View Vacancy - Political Officer C4 (01/20 BMK)

Main Purpose of Job

The British Embassy in Bamako is part of a worldwide network representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas.  The British Embassy is fairly new – established in 2015 – but with a strong aid portfolio and increasing political interest in Mali.  Our aim is for the UK to become an energetic presence in the region, working together with the EU, UN and other partners to help support Mali’s development and security. The Political Officer role will help us to understand Mali, its government, its political players and key political issues such as the Peace Process, governance challenges, the protection of Human Rights and stabilisation challenges.  Increasing the awareness and promoting the work of the UK in Mali and the Sahel is also part of the role. 

Roles and responsibilities:

Political Reporting and analysis (65%)

• Researching and reporting on a political and international issues and developments in coordination with British colleagues.

• Tracking and providing high quality analysis of international and domestic policy issues and their implications for UK interests.

• Co-ordinating policy with Mali on international issues and lobbying on key priorities for the UK.

• Provide background research to support political team’s analysis of high-profile political issues, and draft regular political round-ups.

• Support political work around different Embassy projects to increase their effectiveness.

• The officer will support the political secretary on the various issues including human rights.

Contact building (25%)

• Building and maintaining an excellent network of contacts with the Malian Government, the international community, think tanks, academics and business communities across the range of issues in order to fulfil the Embassy objectives;

• Attending meetings and events with the Malian Government and international community;

• Organising and report meetings for the Ambassador and political secretary with politicians, commentators and political experts;

• Seeking opportunities for /and maximising cooperation between the UK and Mali.

Administrative support (10%)

• Arranging and providing organisational support for conferences, meetings, events, and visits (for example during visits of Ministers from the UK) to further Embassy objectives.

• A deep understanding of Malian politics, the political agenda and its international priorities

• Experience of working in analytical role

• A flexible attitude and ability to switch easily between dossiers

• Proven ability to draft, prioritise, handle multiple tasks and respond quickly to changing circumstances

• Competent IT Skills including familiarity with Microsoft Office applications e.g. Word, Excel, Powerpoint.

• Excellent written and spoken English and French

• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and persuasion skills