View Vacancy - JPN (Tokyo) - Science and Innovation Policy Lead, HEO (Maternity Leave Cover)

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. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Science and Innovation

Main Purpose of Job:

The UK Science and Technology Network (STN) is a global network within the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. STN works to develop international partnerships in science, technology and innovation and to deploy science diplomacy in support of UK Government priorities. 

The Science & Technology Team’s work at the British Embassy Tokyo is highly collaborative and focuses on science, research, data and technology policy cooperation in areas of complementary strengths for the UK and Japan, to support UK growth over the long term. With this goal in mind, we engage daily with government officials, research agencies, academics and other embassies in Japan and the region. 

This is a dynamic short-term role in a broad policy area of growing significance to diplomacy and UK economic growth. It requires an interest in science and technology, management skills, competence in planning and delivering projects and events, and strong communication skills to maintain relationships with varied counterparts. 
 
This role will work closely with the STN Northeast Asia Regional Director and others in the Science and Technology Team and lead specific workstreams; currently these include space cooperation, biotechnology & engineering biology policy, and health & medical sciences. This role has the potential to contribute to the development of UK-Japan collaborations across a wide range of research fields including, life sciences, medical sciences, space, physical sciences, and social sciences, and the translation of this research into innovative technologies, through our existing partnerships. Priorities may change, requiring adaptability and offering opportunities to shape the scope of the team’s activities as they evolve. 

What the Jobholder will be Expected to Achieve:

Science and Innovation expertise, informing goal setting and activity management (20%)

  • Plan and implement activity for yourself and team (including budgeting), aligned to the STN Delivery Plan and current priorities for the STN, FCDO and UK Government.
  • Develop and apply a broad knowledge of UK and Japanese S&T policy to inform your work and management of the team. Refer and work with line manager to address complex issues or concerns.

External engagement and communications (30%)

  • Maintain relationships, and where necessary build new ones, between science and technology organisations in the UK and Japan.
  • Produce material for communications campaigns to promote the UK as a highly innovative destination based on the UK’s scientific excellence and technological expertise.

Coordinating meetings, events and visits (20%)

  • Collaborate with UK and Japanese government officials to organise the UK-Japan Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation.
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues in different teams to coordinate impactful visit programmes and written briefing for UK Ministers and UK representatives.

Coordinate regular information sharing and reporting (5%)

  • Manage the team process for monitoring the impact of our work in Japan.
  • Respond promptly to regular central commissions on science and technology topics and ensure the team can effectively analyse Japan’s policy developments to identify and highlight opportunities and lessons for the UK.

Contribute to the wider work of the Japan network and the STN (5%)

  • Take an active role in the Embassy’s crisis response plan and crisis exercises. 
  • Participate in the regional STN community to facilitate information-sharing and collaboration across STN in the Asia-Pacific region.

Team leadership (20%)

  • Line manage a team of three Science and Technology Officers, motivating and supporting them to perform at their best.
  • Facilitate a dynamic team culture by role modelling knowledge of your area, professionalism and respect. Empower your team to collaborate to multiply the visibility and impact of their work, and to efficiently organise visits, events and meetings.

Resources Managed (staff and expenditure):

  • Line manage a team of least three Science and Technology Officers
  • Budget responsibility to deliver events
  • Ability to set, communicate and implement plans, taking into account the organisation’s strategic direction
  • Management skills to maintain a motivational and efficient working environment
  • Oral briefing skills and experience with senior stakeholder (Ministers, senior industry and government colleagues)
  • Ability to digest technical information and make informed, evidence-based decisions
  • Experience working with either UK or Japanese ministries or research-related organisations
  • Experience in international or inter-governmental relations
  • Fluent English written and spoken communication skills
  • Proficient computer literacy
  • Evidenced interest in science, innovation and technology

Language Requirement:

    This role requires written and spoken proficiency in English and Japanese. Fluency (minimum of C2 level for CEFR framework*) in English is required.

    *Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages sets the following mastery or proficiency levels:

    • C2: Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express themself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
    • B2: Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
    • Japanese language fluency 
    • A scientific or engineering educational or vocational background
    • Direct experience of government or policy work
    • Qualifications in project management
    • Communications or marketing experience
    Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together
    5 May 2026
    Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
    Full-time, Fixed Term
    37.5
    6 months
    Asia Pacific
    Japan
    Tokyo
    British Embassy
    1
    JPY
    JPY 862,900
    monthly
    6 July 2026
    • 1 month salary bonus equivalents payable in June and December
      (Note: Salary may be reduced due to tax status)
    • Commuting allowance of up to JPY35,000 per month (paid on an actual cost basis)
    • 25 days paid annual leave (calculated pro rata)
    • Health Insurance and Employee pension (kenko hoken/kosei nenkin)
    • Employment Insurance (koyou hoken)

    Working Patterns:

    The British Embassy supports and promotes flexible working as a crucial part of our inclusive offering. This role allows for flexible working e.g. start and end times, working compressed hours, working remotely on one day a week, and the possibility of a job share arrangement, subject to agreement with management. 

    This role will be offered pending successful reference and security checks and is subject to the appropriate permissions to work. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Tokyo is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Japan employment law.

    No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in Japan with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit. Any costs related to obtaining or renewing permits and visas are the responsibility of the successful applicant. 

    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.

    The FCDO operates an agile approach to delivery. To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require.

    Learning and Development Opportunities:

    The British Embassy offers regular learning and development opportunities that will be available to the jobholder. We regularly run both work area specific training, as well as more general skills development in project management, finance, and leadership. The jobholder will learn about a wide range of diplomatic and international issues from working daily with talented and committed people.

    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.

    Note: 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.

    To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate these behaviours, including through your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides detailed guidance on how the behaviours are defined.

    Applicants are encouraged to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format to prepare specific examples of when they have demonstrated these behaviours in their application. Using the STAR format to provide evidence of your skills and experience in your application and at interview helps to give a structure. You briefly describe the situation in which you showed the behaviour, and then explain your task in addressing the situation, what action you took and the result of this.

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    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.