View Vacancy - Head of Economic Section

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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Economic and Prosperity

Main purpose of job:

Lead the economics and energy team, delivering analysis and strategic insights for policy and programme work to support HMG priorities in Venezuela. 

The job holder will play an essential role in delivering BE Caracas’s Country Business Plan, ensuring high-quality regular reporting that has impact on HMG policy and strategy in Venezuela. The job holder will work closely with the Political team and humanitarian advisor to identify how and where economic insights can be best used. The job holder will also help steer the direction of our programme/project activity. Maintaining and developing a large and valuable network of economic contacts will be key.  


Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

This is a demanding but incredibly satisfying job with lots of variety. Venezuela is currently experiencing political and economic crisis, with increasing pressure on democratic values and freedoms and an economy in freefall. This has resulted in a humanitarian crisis within Venezuela the region, with many Venezuelans emigrating in search of a better life.  The job holder’s economic analysis and insights will inform HMG policy making and help deliver UK priorities in Venezuela. Specific responsibilities include:

Economic Analysis (60%) – Leading the embassy’s analysis of macroeconomic and political/economy developments, determining their implications for UK policy in Venezuela, and communicating these insights effectively to teams in Caracas and London. The job holder will work closely with the ambassador to keep them informed of economic developments, and organise discussion sessions/roundtables with important economic contacts/analysts in the country. The job holder will have to work closely with the political, commercial and humanitarian sections of the embassy. Anticipating developments and being able to write clearly on issues such as dollarisation, economic liberalisation and the oil sector, among others, will be essential.

 Project development and management (25%) – Working with the Conflict Security and Stability Fund team in Bogota to develop the Venezuela strand of the Countering Illicit Economies Programme. The job holder will help set strategic direction and oversee implementation for this programme in Venezuela.

Team management (15%) – Coordinate the work of the wider Economic and Energy team, overseeing work on topics such as climate change. The job holder will oversee the team’s budget, managing events, travel etc.


Essential on arrival:

University degree in Economics


Language requirements: 

Language: Spanish & English 

Level of language required: Advanced/Bilingual fluency required 

Desirable:

Work experience in economics e.g. private sector, consultancy, central bank.


16 June 2021
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time
35.25
Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean
Venezuela
Caracas
British Embassy
1
2 August 2021

Good scope to develop foreign policy experience, team management and project management experience. You will also be able to lead items of the corporate agenda of interest to you.  

There are a variety of training courses offered by the FCDO ranging from technical economics material and diplomatic skills to softer skills e.g. presentations, public speaking, communications

The successful candidate must be eligible to work and live in Venezuela. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
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This opportunity is closed to applications.