View Vacancy - Communications Officer - Panama City

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)
Communications, Press and Media

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy, Panama City is part of a worldwide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests oveaseas. 
The British Embassy is looking to recruit a Communications Officer that will play a key role in the Political and Communications Team.  The successful candidate will work to deliver the Embassy’s social media strategy and work to communicate our brand in Panama, using a wide range of communications and public diplomacy tools as well as play an integral role as part of the wider Political and Communications Team. The job would suit those with excellent interpersonal and communication skills and with previous experience in social media, media relations, and communication tools technical knowledge.
The successful applicant will manage and promote the British Embassy’s digital media presence, creating innovative content for the British Embassy Social Media accounts and ensuring regular communication and evaluation of engagement to a wide group of Embassy staff.
This is an interesting role which will suit a proactive individual who is a team player and is adaptable to changing requirements. As audience engagement with digital media is constantly evolving, the successful candidate should expect the role to similarly change and evolve during their time with the Embassy.
The successful candidate will work with teams across the Embassy and report to the Head of Political and Communications Team.

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

Embassy work is constantly shifting to adapt with changing priorities. The following outline of responsibilities serves as a guide for the role; however the successful candidate must be flexible to take on other areas of work as required.


  • Design the Embassy digital strategy and manage content and campaigns for all Embassy digital channels: website, Facebook and Twitter. Identify and engage the key digital stakeholders in the Panamanian context. Provide evaluation through monthly reports.

  • Draft press releases, website articles, briefings and speeches as required in both English and Spanish.

  • Lead with media management and social media coverage (including taking and editing pictures and videos) at Embassy events.

  • Working directly with the Ambassador on the planning, development, and delivering of procts like “Tea with Tim”

  • When necessary, provide news updates and analysis for the Ambassador, Deputy Head of Mission and other internal stakeholders.

  • Assist the Head of Political and Communications Team with developing public relations campaigns which promote the UK, for example via the GREAT campaign and Chevening Scholarship recruitment process.

  • Assist the Head of Political and Communications and engage with the media stakeholders relationship 

  • Ensure all material produced by the Embassy follows the branding guidelines. Develop and redesign new material for staff to use.

  • Responsible for all administrative management of the Chevening Scholarship Programme in Panama.

  • Manage the Embassy’s relationship with Panamanian alumni who have studied in the UK, including designing and implementing an alumni engagement strategy.

  • Organize events that can help the brand of the UK in Panama 

  • To make a corporate contribution to the life of the embassy. 

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 
Will manage the political intern  

Essential on arrival:  
•    Excellent writing/drafting skills in both languages (English and Spanish).
•    Experience in managing websites and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
•    Intermediate graphic designing skills.
•    Intermediate photo and video editing experience.
•    Research skills (assessing various sources, Internet searches).
•    Personal drive, sound judgement and attention to detail.
•    Strong organisational and time management skills, including the ability to prioritise.
•    Intermediate events planning skills 
•    Flexible, resilient under pressure and decisive with a proven record of accomplishment of delivering results to a high standard within tight deadlines.
•    Proactive and solution minded
•    Strong networking skills.
Desirable: 
•    Bachelors Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Graphic design or any related field. 
•    At least 2 years of relevant experience in a public relations or communications roles.
•    An understanding of UK culture and a desire and interest in learning more about UK politics and its media landscape.
•    Working experience in public relations, event management or journalism.
•    Understanding of current affairs / political environment / foreign policy.
Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
8 September 2022
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
37 - Net, 41 - Gross
Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean
Panama
Panama City
British Embassy
1
USD
$1,562.38
17 October 2022

The Embassy is committed to learning and development and there is a range of training on offer for the successful applicant to support their work in the embassy. This will include training courses delivered remotely through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s International Academy, as well as the potential to travel for training courses delivered regionally and centrally in the UK.

The successful candidate must be Panamanian, or have a valid and current Work Permit through Ministry of Labour, and be able to provide it when requested by Embassy.  The British Embassy – Panama City does not sponsor work permits.  Office hours in the embassy are 8am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am-1pm on Fridays, though there is scope for flexible working arrangements, which can be agreed with the Line Manager. 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. 

The British Embassy Network offers a strong benefits package. This package includes generous vacation and leave time, flexible working patterns, and an enriching learning and development opportunities.    
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.