View Vacancy - Transportation Policy Advisor

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)
Global Issues Team

Main purpose of job:

The British Government’s Embassy in Washington DC has an exciting opportunity for a resourceful and enthusiastic person to join the Transportation Policy team as a Transportation Policy Advisor. 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 and international transportation policy 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.

Transportation is at the forefront of international and domestic policy agendas, touching areas as diverse as pandemic restrictions, sanctions, the supply chain, decarbonisation and designing our future cities. This is a chance to directly contribute to the way in which both Governments collaborate and negotiate on all aspects of transportation policy, including aviation, maritime, automotive, rail, commercial space, the future of transportation and transport decarbonisation. Across all these modes the candidate will develop a network of key contacts – with industry and the US government, within the embassy network and across the British Government – to inform British interests and influence US policy.

The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator, capable of making persuasive and timely verbal and written representations. They will have excellent judgement and will be able to analyse and dissect key policy developments and their impact on UK/US transport. They will be able to work across multiple fast moving areas, and to pitch in where needed.

Roles and responsibilities:

  • Advocate British interests with a range of key US interlocutors and proactively engage and influence on UK priorities and promote UK policy and/or commercial interests. 
  • Develop and maintain high-level contacts within government, congress, industry, and the NGO community.
  • Analyse and report to the UK on US transportation issues, including aviation, maritime, automotive, rail, commercial space, the future of transportation and transport decarbonisation.
  • Contribute to UK policy discussions on key transport areas. 
  • Take responsibility for structuring and delivering visits to the US by UK Ministers and senior officials, and deliver projects and events on transportation priorities.
  • Work with British Consulates across the US, as well as with UK Trade and Investment and the UK’s Science and Innovation Network, to deliver UK policy and prosperity objectives on specific focus sectors such as: Commercial Spaceflight and Transport Decarbonisation.
  • Contribute proactively to policy discussions across the US Network and provide high quality analysis and input to requests for advice.
  • Serve as secretary for multi-Embassy Maritime Attaché group which meets monthly.
  • Support Embassy consular staff in event of large scale disaster, crisis, or other emergency affecting British nationals.
  • Must be able to represent the UK at external meetings and build a strong positive network US and UK officials and other stakeholders.
  • Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills, flexibility in a team setting, ability to work independently and an enthusiastic approach are essential. 
  • Clear and concise oral and written skills are essential, and ability to explain complex issues to diverse audiences.
  • Willingness to travel both domestically and to the UK when needed.
  • Interest in transportation

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

Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing
4 October 2022
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
$72,661
7 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 (communicating 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:

Able to accommodate a varied working pattern.

This role is 40 hours a week, but does not require set working hours each day.

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. 

The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance. 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. Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed. The British Embassy is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.
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.