View Vacancy - 11/22 KSH Communications Manager, Strategy & Delivery Team

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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Programme Roles)
Communications, Press and Media

This is an exciting and stretching position within the cross-cutting Strategy and Delivery Team, operating at the core of the British Embassy Kinshasa’s operations.

 The Strategy & Delivery Team (SDT) is a multi-disciplinary team operating at the heart of British Embassy Kinshasa (BEK) strategy and operations and plays an important role in helping to deliver the priorities of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO’s) in DRC.  The team works alongside the Embassy’s four thematic programming teams and the People & Platform team.

 SDT covers a wide rage of critical functions, including:

  • supporting cross-mission policy development through coordinating and managing BEK’s cross-office policy forums and key strategy processes (such as Country Planning) to deliver strategic planning and decision-making;
  • leading on and implementing the DRC communications strategy;
  • monitoring risk & assurance; 
  • coordinating and ensuring sound financial & commercial management;
  • ensuring that BEK delivers positive results and advising on effective monitoring mechanisms for all UK funding.

The team also has oversight of high-profile, cross-cutting issues and events such as  important visits and other strategic processes.

 Main purpose of job:

The main purpose of this role is to:

 ·       co-ordinate and lead Communications across the British Embassy - with specific responsibility to review, refresh and implement our communication strategy;

·       ensure the UK’s work is understood by the public;

·       ensure that the UK, the British Embassy and Senior staff are seen in a positive light.

To do this job well, you will need to:

a)    build contacts with both internal staff in the British Embassy and at FCDO Headquarters.

b)    build contacts with both domestic and international journalists as well as across the DRC’s social media scene, to help amplify our messages and build our visibility.

c)    apply good judgement in:

                        i.         guiding senior staff through the complexities of the DRC media landscape;

                       ii.         ensuring that our messages achieve maximum impact;

                      iii.         being aware of and highlighting risks and sensitivities to ensure the Embassy takes informed decisions on its communications.

d)    remain flexible to assist across specific, discrete areas of work when required by cross-office policy and programme teams or the Headquarters’ DRC Desk (e.g. internal surge capacity in the event of a crisis, visit planning etc).

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

We all have a responsibility to embrace the changes of the FCDO as it transforms, building the culture we want to see and delivering our cultural statement in how we lead and behave towards others.  How we make decisions and how we get the job done is the responsibility of all FCDO staff.

 In this role you will also be responsible for:

        i.         Reviewing and implementing our communications strategy across the Embassy and creating positive coverage of the UK’s work in DRC.

       ii.         Acting as Press Secretary for the Ambassador and senior staff designing and supporting regional visits, advising on media and public appearances, advising and designing media interventions.

     iii.         Developing high-quality content for internal and/or external audiences to meet communications objectives that is tailored to the various channels that we use (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram).

     iv.         Building relationships with key media personnel and outlets.

      v.         Line managing an EO Communications Officer, ensuring the quality of reactive communications and the Embassy’s social media work.

     vi.         Contributing to the work of the wider Strategy and Delivery Team and Embassy, including being flexible to support other important work areas (including those outside your expected communications remit), taking an active role in corporate activity and crisis communications planning and response.

(Candidates who secure a role that is considered specialist/technical, may be required to affiliate themselves to the relevant specialist network, if they are not already a member).

 

 

  • Experience of designing and developing engaging, targeted communications tools that are suitable for use across a range of media channels.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in French and English, with the ability to write at pace - clearly, concisely and accurately.  This will be tested as part of the recruitment process.
  • Experience of using a highly collaborative approach to your work and being skilled at  building effective internal and external relationships and working well within your own team and across the department.
  • Good organisational skills, with the ability to proactively take the initiative and effectively manage your own workload in a fast-paced working environment, ensuring that your work is completed to tight deadlines.
  • Experience of tracking the effectiveness of our communication activity.
  • A proven track record of working with domestic and international media outlets.
  • A flexible approach  to your work, with experience of adapting quickly to respond to changing priorities, structures and processes.
  • A working knowledge of all Microsoft Office suite of programmes.
  • Experience of working in a multicultural environment.
Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
11 December 2022
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time
36
Africa
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kinshasa
British Embassy
1
USD
USD 52985.77 Annually
1 January 2022

Working patterns:

We will try to be as accommodating as possible, but the nature of this role means that some flexible working patterns cannot be accommodated. This role will also require some ad-hoc out of hours working.

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

Travel requirements: ad-hoc travel to the field in DRC to support comms activity will sometimes also be required.

 

  • Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
  • Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
  • The British Embassy will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
  • The current legacy DFID Terms and Conditions of Employment will apply to all internal locally employed staff on promotion and new entrants subject to local employment labour law.
  • Candidates may need to apply for a valid certificate of good conduct when applying and should be no older than 6 months.
  • 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.
  • The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to:
  • The British Embassy does not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
  • Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
  • Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
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This opportunity is closed to applications.