View Vacancy - Policy Advisor, General Assembly

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.
UK Mission
Political

Main purpose of job:

As a core part of the General Assembly & Human Rights team at the UK Mission to the UN, the candidate will manage UK strategy on and engagement with the General Assembly (GA).  This will include leading work to track GA initiatives, enhance engagement with key partners and make progress on UK policy initiatives.

The successful candidate will join a busy team, working closely with colleagues handling wider Development, Reform, Climate and Human Rights policies. The role involves consulting a broad spectrum of contacts across the UN, in the non-government sector and in UK Government departments in London. They will be able to work efficiently through large amounts of GA material and have strong organisational and analytical skills.

The successful candidate will require strong communication skills, be highly motivated self-starter, flexible and dynamic, and able to deliver as part of a busy team with changing priorities. They will be comfortable managing competing and evolving demands in a fast paced environment, and demonstrate an enthusiasm for making a positive contribution to the workings and culture of the team and wider mission.

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

This is a policy and information management role, focused on developing expertise and coordinating work across the General Assembly. Roles and responsibilities will include:

  • Managing and coordinating UK engagement across the GA, coordinating daily business management, advising on priorities for engagement and spotting opportunities to advance UK priorities.
  • Maintaining various products to track short- and long-term GA business and engagement priorities, using horizon-scanning skills to scope out opportunities in the UN / international calendar to help deliver UK objectives.
  • Leading on analytical work to ensure momentum and coherence to deliver an enhanced approach to the UK Mission’s overall approach to member state relationships.
  • Building and maintaining up-to-date understanding of UK priorities and Member States positions across the GA, and use this knowledge to help set strategic approach on key policy campaigns.
  • Developing expertise on GA procedure.
  • Negotiating General Assembly plenary resolutions and other relevant processes.

Outside the day-job, there will be opportunities to provide support more to other members of the team and wider Mission as needed, working flexibly and adjusting to changing priorities.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Possible line-management opportunities within immediate team.

  • Bachelor's degree (international relations, international affairs, political affairs, etc.)
  • 3 years’ work experience in a relevant field
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Strong organisational skills and ability to be detail-oriented
  • Effective at both long-term planning and reacting to urgent day-to-day developments
  • Ability to assess and prioritise large amounts of information and coordinate responses and engagement
  • Creativity, flexibility, adaptability, and excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills
  • Confidence and poise; ability to work to tight deadlines and independently in a fast-paced environment
  • Ability to focus on multiple large-scale projects simultaneously
  • Strong networking skills; ability and willingness to attend occasional evening or weekend events, as necessary
  • Experience of work in the public service
  • Familiarity with the UK Government
  • Up-to-date knowledge of and interest in foreign policy issues
  • Knowledge and understanding of the UN, international relations or international development
  • Familiarity with United Nations negotiation processes and organizational structure
17 October 2021
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
UK Mission to the United Nations, New York
UK Delegation
1
USD
$67,422
6 December 2021

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 Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.

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

The successful candidate will have the FCDO’s wealth of training and development resources at their disposal.

Working patterns: Full time

Jobholder is expected to go into the office around 2-3 days per week; to be discussed with line manager

Any other information:

You will work in a fast-paced and changing environment and must be willing to support other team members and priorities as needed. You should be able to draft at speed, and draw on various data sources.

The portfolio will evolve and grow as the job-holder gains experience in the role and as UN issues and priorities evolve. The UK Mission will shortly conduct a strategic workforce review, so the role and responsibilities may differ in some aspects to those outlined above, but will remain consistent in terms of the types of activities and level of responsibilities.

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.