View Vacancy - Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer HEO (14/24 ABJ)

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)
Climate Diplomacy, Communications, Press and Media

Main purpose of job:

Nigeria is a crucial partner for the UK in Africa,  and home to one of FCDO’s biggest development portfolios. Nigeria is an UK Government Tier 1 country but is grappling with serious challenges which cut across many UK priorities, including climate change, conflict, security and stability, prosperity, and demographics. It will be central to our thinking on Africa for the next 50 years. Nigeria is home to the second largest number of poor people in the world and has the largest economy and population in Africa, making it a priority partner for the UK now and into the future.

The 500+ staffed UK in Nigeria Mission has an integrated delivery structure of five thematic “blocks” charged with achieving the key outcomes of the UK’s relationship with Nigeria . Delivery is supported by five enabling teams. The blocks include several other government department staff from across the Mission, including Department for Business and Trade, Ministry of Defence, and the Home Office. The British High Commission has a Deputy High Commission in Lagos as well as a wider sub-national structure with staff present in six other state-based locations.

The post holder will:

  • Be a creative, organised, and dynamic strategic communications professional ready to join the UK Government’s Communications network in Nigeria as soon as possible.
  • Be based in Abuja and lead work on the coordination and implementation of communications activities linked to the portfolio owned by HMG colleagues working out of our Governance and Stability (G&S) areas of activity. This includes promoting UK-Nigeria bilateral engagements in Local Elections, Home Office/ Border Security/ UKVI and Social Inclusion (including women and girls’ strategy).
  • Work closely with the communications team colleagues in Lagos, supporting and working through the Head of Communications who is based in Abuja.
  • Build stakeholder relationships as part of a dynamic and busy team covering proactive and reactive, strategic, and tactical communications responsibilities. They will work with policy and programme colleagues, stakeholders, and customers from across the UK’s International Nigeria network. This includes working with colleagues from different HMG departments. They will also lead on the coordination and delivery of soft power communications engagement in Abuja and in the southern regions of Nigeria.
  • Lead on communications for: Ministerial visits, for the High Commissioner, for Partners Across Government and for delivering Africa and network-wide communications strategies in Abuja and across southern regions in Nigeria. The jobholder will be responsible for generating UKinNigeria social media content and for engagement with Nigerian and international media linked to the work of the G&S portfolio.
  • Be a confident and effective communicator and able strategist who can identify the correct audiences, calibrate the right key messages, and innovatively help to shape the UKs narrative through a range of traditional, digital and if necessary unconventional communication channels. 

Roles and responsibilities:

  • Working from a small team in Abuja, you will work with a large range of colleagues and partners across different UK Government departments operating in Nigeria, West Africa and across the Africa region.
  • As the jobholder you will lead by example to drive high quality delivery in the Communications team.
  • You will help shape and deliver strategic communications and public diplomacy objectives developed across the UK Government’s Nigeria network primarily linked to the work of the Governance & Stability block.
  • You will work with British Government communications leads across the region, with the UK Government’s Communications Hub in South Africa, the Government Communications Service in London and press offices of local and international partners as required to help to set the direction of the UK’s communications operations in Nigeria.
  • You will develop a sound understanding and the UK’s priorities in Nigeria and, collaborating with the relevant teams, will identify how to make best use of comms to help to deliver in support of the UK’s international objectives.
  • Using a blend of communications tools, you will help to deliver regional communications campaigns in Nigeria tailored effectively to the relevant local audience in relation to the work of the portfolio owned by the Governance & Stability block. You will help the British High Commission (BHC) offices in Nigeria create and deliver innovative high quality and impactful media campaigns and events that promote a positive image of the UK and supports delivery of the UK’s strategic political and soft power objectives in Nigeria.
  • You will help ensure that the communications effort in Nigeria is proactive and creative, including but not limited to public diplomacy events, external digital communications, and traditional media engagement to increase the size and calibration of the audiences receiving UK messages to help maximise impact.
  • You will help shape programmes for visiting senior officials, Ministers and VVIPs, managing media engagements and providing sound advice on all press and public affairs elements. 
  • You will build and maintain an effective network of contacts across the spectrum of Nigerian and international media to ensure that the BHC has a thorough understanding of the media’s role in Nigerian society and is well placed to engage constructively.
  • Drawing on the expertise from colleagues in Nigeria and across West Africa, you will ensure all UK Government communications you deliver are tailored to its audience.
  • Acting as one of the British High Commission’s spokespeople, your responsibilities will include drafting articles, press notices, blogs, social media posts briefings and communications plans as well as clearing and delivering appropriate media messages to local and international media as and when required.
  • Qualified to at least to undergraduate degree level or extensive relevant work experience.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills in English.
  • Highly organised, able to take initiative and to work accurately within deadlines and with limited supervision in a fast-paced environment.
  • A good working knowledge of ICT software (e.g. MS Word) in general and strong skills in digital media, including Face book, Twitter, and other social networking sites.
  •  Attention to detail and comfortable producing accurate statements under pressure and taking direct instructions to also deliver under pressure.
  • Strong networking and relationship management skills towards both senior and junior staff internally and externally.
  • Previous experience in public relations, marketing, or media, including developing, implementing multiple media communication plans/media campaigns, and managing events.
  • Effective management of teams of colleagues and experience of delivering results through others.
  • Experience working in an international organisation.
  • Experience working with UK government departments.
  • Experience working with media outlets in Nigeria.
  • Experience in delivering communications engagements related to Economy, Trade and Financial Sector reform.
Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together
2 April 2024
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term
35 hours per week
12 months
Africa
Nigeria
Abuja
British High Commission
1
USD 2,947.41 per month
10 May 2024

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

Staff across the Nigeria network are expected to make appropriate time for all L&D activities guided by 70/20/10 where 70% of learning is on the job, 20% is structured learning i.e. with a coach, and 10% is through formal courses. By planning your development in this way, you will be playing your part to build the learning culture of the FCDO and are embodying our key organisational values of: Taking Responsibility, Working Together and Encouraging Innovation.

Investing in the L&D of our people is critical to FCDO delivering on its priorities and goals, embedding new ways of working, and contributing to wider Government Reform. L&D helps strengthen team and employee capability, performance, and behaviours. It supports our employee’s engagement, motivation, and their career development. It underpins our ability to learn, innovate and continuously improve.

L&D covers a range of activities, most done in the flow of work - including taking on new tasks, feedback, peer learning and reflection, coaching, networking, shadowing, mentoring, e-learning, research, videos, conferences, and more formal courses. It requires commitment, time, and for some interventions, money.

Working patterns:

Must be available to work in Abuja full time with occasional travel across Nigeria.

Here across the Nigeria network, change is to be expected as part of our day jobs and therefore you will need to be flexible and agile in helping us to deliver our country and business strategies.

The Nigeria network continuously reviews its workforce plans. Some flexibility will be required with potential changes to the substance of this role.

  • Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
  • Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Abuja are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Nigeria.
  • 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;
  1. Obtain the relevant permit
  2. Pay fees for the permit
  3. Make arrangements to relocate
  4. Meet the costs to relocation
  • 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
  • Please note:  AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
  • 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”.
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.