View Vacancy - MNL - Climate Change and Environment Officer, EO

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)
Climate change, Environment & Sustainability

The British Embassy Manila is a large diplomatic mission delivering a dynamic and rapidly expanding programme of activity in support of the UK’s objectives on prosperity, security and consular matters. The Embassy is a modern, diverse and inclusive employer where everyone contributes to the Embassy’s WORC Values of Wellbeing, Opportunity, Respect and Collaboration.

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy in Manila is working closely with a broad range of partners across the country and the region to strengthen international collaboration on the major practical challenges of climate adaptation, biodiversity preservation and restoration, emissions reduction, resilience, and green finance. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a regional network of climate and energy advisors and officers in South East Asia and the Pacific whose role is to promote and deliver on the climate change agenda in the region. This is done through advocacy and policy work, commercial engagement, and increasingly through the UK International Climate Finance to promote economic development.

This role is to support in the delivery of the UK’s Climate and Environment Campaign goals in the Philippines and Palau well as mainstreaming the agenda across the wider political, science and innovation, and economic agendas.  The role requires effective stakeholder engagement including the ability to build relationships with working level contacts in the Philippine government (executive and legislative both at the national and local levels), development partners, and representatives of businesses, and civil society organisations, including those for Palau, as deemed necessary. The successful candidate will support the Embassy’s campaigns and communications work and  strengthening strategic partnerships with key cross-sectoral stakeholders, including but not limited to working towards the successful delivery of Philippines international climate commitments, National Adaptation Planning (NAP) and long term climate and environment strategies.

The job holder will coordinate the British Embassy Manila’s policy and programme oversight on interventions across a wide range of issues including (but not limited to) leading the FCDO’s support to the Philippines Emissions Pathways Calculator Project, supporting work on conservation and biodiversity management, contributing towards the UK-PH annual Climate Change and Environment Strategic Dialogue, and public diplomacy. The successful candidate will also provide support on climate change priorities in our non-resident mission in Palau. The job holder will be a core member of the Climate Change and Environment (CCE) team, and will provide cross team support on event planning and limited administrative assistance to team members. 

The successful candidate will contribute to the British Embassy Manila’s corporate agenda, which includes promoting the Embassy’s CORE values (collaboration, opportunity, respect, and excellence) and will work with other colleagues in the Policy and Programmes Section of the Embassy, including the political and economic officers, and with colleagues in the International Trade Section. The successful candidate will also coordinate with colleagues based in other British Missions in the region, and officials in the FCDO and other relevant departments in the UK. The successful candidate will report to the Climate Change Attaché. 

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

The key elements of this role are:

  • Supporting the delivery of the British Government’s climate change objectives related to long-term decarbonisation and resilience & adaptation objectives in the Philippines, including  on the just energy transition, nature-based solutions, blue economy, coastal and marine protection, biodiversity conservation, adaptation planning and implementation and meeting international commitments
  • Leading on the UK’s climate programme engagement with Palau. Supporting on the delivery of the cross-embassy strategy on Palau
  • Overseeing programmes, including leading on the FCDO support to the Philippines Emissions Pathways Calculator. This includes monitoring UK-funded programmes, managing local contracts and commercial needs as required and conducting proactive resource mobilisation
  • Developing effective communications and lobbying campaigns. This includes formulation and implementation of a communication plan and engagement strategy as well as drafting of speeches, op eds, and briefing materials in close coordination with the Climate Change Attaché and Public Diplomacy Team
  • Representing the UK in programme boards, events, conferences and other external stakeholder meetings as required
  • Supporting the planning and delivery of climate change and environment-related events, high level meetings, delegation visits, and workshops for the Philippines and Palau. This may include national, regional and/or international travel opportunities

The candidate will need to be flexible and resilient to changes in their role to respond to changing needs within the Mission, whether to cover particularly acute work periods (such as a humanitarian disaster) or support other teams during peaks in work. 

Essential on Arrival:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field, for instance, Climate and Environment Science, Public Policy, Public Administration, Development Communication, etc.
  • A minimum of 3+ years of experience working for an organisation in a relevant field, for example, working for/with national or regional government, international organizations or agencies, private sector, or national civil society, preferably in some aspect of climate change, energy, adaptation, green finance, maritime, or biodiversity – but transferable skills will also be considered.
  • Proven capability in high standard communication, business writing and social/multi-media applications
  • Experience of working with and through networks of representatives from government, the private sector, media, civil society, and international institutions.
  • Strong interpersonal, representational and communication skills, with the ability to present convincing arguments in a public setting.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team, under pressure and to meet tight deadlines.
Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing
14 June 2023
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Permanent
36
Asia Pacific
Philippines
Manila
British Embassy
1
PHP
55,580.49
14 August 2023

Benefits:

The British Embassy Manila offers the following:

  • A competitive compensation package
  • 36-hour work week
  • Guaranteed 13th and 14th month pay
  • 20 days paid annual leave (calculated on Pro-rata basis if joined after 1 January)
  • Extensive medical insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Access to a guaranteed 5 days of learning opportunities a year. 

Learning and Development Opportunities:

The British Embassy is committed to being a learning and development organisation and encourages all staff to pursue continued learning and development in the workplace. We offer a supportive and friendly working environment where staff work to the values of: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.  Everyone is encouraged to take responsibility, be innovative and work together.

  • Compulsory online training courses include Diversity and Inclusion
  • Courses offered by UK government related to digital and multimedia tools
  • Courses offered by UK government related to climate change and sustainability.

The British Embassy has an active L&D Committee and offers a wide range of in-house training and funding for external training on communications & media, policy and programme work.

The FCDO offers a wide variety of on the job and additional professional training across climate change and environment. This includes expert seminars (virtual), workshops, and internal professional networks. 

Working Patterns:

36 hours per week

Other Information:

The role may include international travel. 

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Manila is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Philippine 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 the country of the vacancy 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.

Candidates are expected to have a valid NBI Clearance.

Please note that your application must be submitted before 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.  Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core behaviours listed above.

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.