View Vacancy - Chief Communications Officer - Public Diplomacy

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Public Diplomacy

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy in Washington, DC has an exciting opportunity for a creative, proactive and results-driven person to join the Public Diplomacy team as a Chief Communications Officer. This opportunity is a rewarding role which supports and further develops the special relationship between the UK and the US, working at the forefront of international diplomacy in order to make a real difference globally.

The US Network offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme.  It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to better maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses hybrid working, including working from home and flexible hours, where possible.  In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment side-by-side with UK diplomats, armed forces personnel and other country based staff operating across the British Government’s network of Consulates and Government Offices in the United States. This network provides a platform for approximately 30 Government departments and agencies to conduct their work in the United States and is made up of over 900 staff with a rich and diverse background, skill sets, and experiences.

This is a chance to directly contribute to the way in which both Governments leverage soft power and deploy to engage audiences.  This position would develop and implement impactful campaigns, projects and events, developing partnerships with key influencers and organisations and working with a range of key stakeholders to promote British Soft Power through art, culture, sport, education and scholarships, and underline the UK’s relevance to the US as a modern and dynamic partner of choice.

The ideal candidate will be an energetic self-starter who brings together: strong personal impact with external stakeholders and colleagues across the UK government’s consular network; excellent project management and organisational skills; and creativity and a flair for innovative communications engaging a broad range of audiences through in-person engagement as well as traditional and digital media.

Roles and Responsibilities

·         Help lead the develop and implement impactful campaigns, projects and events that leverage and amplify British culture and Soft Power – including Sports Diplomacy, the Creative Industries, education and UK leadership on values-based issues such as addressing climate change and LGBT+ equality – to promote the UK as a modern, creative country as well as critical ally to target audiences in the United States.

·         Help support the UK Government’s efforts on the Marshall Scholars programme in the United States, through which the UK funds up to 50 talented US students each year for graduate study in the UK. This includes delivering the selection process and the three-day orientation in Washington, DC; managing relations with the 2,000+ alumni community and ensuring rigour and value-for-money out of the $3m-a-year Marshalls budget.

·         Engage and coordinate closely with other UK bodies in the US, including UK culture, science and sporting institutions, to promote British culture and opportunities.

·         Develop and strengthen partnerships with influential US external organisations, including science-focused organisations, civil society, and cultural institutions, sporting bodies etc that can facilitate our engagement with US audiences and multiply UK messages.

·         Work with others in the embassy’s communications team, including the Pres Team, Digital Team, and the wider Public Diplomacy team, to help get better traction for UK cultural messaging with broad range of US audiences.

·         Manage the British Embassy’s work as assigned to promote the UK’s long-term reputation in the US, including events at the Embassy and throughout the DC area, coordinating the communications aspects of historical anniversaries and working on the communications opportunities offered by high-profile cultural and sporting moments and planned activities in the Washington, DC area.

 

·         At least 2-3 years’ experience in public diplomacy, communications, campaigns, youth engagement or events planning.

·         A solid understanding of the US education system. Knowledge of the UK university system also a plus.

·         An interest in and knowledge of US-UK relations.

·         Ability to work with tight deadlines and multi-task short-term and long-term projects.

·         Experience in capacity-building and delivering through others, including those in multiple locations.

·         Excellent team-working and interpersonal skills, including experience working with senior level officials or executives.

·         Excellent written and verbal skills.

Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing
25 September 2022
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
62,721
14 November 2022

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communciating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

Working patterns:

Requires standard working pattern of 9:00am-5:30pm. Candidate must live in or proximity to Washington, DC

Able to accommodate a varied working pattern

The British Embassy and its US Network embraces hybrid working, allowing its staff to typically work from home 2 or 3 times a week.  We are an organization that also recognises the critical value of team work and we embrace and endorse collaboration by ensuring that all staff attend the office flexibly yet regularly. 

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. • A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas

 

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.