View Vacancy - SH - Senior Communications Officer, EO

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)
Communications, Press and Media

Main purpose of job:

This is an exciting opportunity to join a creative and ambitious communications team at the heart of the British Consulate-General Shanghai. We are looking for a confident and energetic Senior Communications Officer for that team. The Senior Communications Officer will design and implement impact-driven, timely and targeted communications projects across a range of the Consulate’s activity across Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui by working closely with colleagues across the China network.

This role offers the opportunity to be part of an innovative and high-performing team whose past achievements include: hosting a world-record-breaking Queen’s Birthday Party afternoon tea; leading on the UK’s communications efforts for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, the UK-China High Level People to People Dialogue and the China International Import Expo; and integrated digital partnerships with the Premier League, BAFTA and Formula 1.

The job holder will be responsible for arranging media and press engagements; leading events; drafting articles and social media content including Weibo posts and WeChat articles; and partnering with a range of organisations. The officer will be responsible for planning impactful communications around key moments in the calendar, including ministerial visits from the UK as well as on long-term campaigns across priority areas. A flexible and cooperative team approach and good interpersonal communication skills are essential.

The successful candidate will need to have a proven track record in delivering projects from planning to evaluation, along with excellent organisational skills, and will need to have excellent event management, media handling and communications skills.  Creativity, initiative, agility and resilience are required to maximise the impact of UK communications across all channels, both traditional and digital. 

The Senior Communications Officer will be naturally interested in current affairs, with a good understanding of the media and social media landscape in China. The officer will initiate and develop impact-driven strategic partnerships with a range of media outlets, KOLs and digital platforms – as well work closely with relevant British and Chinese businesses to tell the UK-China story.

The Communications team is a busy and high profile one. We work in an environment where learning and development is encouraged and all team members support each other during particularly busy periods. Work-life balance and well-being are emphasised across all communication roles, and across the whole British embassy network.

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

35% Delivering public diplomacy campaigns and events: 

  • Lead on designing, delivering and evaluating impact-driven, innovative public diplomacy activities and events with integrated cross-channel plans. Analyse media options and developing a strategic approach for key activities, such as announcements, visits and events
  • Assist Head of Communications to deliver public campaign event across a range of traditional and digital media relevant to the local context and in line with national campaigns 
  • Developing long-term strategic partnerships with stakeholders, both externally and internally, to increase the profile of public diplomacy activities in addition to tactical collaborations 
  • Monitor and report the results of public campaign activity by providing timely and accurate evaluation reports to the FCDO China Communications Network.

35% Delivering media engagements for UK Senior Leaders: 

  • Forging and maintaining connection with local journalists and media professionals, including in press, broadcast, key opinion leaders and podcasters. Understand media organisations and their operation styles in order to secure positive media coverage of UK in China. 
  • Working with journalists and key opinion leaders to identify possible editorial opportunities. Arranging media engagements with UK officials - such as media interviews and press conferences.
  • Developing and maintaining press materials, including press release, core scripts, lines and briefing, for UK representatives to use publicly in a Chinese context on topics of relevance. Write briefings in preparation for media engagements. 
  • Reactive media handling – monitoring coverage on relevant topics and managing media enquiries

20% Supporting Digital Communications: 

  • Working with our Digital Officer on digital content strategy and planning, including creating content for Weibo and Wechat
  • Supporting Digital Officer on video filming projects with UK officials, including with Ambassador, Consul General and other senior representatives
  • Identifying key digital influencers and build partnerships. Embed digital channels in all media planning and use digital channels for both proactive and reactive communications activities
  • Supporting social media data analysis

10% Insight and Reporting: 

  • Leading on local insight research, using insight to identify and target different audiences, and inform media handling proposals.
  • Leading on East China’s input to the FCDO China Communications Network reporting products, including evaluation dashboards.  
  • Sharing learning with consulate colleagues by leading on the creation of a Quarterly Communications Insight report. 
  • Degree level qualification or equivalent. Qualification in Communications/Marketing desirable. 
  • At least 3 years experience of working in a communications, public affairs or journalistic capacity in mainland China
  • Proven track record of designing and delivering successful public events.
  • Proven track record of media handling, including including organising media interviews, media tours and press conferences 
  • Excellent English writing and speaking skills 
  • Experience of high-level communications role
  • Experience of creating writing or generating creative digital content (videos and articles)
  • Knowledge and experience about the UK and UK-China relationship
Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
4 April 2023
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
35
Asia Pacific
China
Shanghai
British Consulate General
1
CNY
Chinese: CNY 19,096 ; British: CNY 26,443
12 June 2023

This vacancy is advertised as a full-time, fixed-term role to be based in Shanghai with possibility of renewal.

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

The British Embassy or Consulates have a wide range of learning and development opportunities for employees at all levels. All employees all strongly encouraged to invest in their own learning and development.

The jobholder will have access to a range of e-learning and face-to-face learning opportunities made available via the FCDO’s ‘International Academy’ and through Learning & Development programmes organised by FCDO China network. There will also be other formal and informal opportunities for professional development, including job shadowing and mentoring.

The jobholder, as a member of the China Communications Network, will have access to professional communications and digital learning opportunities including The International Communications Programme, The Modern Communicator Programme and digital skills workshops.  

We offer a competitive package which includes –

  • Gross monthly salary (before all deductions) of CNY 19,096 for Chinese Nationals paid in 13 month instalments and an abated monthly salary of CNY 26,443 per month for British Nationals and spouses/partners (all nationalities) of diplomats who are ‘W’ (diplomatic) visa holders and meet passport criteria;
  • Insurance plans such as social and housing fund (Chinese Nationals), commercial insurance package including accidental, life, medical and business travel insurance
  • Full-time staff: 22 days annual leave entitlement in pro-rata which increases by 0.5 per full calendar year worked up to maximum of 25 days.
  • We offer different types of compulsory leave in accordance to Chinese law, e.g. Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, Marriage Leave, Parental leave, etc.
  • In addition to the above compulsory leave, we also offer other types of leaves with pay e.g. Study Leave, Volunteering Leave to support staff who undertakes volunteering activities, Special Paid Leave to deal with emergencies involving a close family member, and more.
  • Employee Assistance Programme which is a confidential service providing help, support and information to staff to resolve and manage situations causing concern whether at work or personal nature is available to staff 24/7

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment and security checks. Staff who are locally recruited by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Chinese employment law. 

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit. Any costs related to obtaining or renewing permits and visas are the responsibility of the successful applicant. 

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen. 

REMINDER:

All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the  next stage.
 
Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’.  If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”.

Indicated start date is provisional and subject to successful completion of reference and security checks.

To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

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.