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As a Corporate Partnerships Alliance Manager, I work with professional service providers who are advising clients on how to grow their business through export. By enhancing the skills, knowledge and networks of partners, I can reach more Australian businesses with the opportunities open to them in the international marketplace.
Austrade represents Australian companies in over 100 offices around the world, so it is a very dynamic organisation to work for. The pressures of competing internationally mean that Austrade must continuously innovate in order to keep Australian businesses one step ahead of their international competitors. This spirit of innovation is evident in the attitude and creativity of all my colleagues, regardless of their job responsibilities or on what continent they are located.
I enjoy what I do because I know that my work benefits not only my organisation, but also the thousands of potential and existing exporters in Australia, and when they succeed I know I have made a very direct contribution to the strength of the Australian economy.
Many people assume living and working overseas is always special, my mother has often equated it to "being on holidays", and there is no doubt that for those who enjoy the changes and the challenges it is very rewarding and exciting, but it also presents difficulties both personally and professionally as we deal with time away from home, families and friends, often missing birthdays, and annual celebrations such as Xmas, and the footy!
In work too there are cultural differences, languages, knowing where is where, who is who and settling family into new surroundings. That said though, I love every day of it as we meet new people, in new places doing a job that does make a difference at so many levels. To be able to face challenges, and to meet those challenges is very rewarding and fulfilling. And doing that for Austrade overseas is something I take great pride in and that I enjoy to the fullest.
Senior Trade Commissioner / Consul General, Dubai
Working for Austrade is one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever undertaken. I take immense personal satisfaction from assisting small and medium companies (particularly those from regional areas) succeed in the international market place, thus creating jobs and building community wealth.
As Trade Commissioner Chicago, I manage a team of five marketing specialists who assist Australian companies "crack" into the US market. I am also Team Leader of the specialist Agriculture Team with representatives in Phoenix, San Francisco, Chicago and Kansas City. I would like to think that my colleagues and I make a difference! We get to work with hundreds of innovative Australian companies each year, assisting them to take advantage of opportunities in the largest market in the world.
The role of Manager Strategy - Exporter Development & Team Leader Market Development Specialists, has a dual function. One aspect involves, in consultation with an Austrade Director, strategic business planning, corporate reporting, target setting & briefings on corporate policy/exporter issues for a business Division within Austrade.
Additionally, I am part of the management team for a group of country specialists based in Australia, whose role it is to attract clients to specific export markets. The role involves ally liaison, market research, industry and exporter engagement, presentation skills and a great deal of team work.
One of the most rewarding aspects of working for Austrade in Australia, is the variety of work on offer and the engagement with diverse cultural backgrounds on a daily basis. Also the opportunity to travel overseas from time to time, is a bonus and equips Australian-based staff to better understand the needs of Austrade post staff and assist them and Australian exporters more readily. In an organisation as large as Austrade, there is often different approaches to work, so team-building skills independent of physical proximity has proved to be very important, as is cultural sensitivity.
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