Director of Business, Trade and Investment

The Government of Montserrat is inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the post of Director of Business, Trade and Investment, within the Cabinet Secretariat.

The Government of Montserrat is inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the post of Director of Business, Trade and Investment, within the Cabinet Secretariat.

JOB OUTLINE

Montserrat is open for business! Our vision is for an economically and socially vibrant Montserrat, delivered through a business-friendly economic environment, and underpinned by good governance. 

This British Overseas Territory is on a development pathway. Support from the UK Government is driving the delivery of a new hospital and port, infrastructure which will underpin our economic development for years to come. The newly elected Montserrat Cabinet has made private sector growth and development a key focus of their government. 

The Director for Business, Trade and Investment will play a principal role in developing Montserrat’s economy. As director you will be responsible for supporting businesses and the private sector to invest, grow and export, creating jobs throughout the economy and improving livelihoods. You will pioneer initiatives to create the right environment for businesses to flourish and succeed, and provide practical support to firms to drive trade and investment. 

You will be responsible for leading the efforts in facilitating economic and business development to secure growth, and to increase local employment and development opportunities. The role is positioned as a key advisor to the Premier and Cabinet on matters of trade, domestic and external private sector investment, business development, and economic development and diversification. 

Reporting to the Cabinet Secretary, you will have strategic oversight and managerial responsibility for the Business, Trade and Investment Unit. Although situated within the Cabinet Secretariat, the role will work across the breadth of Montserrat’s economic sectors and in close liaison with other ministries. 

The unit is responsible for reviewing, adapting and establishing the foundational structural governance architecture upon which economic growth and development relies. This means clarifying and improving regulation, developing the institutional frameworks to support and drive business activity in established and new sectors, and attracting and working with investors. 

Drawing together the strategic objectives of other ministries, you will lead the analysis, planning and delivery for a new economic growth strategy. Montserrat’s economy is currently largely underpinned by the public sector and financial development assistance from the UK Government. The Director of Business, Trade and Investment will play a pivotal role in identifying sectors for economic growth, along with the strategies, policies and legislative interventions to capitalize on these. Driving trade, commerce and investment will be a key enabler for the government to deliver on its wider social objectives. 

The successful candidate will need to be commercially alert. You will be the primary representative in the Government of Montserrat for the private sector and potential investors. This means promoting new business opportunities and providing support to existing businesses, helping to deliver long-term economic sustainability for Montserrat.

To assist in delivering this, you will identify and drive actions across government that reduce barriers to commerce, investment, and both physical and market access. 

We’re looking for someone with experience in writing and implementing policy and strategy, and experience working within economic development, trade and investment, or a related field. 

You will be a strong leader with experience in managing and leading a high performing team.

The Director of Business, Trade and Investment will be responsible for the following:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Business, Trade and Investment will be responsible for the following:

• Lead and drive inward investment and trade opportunities, acting as a key lead for investment activities with prospective investors, businesses and international organisations.
• Develop and champion Montserrat’s strategic agenda for economic development and growth. Work across government and with other ministries to identify sector specific strategies and plans, identifying and capitalising on economic development opportunities.
• Promote Montserrat as a great place to do business, and work to develop a business-friendly policy and legislative framework which delivers the same in practice. 
• Commission and undertake detailed research on real and perceived barriers to growth in a range of industries and sectors, identifying and coordinating actions to reduce and address these. 
• Propose potential incentive programmes and policies to drive investment promotion, aimed at attracting new businesses to the island, and supporting existing businesses to expand and achieve export capability where possible.
• Drive innovation, market expansion, and business development opportunities.
• Review and recommend options for a streamlined process of business start-up through the Company Registry.
• Be a source of institutional knowledge for the private sector, developing detailed, customised plans for people and companies wanting to invest in Montserrat. Offer expert advice to all businesses operating in and with Montserrat.
• Build strong relationships with colleagues across the public service who act as touch points for investors, assisting other ministries to effectively manage investor relations, drawing on technical assistance as needed.
• Conduct and commission market research and reports on different sectors of the economy, and work with government economists and statisticians to ensure robust collection and analysis of domestic and regional economic indicators. 
• Evaluate investment and business proposals, and provide recommendations for appropriate government support to the proposals.
• Identify and secure grant or concessional funding for Government and Non-Government Organisational Projects.
• Lead a high performing team that is outward facing, results orientated and business focused. 
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, ethical standards and best practices.

DELIVERABLES

As a new post there is significant scope for the successful candidate to develop the position and the Business, Trade and Development Unit. Whilst these may be subject to change, an indicative list of deliverables include:

• Develop and implement an approved Private Sector Investment and Development Strategy within an agreed timeframe.
• Lead and then support the process to assess and implement reforms to the business environment to improve the investment climate and process for business start-up (with potential support from a FCDO programme of technical assistance).
• Oversee the development and maintenance of a database of potential investors, and a pipeline of commercial opportunities, in key areas of Montserrat’s economy. 
• Produce and maintain an Investment Prospectus / Investment Guide aimed at fostering and facilitating investment, guiding investors as they navigate country processes and regulatory requirements.
• Proactively network, using all professional bodies available such as UKTI, CARICOM and OECS counterparts, to ensure that opportunities identified are widely publicized.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATIONS

This position requires a commercial mind; a well-networked and experienced business investment operator with demonstrable success at attracting inward investment. Regional knowledge will be advantageous. 

As an individual you will require strong communication and strategic thinking skills, be a self-starter, results orientated and experienced in transformational developmental investment programs.

Knowledge of how government systems operate and experience in key economic development sectors such as tourism, agriculture, renewable energy and professional business services would be an advantage.

Substantial knowledge and experience in developing the local private sector, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), grant funding and investment promotion. Experience of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and FDI transactions would be beneficial. 

The successful applicant must exercise good judgment, discretion, confidentiality and initiative, while utilising tact and courtesy in frequent contact with business and industrial representatives, government officials and the public.