UKDSE Deputy Head Ukraine & Turkey
Within the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), UK Defence and Security Exports (UKDSE) provides a route to market for the UK’s defence and security, cyber and defence maritime industries as well as attracting foreign investment. We provide specialist advice and assistance in partnership with industry bodies and several Government departments including the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Home Office (HO).
Beyond seeking to grow our economy, UKDSE aims to deliver strategic advantage to the UK, by promoting industrial cooperation in the defence and security sectors to give HMG the edge when competing at state level. Ukraine is a clear priority for us, and reinforcing Ukraine’s industrial base is a direction from Number 10 with the stated ambition to win the war of industrial production with Russia; this will be achieved by ramping-up defence investment, increasing domestic production to meet long-term demand from Ukraine and to ensure our own capabilities are complemented by robust supply chains.
Looking across Whitehall, UKDSE is an integral part of the MOD’s operating model. We cooperate closely with “Task Force HIRST” in the MOD on developing and delivering a pan-HMG industrial strategy focused on enhancing cooperation between the UK and Ukrainian Defence sectors.We also design and deliver trade missions into Kyiv directly to function as an interlocutor between our defence industries and the Ukrainian MOD as well its Ministry for Strategic Industries.
The postholder will:
- Lead the UKDSE Ukraine team to ensure optimal delivery of departmental strategic objectives in line with government priorities.
- Be required to individually plan and implement a number of high-risk no fail, cross-cutting workstreams that will run through 2024/25 and beyond. A collaborative and inclusive approach in DBT, across Whitehall and internationally is critical.
- Think strategically across the political, military, and economic lines of engagement.
- Write and provide briefings for Director General level Principals and taking decisions with a high degree of autonomy.
- Will need to be able to work across Whitehall and internationally.
- Will lead a cross-departmental team of 12 people.
The role also requires the individual to be highly resilient (possibly working long hours at short notice) and ideally, they should be prepared to visit Kyiv and other locations in Ukraine (i.e. a hostile environment for which SAFE+ training is required and close protection may be necessary).