View Vacancy - SIN - Senior Communications Adviser, 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 (Policy & Political roles)
Communications, Press and Media

Main purpose of job:

To work with the senior leadership team to refresh our communications strategy and approach for the UK government in Singapore.

To manage the communications team to deliver high impact campaigns and marketing, press and media engagement, digital and internal communication to inform and influence a wide range of Singapore-based audiences in support of the full range of HMG’s policy priorities.

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

Through your expert advice and management of the communications team you will: 

1. Campaigns and Marketing

  • Plan, execute and improve excellent strategy, campaigns, reactive comms including in crisis, projects and effective public diplomacy.
  • Advise visiting UK Government ministers, senior UK officials and senior leadership from the British High Commission how to communicate with impact in the Singapore context.
  • Work collaboratively with and through the British High Commission’s communications team, regional communications leads, as well as FCDO communications and the wider Government Communications Service in the UK.

2. Press and Media

  • Build and maintain relationships with local and international media based in Singapore to inform HMG choices of how, when and who to engage with.

3. Digital

  • Understand how to generate audience insight, how to use the right digital medium and the right content to deliver impact, and how to use data to evaluate that impact.  

4. Internal Communication

  • Draw on audience insight to develop innovative internal communication strategies, selecting the most appropriate channel mix and ensuring content is both topical and timely.

5. Capability Building

  • Develop communications understanding and capability across your own team and the whole mission.
  • Review the ways of working to ensure the team is working at the cutting edge of government communications best practice.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

  • 3 x EO(CB) staff
  • 1 x AO(CB) staff
  • Singapore Communications Team Budget ~ £15k
  • Campaign fund budgets in line with any successful bids.

Essential on Arrival:

You will be given autonomy, responsibility and the flexibility to try new things. We are looking for an individual who is driven, open, creative, responsible, and has a vision for and commitment to delivering excellence in communications.

Specifically:

  • Substantial experience in leading strategic communications work within an organisation.
  • Strong understanding of the political and economic background in Singapore, Southeast Asia and the UK.
  • An understanding of how strategic communications can deliver policy objectives.
  • First-class oral and written communication skills.
  • Strong project management skills, with a focus on outcomes and results.
  • Media relations, including an understanding of what journalists want and how best to work with them
  • Experience of using internal communications to inform, engage and inspire
  • Experience in leading a team and delivering through others.
  • A keen understanding of what makes engaging content and how to have digital impact, including on @UKinSingapore channels
  • Strong background in working with senior stakeholders
  • Able to work independently to deliver, direct, advise, and build capability
  • Able to build up a network and influence through it.

Desirable:

  • Experience working with and in Singapore-based media
  • Experience in managing events
  • Experience in budget management
  • Experience in writing speeches and op-eds
  • Experience of government or not for profit communications
  • Ability to produce Mandarin/Malay/Tamil language content
Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Leadership, Working Together
4 June 2023
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Full-time, Permanent
37.5
Asia Pacific
Singapore
Singapore
British High Commission
1
SGD
8,658
31 July 2023

Benefits:

We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary of SGD 8,658 subject to experience per month and a generous annual wage supplement (as part of total guaranteed remuneration) of an additional 2 months’ salary paid out in December each year, Central Provident Fund (CPF) payment in lieu for non-Permanent Resident foreign nationals, 23-days annual leave entitlement and a health insurance plan. The basic salary is non-negotiable.

We have a generous leave offer including: 23 days annual leave, increasing to 25 after 5 years' service, with the option to carry over up to 10 days into the subsequent leave year; 13 public holidays; generous maternity and paternity leave; and childcare leave. We encourage volunteerism and offer up to 3 days paid volunteer leave.

We offer medical insurance to support staff with the high costs of healthcare in Singapore and periodic reimbursement for the cost of eye tests and replacement eye wear.

Learning and development opportunities:

We offer time and financial support for the successful candidate to take advantage of professional learning and development opportunities inside and outside of the organisation.

The BHC has an active Learning & Development Committee which works hard to provide a comprehensive L&D offer. There is a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job-shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the International Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all available opportunities.

All new hires undertake a workplace induction and there are a number of mandatory e-learning courses that must be completed in order to pass probation.

Working Patterns:

Normal working hours are 37.5 per week: 8.30am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday. BHC Singapore supports and promotes flexible working as a crucial part of our inclusive offering, and is committed to staff maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Please note that the High Commission supports flexible working for its staff. Our current posture allows for staff to work from home for up to 40% of their working week, subject to line manager agreement.

Other information:

Should the successful candidate require a permit to work in Singapore, the British High Commission will apply and sponsor the appropriate pass on their behalf. 

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. 

In addition to the duties which this job normally entails, you may from time to time be required to undertake additional or other duties as necessary to meet the needs of the High Commission, including playing a part in the corporate life of the mission and supporting any crisis response.

Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Singapore employment law. 

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. Only short-listed applications will be called for personal interviews.

The British High Commission is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation. Our values of Collaboration, Opportunity, Respect and Excellence (CORE) are our guiding principles. We aspire to live our values consistently in order to make the British High Commission a great place to work where staff feel valued, supported and inspired to be their best.

Please note that all successful candidates will be expected to serve a minimum of 6 months in their new role before being eligible to apply for further positions within the British High Commission.

Please submit a two page maximum CV and a one page maximum cover letter outlining why your skills, experience and motivation make you the right candidate for the position. Please submit in Word format.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline."

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.
 
Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time.

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.

For inclusivity and diversity, please remove the following personal information when uploading your CV: name, address, email address, age, date of birth, gender, and nationality.

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.

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.