View Vacancy - IL - Head of Communications (SEO)

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 (Programme Roles)
Communications, Press and Media

The British Embassy Tel Aviv has an exciting opportunity for an experienced manager to head the British Embassy’s Communications Team.

The Communications Team serve as the public face of the Embassy, driving forward an ambitious programme of public diplomacy events and delivers the Embassy’s communications strategy. The role of Head of Communications role requires high quality communication and political judgement, an ability to identify and exploit communication opportunities, and to navigate challenging stories.

The jobholder will play a key role in the Embassy’s high-profile public diplomacy and media work. They will work across all Embassy teams and will be tasked with developing and implementing the Embassy’s communications strategy. Through the work of the Communications Section, the jobholder will be responsible for securing high-profile coverage and public exposure of Embassy activities.

The jobholder will lead the Communications Team, which is composed of a Deputy Head of Communications and a Communications Officer; and will oversee the Embassy’s outward-facing activities, including digital and large-scale public events. The jobholder will also work as part of the Embassy’s Senior Management Team (SMT).

Duties and responsibilities:

  • Developing and overseeing delivery of a wide-ranging communications strategy, incorporating all aspects of the UK’s objectives in Israel.
  • Shaping public messaging and providing real time advice to the Foreign Office in London, on a daily basis and during crisis, on how to best convey UK policy to local audiences and promote outreach to the Israeli public.
  • Leading a high-performing team of two to deliver high profile exposure and events for the Embassy. This includes responsibility for the section budget and leading a detailed learning and development (L&D) effort.
  • Providing high quality communications advice, analysis, and insight to Her Majesty’s Ambassador (HMA) and senior Embassy staff, liaising with internal and external communications stakeholders to ensure that core UK messages are heard.
  • Overseeing a savvy public profiling of the HMA and the UK in the media and social media, through speaking opportunities; VIP visits; relationship with prominent media outlets; and outreach to the Jewish community in the UK.
  • Act as a member of the Embassy’s SMT, making a significant contribution to the corporate management of the Embassy.

The jobholder will also be responsible for the section’s budget and oversight and team management of two (2) members of staff.

Key behaviours required:

  • Seeing the Big Picture - Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
  • Leadership - Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.
  • Communicating and Influencing - Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
  • Working Together - Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.
  • Top-level communications skills. Native speaker or mother tongue level of communication skills in English and Hebrew. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
  • At least five (5) years’ progressively senior experience in media and/or public relations, ideally in a government organisation delivering wide-scale communications campaigns.
  • Strategic awareness of UK-Israel relations and the role of the British Embassy in delivering UK objectives.
  • Familiarity with and/ or existing contacts in the Israeli press and foreign media based in Israel. Knowledge of media and social media landscape in Israel.
  • Social media management skills and experience (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn).
  • Experience in managing a team and high-level leadership skills.
  • Good interpersonal skills and team player with willingness to work across boundaries. Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with contacts and colleagues.
  • Strong attention to detail. Ability to prioritise own workload and meet deadlines, without compromising the quality of the work.
  • Creativity, flexibility and ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).
  • Experience in writing speeches and op-eds.
  • Experience in managing medium-to-large scale events.
  • Experience in budget management.
  • Familiarity with the UK media based in Israel and Jewish media in the UK.
Seeing the Big Picture, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
28 September 2022
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Full-time, Permanent
37.5
Middle East & North Africa
Israel
Tel Aviv
British Embassy
1
NIS
20,000
25 October 2022

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as long as you:

  • Receive the appropriate level of security clearance; and
  • Are able to work legally in Israel.

Working hours and remuneration:

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including the non-negotiable salary of NIS 20,000 per month plus social benefits: pension employer contribution 7.5% and Keren Hishtalmut employer contribution 7.5%.

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Parking facilities are not provided nor paid for by the Embassy.

This position is offered on a Full Time, Permanent contract basis. The successful candidate will be on a six-month probationary period. 

Working hours is 37.5 per week. Normal working hours are Monday to Thursday 8:00-16:00 and Friday 8:00-13:30.

The jobholder will be required to be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and may involve working outside of normal office hours (evenings/ weekends). The Embassy offers a flexible working environment (such as combination of office and remote working), considered based on operational requirements and agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Embassy policies.

The Embassy invests in staff development with a variety of learning and development opportunities.


How to apply:

Interested candidates must include 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2) a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and 3) examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.

Please include any links to your online portfolio or to relevant samples of your work in your CV/ cover letter, if appropriate.

Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.

All applications must be submitted before 23:55 Israel local time on 28 September 2022.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local labour law.


 The British Embassy Tel Aviv is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.

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.