View Vacancy - Congressional Advisor for Foreign and Security Policy

Main purpose of job:

The Congressional Advisor will serve as the point person for the Embassy’s Foreign and Security Policy Group (FSPG), advising FSPG policy officers on all Congressional issues in order to enable UK officials, both in the U.S. and London, to make informed decisions that help advance UK policy priorities.

Roles and responsibilities:

As FSPG’s primary point of contact on all Congressional issues related to foreign affairs and homeland security policy, the Congressional Advisor should have an understanding of the relevant Congressional committees of jurisdiction and the legislative process, a background in foreign and/or homeland security policy, and a network of Hill contacts in relevant offices. This experience could come from working on Capitol Hill, an NGO, or a lobbying firm. Additionally, the Congressional Advisor must have demonstrated experience developing and nurturing relevant contacts on Capitol Hill, as well as the ability to track legislation and Hill activity in order to identify potential legislative threats and opportunities to advance UK priorities.

The Congressional Advisor is part of a highly visible unit at the Embassy, interacting regularly with the British Ambassador and visiting Foreign Office officials, such as the Foreign Secretary and National Security Advisor. Therefore, the successful applicant will demonstrate poise when working with senior officials, feel comfortable engaging Members of Congress, communicate clearly and persuasively, and be vigilant in staying on top of current political and legislative events.

Writing reports to colleagues and official diplomatic telegrams to Foreign Office officials is a central part of the Congressional Advisor’s daily work. The written work of the political team in DC is some of the most read in the entire Foreign Office, often by senior readers at the highest levels, so the successful applicant must have strong writing skills. He/she must be able to analyse policy and legislation and write about it clearly. Furthermore, the Congressional Advisor will regularly have to make the case for an Embassy action or persuade a Foreign Office official to take action, so the Advisor must be able to set out a clear argument, support it with relevant evidence, and draw well founded conclusions.

The political team is a tight knit group that works together in a fast-paced environment. Therefore, the ideal candidate will be someone who thrives in a team environment, who enjoys working with others, sees opportunity in collaborating with new individuals across the Embassy and Foreign Office, and will be willing to support team members to advance our common goal of promoting UK priorities and managing potential legislative and political risks. Individual officers will have a good degree of autonomy, but the successful candidate will need to have experience of and be comfortable with working in a hierarchy.

Essential on arrival:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree required
• Three to five years of relevant experience, including recent experience working on the Hill.
• Must be able to represent the Embassy at external meetings and win the confidence of senior US and UK officials and other stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of the US political system and key figures within the Congressional environment.
• Flexibility in a team setting, with an enthusiastic approach to work.
• Ability to work independently and a proven track record of showing initiative and delivering results.
• Strong networking skills and ability to gain access to key figures.
• Excellent oral communicating and drafting skills and an ability to explain complicated policy issues in a succinct manner for a non specialist audience in the UK
• Ability to travel