Job Description

The Senior Economic Affairs Officer is primarily responsible for a mapping project on the Korean biotech landscape.

Descriptions of tasks and activities:

• Acquire the necessary technical know-how on developments in the Korean biotech landscape;
• Draft an opportunity / sector report mapping of the Korean biotech ecosystem, including relevant Korean subsidies;
• Map interest from Dutch side for participation in relevant Korean trade fairs such as BIOKorea;
• Explore the potential for a sectoral trade mission and other RVO trade promotion instruments together with Dutch stakeholders such as the Netherlands’ biotech branch association (HollandBio);
• Anchor relevant information and expertise within existing Embassy capacity to ensure continuity of efforts upon completion of the opportunity mapping project. 
• Build and handover relevant biotech network both in Korea and in the Netherlands to Embassy;

Descriptions of expected results:

• Complete opportunity/sector report and present it to the Dutch Government, industry and academia
• Execute the business plan for Dutch Biotech sector in Korea by organizing events and programs
• Strengthen business and R&D cooperation between the two nations
• Anchor relevant network into existing Embassy structures

Specific information:
 

The selected candidate will be a team-member of the Economic Affairs (EA) department of the embassy. EA is primarily responsible for Dutch trade relations and trade promotion including identifying business opportunities and representing the interest of Dutch business in Korea. The EA is integral part of the Embassy’s economic cluster which consists of the Innovation department, the Agriculture department and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency. The cluster has a wide range of responsibilities, ranging from trade, R&D and investment promotion for the Netherlands.
The selected candidate will work closely with other colleagues in the cluster and section. Flexibility and team spirit are therefore important keywords for the prospective candidate. He/she will be accountable to the Deputy Head of Mission.  

Job requirements 

Level of education: higher vocational degree or equivalent;

Knowledge

• (Near-)native fluency in Korean language;
• Excellent command of English, both verbally and in writing;
• Academic background relevant to the vacancy;
• Demonstrated affinity with / knowledge of the Korean biotech ecosystem and network within the sector
• Proficient in the use of ICT applications, amongst others Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint 
• Working knowledge of Dutch is not a prerequisite but a plus, as is affinity with the Dutch biotech ecosystem

Skills

• Ability to work in an organized, detailed, and precise manner;
• Ability to think strategically;
• Formulates concrete goals and translates goals into concrete agreements;
• Ability to translate relevant Korean and Dutch policy developments into opportunities for Dutch business;
• Ability to balance the interests of the organization with those of clients, in that order; 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;

Competencies

• Ability to think analytically
• Creativity
• Client orientation
• Ability to network
• External awareness
• Ability to work with others
• Planning and organization;

Experience:

At least 7 years of relevant work experience.

Work environment

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has an extensive network around the world. Our embassy in Korea is located in the Jung-gu district in Seoul and is supported in the South by our Honorary consul in Busan. The Embassy employs thirty staff members.

Type of employee required 

A service oriented and proactive person who likes to work and co-operate in a bicultural team. The right candidate should be able to work independently, though not autonomously, and monitor the progress and completion of tasks largely at his/her own discretion. He or she should have a well-developed sense of accuracy, deliver high quality work and, most importantly, possess a high degree of integrity. We are looking for a team player: someone who enjoys combining his/her own work related to the biotech landscape opportunity and network mapping project with general economic work within the EA such as following up on the deliverables of the State Visit of President Yoon to the Netherlands in December 2023. 

Employment conditions

• The selected candidate will be:
• Locally employed by the State of the Netherlands, represented herein by the Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Korea;
• Offered a fixed term contract for 37,5 hours a week for the duration of 16,5 months;
• The position is ranked in job level 8. Job level 8 comprises of 16 pay scales, starting with pay number 0 and ending with pay number 15. At present, the salary in job level 8 ranges from KRW 5.095.633 to KRW 7.643.449 gross per month. The selected candidate will be offered a salary with a pay number related to the years of relevant experience. 
• The Embassy has a 37,5-hour working week, from Monday through Friday. 
• The Embassy pays a thirteenth and a fourteenth month salary.
• This is a temporary 16,5-month position with no option of extension or fixed contract. 

Interested?
 

If you are interested in this position, please send an email with your resume and a cover letter in English before 16 October 2024. Interviews will ideally be finalized before mid-November 2024. Starting date of the contract ideally would be 1 December 2024.