Our team is dedicated to helping UK exporters significantly increase trade with India. This is an opportune time to join the team, following the signing of the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) earlier this year and focus now being on the implementation of this agreement.

We promote UK trade through strategic export campaigns, addressing market access barriers, and assisting UK companies in converting opportunities into export deals and partnerships. The incumbent will be expected to focus specifically on developing a pipeline of UK export projects and wider market development in areas such as aviation, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and related services. As part of our efforts, you will also tackle market access issues, such as non-tariff barriers, by supporting with lobbying or advocacy with relevant government departments.

As a Senior Trade Advisor, you will be responsible for leading and delivering high-profile events, strategies and activities. You will also be responsible for establishing and maintaining relations with companies and trade associations. The job entails working closely with and supporting the sector team and wider network.

You will have, or demonstrate how you would quickly acquire, a high-level understanding of the aerospace and aviation sectors both in the UK and India. You will support a strategy based on this knowledge to turn the long-term potential of the sector into a pipeline of opportunities for UK business. To do so, you will identify and build relationships within the sector and build a pipeline of projects for UK business, particularly large or high-value deals which would require UK government support or involvement to win. You will then work with the DBT team in the UK and in other markets to bring UK companies to India and support them to win business, delivering towards the UK government's commercial targets and wider trade objectives.

This is a high-profile role with a large degree of responsibility. You will be a voice for the UK government and industry in the sector; you will be expected to gain access to senior levels within Indian industry and government using His Majesty's Trade Commissioner, Deputy High Commissioners and other senior staff throughout India. You will be a self-starter who can demonstrate a long-term objective; plan and manage a delivery model; identify, grow and make effective use of stakeholders. You will work with colleagues within DBT in India and elsewhere, with other UK government colleagues, Indian government(s), business and trade associations.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

1) Market development and business opportunities (60%)

• Create, plan and deliver a pipeline of high value projects and opportunities; plan and deliver activities to connect UK business to these opportunities and provide bespoke support to UK companies to win business.
• Build and manage senior level relationships with companies, government departments and trade associations.
• Research and identify high-value export opportunities for the UK companies, support UK companies to get access to these opportunities and win significant contracts in India.
• Assist UK companies to increase exports to and invest in India, find new partners and safeguard investments; and identify new opportunities in areas such as asset management.
• Support overseas direct investments from UK companies in India.
• Work in close coordination with various stakeholders such as the wider DBT and UK network in India, DBT teams in the UK, International Trade Advisors, senior-decision makers in aerospace companies across both the UK and India, and various departments of government at the state and central levels to deliver DBT sector campaign and wider UK Government objectives.

2) Delegations and Ministerial Visits (20%)

• Support UK business delegations visiting India and Indian business delegations visiting the UK by organising various events and meetings.
• Support the sector lead in delivering events and activities in India and the UK.
• Support senior managers, including UK Ministers, the UK High Commissioner, HM Trade Commissioner and other senior management, providing them with high-quality briefing and advice with an aim to strengthen relationships with senior local contacts and further facilitate towards achieving the objectives of the team and DBT.

3) Market Access and Policy Support (15%)

• Work with trade policy and market access colleagues to overcome trade barriers being faced by UK companies.

4) Communications (5%):

• You will work closely with relevant teams across UK Government on public communications.

To be successful:

• You will have an overarching understanding of the aerospace and aviation sectors. Knowledge of both India and the UK context and a strong network on the ground would be preferred. You will use your analytical skills to apply this to identifying significant market opportunities for UK business and then supporting them to turn these in to opportunities.
• You will need to be strategically aware to identify emerging opportunities in the sector, as well as relevant trends in the UK and emerging potential exports and investments into India.
• You will have strong interpersonal skills and be capable of setting the direction for yourself and those around you, gaining their trust and respect - while working within a virtual team located across India.
• You will be an excellent collaborator, with experience of developing productive relationships with senior decision-makers, stakeholders and partners, and of using these to deliver your objectives.
• You will need to be collaborative and flexible, and able to manage yourself and the demands on you. You will also lead on sector specific communications.
• You will have good project management skills to deliver campaigns; and be detail-oriented with excellent English written and verbal communication skills. You will be expected to produce written work into a high standard.

Language requirements:

• Language: English
• Level of language required: Expert

Essential Skills:

• Education - Graduate/postgraduate qualification (Candidates without the required educational qualifications but with exceptional practical experience will be considered).
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant commercial/business/government experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to develop a network and manage the relationship with senior decision makers in government and industry.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to search out significant opportunities for UK business.
• Tried and tested project management skills.
• Marketing and presentational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, team working and people management skills.

Deadline to submit the application: 26th December 2025 (latest by 23:55 hours IST)