Sector Director, Financial & Professional Services

Department for Business and Trade; New York (NY); On-site; USD 109,170 - 128,570; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous leave

Choice of medical insurance

401(k) matching up to 7%

Extensive learning opportunities

Work/life balance

Job summary

A government department in New York is searching for a talented Sector Director to lead the Financial Services sector team. The role involves driving trade policies, developing strategic plans, and managing high-value investors. Ideal candidates should possess substantial experience in business development within financial services, outstanding leadership skills, and a degree in a relevant field. The position offers an opportunity to significantly impact transatlantic trade and investment while leading a passionate team in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Substantial professional experience in business development or economic development.
• In-depth knowledge of Financial Services.
• Excellent management and leadership skills to deliver results.
• Proven competence in strategy development and business planning.
• Advisory and influencing skills at senior levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop an agile financial services sector team.
• Shape and deliver an integrated sector business plan.
• Influence effective trade policies in the financial services sector.
• Drive strategic discussions with UK-based counterparts.
• Manage existing high-value investors and trade partners.
• Work with marketing to develop digital campaigns.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic Planning

Analytical Skills

Networking

Problem Solving

Education

Degree in International Relations, Finance, Business Administration

Job description

Department for Business and Trade roles (DBT)

Job Subcategory

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

Main Purpose of Job

Be part of the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) mission to drive more trade and investment between North America and the UK. With a mature, high spending consumer market and an open economy, world-class talent and a business-friendly regulatory environment, the UK is the leading destination for foreign investment in Europe, and the second highest investment destination in the world. The UK is also the world’s seventh largest exporter and the second largest services exporter.

We employ over 150 people across North America, all united by our vision of a future where we champion open and fair global trading that drives growth, creates better jobs and higher wages, and improves living standards in the UK and around the world. We seek talented team members with the passion and drive to help us in our mission to build a global appetite for British goods and services; drive investment; negotiate trade deals and open up markets; improve international trading standards and fight unfair trading practices.

The Sector Director for Financial & Professional Services provides agile and visible leadership of the Financial Services sector team across North America to ensure sector delivery of the North America network’s strategy and objectives. The role sets and implements the UK’s strategy for increasing transatlantic trade and investment in financial services, represents the UK Government in a range of high-profile settings and is a valued contributor to the relevant regional team.

Roles and responsibilities

• Lead and develop an agile and effective sector team for the financial services industries.
• Shape and deliver an ambitious integrated sector business plan in consultation with stakeholders and wider UK Government Departments.
• Using the reach of the UK Government, seek to influence effective trade policies in the UK and US as it relates to the financial services industries.
• Regularly review progress against targets to ensure effective delivery by team.
• Using your expertise, drive strategic discussion and planning with UK-based counterparts and UK Government.
• This will include close co-operation with HM Treasury, as well as Regulators and the Office for Investment’s Financial Service’s Concierge Service to unlock growth.
• Work closely with relevant Directors of Trade to provide regional leadership, including support of Consuls General. Provide in-person support across North America for major events, VIP/Ministerial visits, or high value investment and export deals.
• Key account management of existing and potential high value investors and trade partners, using business intelligence to influence business planning.
• Work with marketing team to develop digital campaigns and PR to highlight successful investments and UK export deals and showcase UK leadership and innovation.
• Manage budget and make resource recommendations to senior leadership.
• International and Regional travel expected.
• Other duties as assigned.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure)

• Strategic leadership of the Financial and Professional Services sector team of 8 people.
• Financial responsibility for multiple programme activities that include other Government stakeholders and involve commercial sponsorships.
• Oversight and management of team budget.

Language requirements

Level of language required: Expert

Essential on arrival

• Substantial professional experience, gained within a business development or economic development role, ideally in the financial services industries.
• In-depth knowledge of Financial Services.
• Excellent management and leadership skills with the ability to deliver results through others.
• Proven competence in leading strategy development and business planning.
• Proven advisory and influencing skills at senior levels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and networking skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• An excellent network of industry contacts and the ability to develop new networks with senior business and industry leaders.
• An understanding of international relations and UK Government policy.
• An in‑depth knowledge of the US & UK financial services economies.
• A degree in a related field (e.g. International Relations, Finance, Business Administration etc)

Required behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Developing Self and Others, Leadership, Making Effective Decisions

25 March 2026

Grade

Grade 7 (G7)

Type of Position

Full-time, Permanent

Working hours per week

40

Region

Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories

Country/Territory

United States

Location (City)

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Washington

Type of Post

British Embassy

Number of vacancies

1

Salary Currency

USD

Atlanta $109,170 Boston $119,850 Chicago $110,560 Houston $109,170 Los Angeles $119,850 Miami $109,170 New York $119,850 San Francisco $128,570 Washington DC $119,850

Start Date

18 May 2026

All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work.

You must have the right to live and work in the US in order to take up this role, whether in your own right or as a dependant, and be able to demonstrate that when required. If you are not a US citizen, dual US citizen or US Permanent Resident, it is your responsibility check your eligibility to work for a foreign government in the United States, and specifically to work in this role at this location, and provide proof of your eligibility via an Employment Authorisation Document or other relevant document when required. The UK Government does not routinely sponsor work visas; the job advertisement will state clearly whether sponsorship is available.

You may refer to our website for additional information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-the-usa.

Core Hours/Hybrid Working

While many jobs in the US Network are able to offer flexibility in terms of working hours, core business hours are 09:30 to 15:00 (in the local time zone) Monday through Friday.

Employees will be expected to work from office full-time during the first 90 days of employment. After this time employees may work from home no more than 40% of the working week, subject to operational needs.

All working hours and hybrid working are position specific and subject to change at any time, without notice. If you have any questions, please address them with the hiring manager.

Learning and Development

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance.

Please note that the tax arrangements imposed by the US on staff working for foreign governments, as well as those imposed by the UK Treasury on British and dual nationals working for the UK Government overseas, are atypical. The UK Government cannot withhold taxes (including FICA) on behalf of a US taxpayer. Instead, a US taxpayer is required to file taxes as if they are self‑employed, and a FICA allowance is granted for those required to pay the employer contribution. Certain categories of staff (for example dual UK‑US nationals and some visa holders) who work at Consulates General are not subject to US taxes. For those not subject to US taxes the UK Government reduces gross pay to a level broadly equivalent to taxed net pay. There are also social security implications for dual UK‑US nationals. Please keep all this in mind when looking at the salary and the benefits package. If you are offered a job with the UK’s US Network you will be given further tax and social security information relevant to your personal circumstances and place of work; you are advised to consider this information and its impact on your circumstances carefully – potentially with the advice of a tax professional - before accepting a job.

Additional information

Closing date of receiving applications is before 23:55 (Local Time) on 25 March 2026.

All applicants must fully complete the online application form, including the sections for employment and educational details, experience, and behaviour-based questions. Only those applications that contain all required information will be considered. To ensure the sift process remains anonymous, please do not include any personally identifiable information in your application form.

Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position.