HM Consul General (HMCG) in New York and HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) North America (US and Canada)

Job summary

The FCDO, formed from the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development in September 2020, leads the UK's international diplomatic, development, and consular efforts. It employs around 17,000 staff across 179 countries and territories, supported by 12 agencies and public bodies. UK-based staff work in London, East Kilbride, and Milton Keynes.

Our overseas Missions are the UK Government’s platform for delivering its objectives abroad. They bring together the work of all government departments operating overseas, ensuring a unified approach to advancing UK interests. Heads of Mission lead this integrated effort, reaching across Whitehall to align priorities, coordinate resources, and deliver results on the ground. They provide the leadership and diplomatic reach needed to influence partners, manage risks, and seize opportunities for the UK.

The FCDO makes the UK stronger, safer and more prosperous, by leading and integrating delivery of the Government’s objectives abroad. You can find out more about the organisation by looking at the FCDO on gov.uk.

Job description

To direct His Majesty’s Government (HMG) work on trade and investment across North America as an area critical to the UK’s economic interests and to represent HMG across the political, consular, soft power spheres across the dynamic and powerful New York consular region. The combined role’s primary focus is prosperity – advancing the UK’s growth agenda through trade and investment interests. Top level representational and communications work (promoting the UK and its activities), high quality political networking and reporting (New York City (NYC) is a political centre in its own right) and careful oversight of a sustained
consular workload are also key elements of the role. As HMTC you will be one of nine key leaders of DBT’s overseas network, delivering HMG’s investment, export and trade policy priorities in two of our most significant markets; the US and Canada.

The HMCG/HMTC role is hugely rewarding, based in one of the world’s most vibrant cities that is critical to UK’s economic interests and our reputation as a global player, and the financial centre of the United States. The US is the UK’s largest bilateral trade and investment partner accounting for around 20% of UK exports and 30% of foreign direct investment. US investment sustains well over one million jobs in the UK; UK investors in the US employ a similar number of Americans. NYC is also a global leader in tech, advanced manufacturing, and the creative arts. The consular district covers: New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Fairfield County in Connecticut. You will be responsible for around 70 staff in the British Consulate-General (BCG) in New York, plus strategic and operational leadership of the 148 strong Department for Business and Trade (DBT) network across the US and Canada. You will be responsible for driving continuous improvement to ensure resources are directed against the highest priorities and implementing restructuring programmes for both FCDO and DBT. Budget accountability of circa £12 million
(DBT and BCG).

You will be specifically responsible for:

• Visible, inspiring, and strategic operational leadership to a large network across the US and Canada (over 200 people working in 14 locations) to deliver His Majesty’s Government (HMG) priorities, working closely with HM Ambassador to the US, High Commissioner to Canada, Minister Counsellor Trade and Global Issues based in Washington DC, Tech Envoy based in San Francisco, Consuls General across North America, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the United States on Trade and Investment and the FCDO Growth Director both based in London. As a member of DBT’s leadership team, you will also contribute to the strategic and operational direction of the department, working closely with the Directors General for Domestic and International Markets and Exports and with the network of His Majesty’s Trade Commissioners across the globe.
• Prosperity: Building and maintaining influential relationships with senior business and economic leaders, including through regular travel across US and Canada, with impact on UK prosperity (in New York the financial and professional services, creative industries and tech sectors are particularly important).
• Development and delivery of an ambitious strategic plan for the region to set out export; investment; market access and trade objective and priorities, coordinated with the DBT sector and regional teams to ensure British businesses and the UK economy gain maximum commercial benefit and contributing to the Growth Mission.
• Political: Establishing a strong network of political players in New York and the region, both on domestic and foreign policy (New York has long been politically influential).
• Leading the US and Canada-based work on market access and trade negotiations at State/Provincial level (supported by the relevant consulates) and contributing to Federal level trade negotiations (led by teams in Washington and Ottawa); leading regional policy initiatives to improve the business environment for UK companies, as well as identifying strategies to unlock trade barriers in specific sectors.
• A strong corporate role as a senior leader in the US Network, working with His Majesty’s Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission in Washington to drive change. With the Permanent Representative (PR) in UK Mission to UN in New York, the posts operate a Joint Management Board chaired by the HMCG and PR.
• Oversight of a busy consular operation, given the numbers of British residents in New York and the region and the high numbers of UK visitors each year.
• Crisis preparedness and leadership in the NY consular district.
• The role has a busy representational aspect, including making full use of the Consul General’s Residence in New York to host a wide variety of events and visitors to promote British interests. New York is a magnet for top level visitors from the UK, each year seeing visits from members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet around the UN General Assembly meetings, along with many ministers and officials throughout the year. Putting together imaginative programmes which advance UK interests and hosting senior visitors is an important part of the HMCG role.
• Public diplomacy and communications work are also a significant part of the job. Representing the UK Government at conferences and events and through social media to champion the UK and its commercial interests throughout the US and Canada is important to have impact in the role. New York itself is a vibrant, global player on the media scene and therefore provides an effective platform to promote the UK’s prosperity and wider interests to a large audience.

Person specification

We aim to recruit and retain the best people; those who are delivery focused and have a strong track record in high impact outcomes. We are open to talented people from any career background; we will always seek to identify transferable skills from the individual’s experience.

To succeed in this role, you must be able to evidence the following:

Essential criteria:

• A track record of successful and high impact leadership and effective change management at a senior level within government and/or other large scale, complex organisations, building a collaborative and inclusive culture, developing high-performing geographically dispersed teams and managing resources effectively to achieve organisational goals.
• Strong commercial credibility with an ability to make decisions and deliver deals based on a deep understanding of trade and investment issues.
• Excellent strategic judgement and analytical skills with an ability to navigate commercial and political complexities, provide clear and insightful advice and find creative solutions.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to advocate the UK’s position effectively to a range of different audiences, including CEOs of prominent companies, through the media and to the public, and to represent and promote the UK’s national interest using multiple communication channels and opportunities.
• Evidence of the ability to lead and manage a fast-moving, sensitive and complex portfolio, working constructively and collaboratively across organisational boundaries to deliver competing HMG priorities and thinking strategically to set direction.
• Proven success in networking and building and leveraging relationships at a very senior level (such as Board, C-Suite or Ministerial level), showing evidence of the ability to work with sound judgement, commercial awareness, cultural sensitivity, diplomacy, and discretion in both political and high-level commercial environments.
• Knowledge of key commercial sectors such as financial services, creative industries, energy, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working with His Majesty’s Government and a knowledge of Whitehall departments is desirable but not essential.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £100,000, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office contributes £28,970 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

You must be a British Citizen at the point of application.

• To apply please follow the online application process which includes completing the following sections listed below no later than 23:55 on Sunday 1st March 2026.
• Your CV, no more than the equivalent of 2 A4 pages with educational and professional qualifications and full employment history, including an explanation of any gaps in your employment history, and details where possible of budgets and numbers of people managed.
• A short covering statement of no more than 1,000 words explaining why this appointment interests you and how you can evidence your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the Person Specification section.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. For further information on whether you are eligible to apply under this scheme please follow the link. The FCDO is also an accredited ‘Disability Confident Employer’ under the government's Disability Confident Scheme which denotes organisations that have a positive commitment towards disabled people. We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role, as outlined in the Person Specification in this pack. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview under the Disability Confident commitment, you should declare so at the point you submit your application. It is not necessary to state the nature of your disability.

Reasonable Adjustments: We are committed to making reasonable adjustments in order to support disabled job applicants and ensure that you are not disadvantaged in the recruitment and assessment process. Reasonable adjustments could include: allowing extra time during selection tests; ensuring that information is provided in an accessible format; or by providing training. If you feel that you may need a reasonable adjustment to be made, or you would like to discuss your requirements in more detail, please contact scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk in the first instance.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer in the UK. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy link at the end of the Pack for more information.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you wish to make a complaint you should email HRDirectUK@fco.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the FCDO you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

HMCG in New York and HMTC North America (US and Canada) Candidate Information Pack - Accessible (1) Opens in new window (docx, 348kB)HMCG in New York and HMTC North America (US and Canada) Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 900kB)