Business Advisory Services Director or Senior Director, Washington DC Office

The US-China Business Council (USCBC) is seeking a full-time director or senior director to lead its Business Advisory Services (BAS) department out of its Washington, DC office.

USCBC is a private, non-profit organization of more than 270 American companies that do business with China. USCBC has provided unmatched information, advisory, advocacy, and program services to its membership since its founding in 1973. Through its offices in Washington, DC; Beijing; and Shanghai, USCBC is uniquely positioned to serve its members’ interests in the United States and China.

Responsibilities

• Lead BAS research and analysis on China-related commercial policies that impact the American business community and contribute to USCBC publications;
• Manage a team of three direct reports and a few interns;
• Manage research and advocacy projects, coordinating between offices and teams on workflows, deadlines, and division of labor;
• Formulate and propose USCBC advocacy positions for leadership review and coordinate with government affairs teams in China and in Washington, DC to ensure consistent advocacy and messaging across the organization.
• Develop and maintain relationships with representatives from the US government, Chinese Embassy, business associations, scholars, and think tanks;
• Proactively build and maintain relationships with USCBC member companies and incorporate their priorities into USCBC policy positions;
• Present to senior executives and government groups on USCBC priorities and industry-specific policy developments;
• Represent USCBC positions in media engagements;
• Support USCBC leadership with talking points and briefing materials for government meetings, media appearances, and public speaking engagements;
• Respond to individual member company requests for information on business and trade topics;
• Assist in coordinating and organizing USCBC programs and events;
• Proactively lead new member recruitment; meet or exceed annual recruitment targets; document regular engagement with assigned retention targets;
• Manage the BAS department budget;
• Other responsibilities as assigned by direct supervisor, the senior vice president of the DC office

Qualifications

• Native proficiency in English with demonstrated ability to produce strong English-language written analysis of complex issues;
• Some level of proficiency in Mandarin (spoken and written) is preferred (to read and analyze Chinese-language policy documents and newspaper articles);
• At least four to ten years’ work experience; China working experience a plus;
• An understanding of and ability to communicate the nuances of the US-China trade relationship, the business environment, and China’s government structure; very strong interest in researching and writing about China’s business, economic, and policy environment;
• Undergraduate degree in an applicable field (e.g., business, law, political science, or international relations); graduate degree preferred;
• Ability to manage a small team and coordinate between other teams and offices;
• Ability to remain organized and detail-oriented;
• Excellent project and program management skills;
• A high degree of initiative, professionalism, sense of responsibility, and dedication to quality;
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills and a sense of humor;
• US permanent work authorization (US citizen or lawful permanent resident)

The US-China Business Council is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Application Deadline: Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis. 

Preferred Start Date: Late May or early June 2023