This role is based in our Guangzhou office.

Who we are:

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is New Zealand's international business development agency. We work with ambitious New Zealand companies to help them grow internationally, bigger, better and faster, for the good of New Zealand.

We're looking for an ambitious, well connected and commercially astute Business Development Manager to join our Guangzhou team to help New Zealand businesses identify, expand and achieve growth opportunities across Southern China.

You'll work alongside New Zealand companies, helping them better understand the market, strengthen their strategy, make confident decisions and build the relationships they need to grow.

What you'll be doing:

As a trusted advisor, you'll manage a portfolio of New Zealand companies and work closely with colleagues across NZTE's global network to guide and amplify their approach to  achieve sustainable international growth.

While our current customer portfolio includes a strong food and beverage focus, we're open to applicants from a range of sectors who can bring broad commercial thinking and a willingness to work across multiple industries. Experience working in the Greater Bay area including Shenzhen, Macau or Hong Kong would be advantageous. Having an understanding of New Zealand businesses and culture through prior experience would be advantageous.

You'll work alongside our customers to:

• Coach and guide exporters through complex market opportunities and challenges.
• Identify and support commercial opportunities aligned to customer growth ambitions.
• Challenge the status quo and thinking constructively, taking into consideration the and change impacting the customers assumptions and questioning to explore new approaches.
• Lead and contribute to customer initiatives, projects and events that support business growth.
• Connect customers to valuable networks, partners, decision-makers and sources of expertise.
• Provide insights into market trends, business practices and cultural considerations that help customers make timely informed decisions to navigate change and uncertainty.

Success in this role comes from curiosity and deep discovery to guide customers to understand their unique value, build the capability to scale, make the most of valuable connections and convert opportunities into measurable business growth.

What you'll need to be successful:

• Strong commercial experience gained through business development, consulting, advisory, export, industry, or related customer-facing roles.
• Excellent communication, influencing, relationship and stakeholder engagement skills – a passionate networker whose is able to leverage their connections to tell New Zealand customers brand stores.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach with energy and initiative to identify opportunities and make things happen.
• Sound judgement and the confidence to challenge constructively when needed.
• A collaborative mindset and genuine commitment to working as part of a high-performing team
• An ability to work through complex commercial situations and ask insightful questions to enable development of strategic and practical plans for market/region.
• Well-developed business networks and the ability to rapidly and proactively build new connections outside of your area of expertise.
• Financial and commercial literacy, with the confidence to discuss growth plans, investment decisions and commercial opportunities.
• Experience working across multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with the ability to think outside the box and open to trying and testing new approaches to get different results.
• Strong written and verbal English communication

Why you will love working here: 

NZTE offers a flexible, fun and stimulating environment with a unique opportunity to develop and access world class business networks and work with a talented, diverse, international team. 

Our people are united by a shared ambition to help New Zealand businesses succeed internationally. We bring curiosity, courage, trust and manaaki to the work we do, and we believe diverse perspectives make us stronger.

You will have strong written and verbal communication skills in both English and Mandarin.

What’s next:

If you're energised by building relationships, creating commercial outcomes and helping businesses succeed internationally, we'd love to hear from you.

Please apply with an English language cover letter and CV.

Please note: This is a locally engaged position. You will already need to be eligible to work in China for NZTE.

For more information about the role please view the Position Description.

This role is banded GZH L17.

Applications close 9am NZT on Tuesday 8 September.

 We believe New Zealand is good for the world. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is an equal opportunity employer. At NZTE it is all about our people and we seek diversity of thought; we welcome and encourage you to apply regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, neurodiversity or disability. If we need to make specific accommodations in any part of the interview process, please note this in your application or discuss with the Talent Acquisition Partner