Main Purpose of Job:
To co-ordinate and project manage the activities of a dynamic and creative team, with the ultimate aim of developing UK-Ethiopia relations. To take ownership of soft power and public diplomacy projects and campaigns, with and without budgets, delivering on deadline and with high-quality outputs. To establish and maintain relationships between British and Ethiopian organisations and individuals. To manage and run Embassy events and high-level visits. To oversee our Chevening Scholarships and Fellowships Programmes and build deeper links with our alumni networks. To manage three members of staff.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
The UK’s Embassy in Addis Ababa is one of our largest in Africa, and the development programme run from within it is our biggest on the continent. The UK also works closely with the Government of Ethiopia and other Ethiopian institutions on matters including climate change, trade, promoting economic reform and protecting human rights.
We are proud of our longstanding bilateral relationship with Ethiopia and of our unique soft power. The UK’s education, culture, brands, businesses, media, sport and institutions are world-class and we are famous for quality, creativity and innovation. We want to build up our brand here and work together with Ethiopia towards our shared goals. We are broadening our approach to increase our person-person and organisational links and engagement, in addition to our regular flow of ministerial visitors. We are looking for someone to manage the implementation of several strategies that aim to build ties between our two countries in key areas and support the UK’s policy objectives.
This role should provide the right candidate with rewarding ownership of interesting projects, a cross-cultural work environment and exposure to senior UK government officials and ministers. No two days will be the same.
The successful candidate’s role will be composed of: managing and mentoring 3 junior members of staff (25%), project managing and quality assuring a number of soft power and public diplomacy campaigns and programmes – which can shift, when needed, to project managing high level visits (50%) and overseeing the administration of Chevening fellowships and scholarships, and implementation of a Chevening engagement plan (25%).
The jobholder will manage an Events and Visits Officer, providing oversight of virtual and in-person events in the beautiful British Embassy compound. The jobholder will also manage a Public Diplomacy Officer who supports the development of relationships and small projects to assist the Embassy’s soft power strategies. The jobholder will need to have a good eye for communications and reputation management, working closely with communication officers to maximise the public impact of UK engagement and oversee longer-term communication campaigns. The jobholder will lead their team, and often members of the communications team, and work closely with colleagues across the Embassy, to deliver projects or programmes with a positive impact on UK-Ethiopia relations, often to tight deadlines.
The jobholder will play an important role in high-level and ministerial visits, supporting policy leads to plan and organise smooth, successful and high impact visits.
The successful candidate will oversee the activities of a Chevening Officer and take responsibility for an increase in our engagement with scholarship alumni, overseeing events and projects designed to link British Embassy staff with scholars. Running for 35 years, Chevening is the UK Government’s flagship scholarship programme, in Ethiopia including both a 1-year scholarship offer for Masters level students and two 2-month fellowship programmes that focus on short-term high impact leadership training for senior figures in the media and public sectors. The programme has a value of about £700k p/a.
The ideal candidate will have project or programme management experience. They will be organised, have a good eye for detail and be able to juggle changing priorities. They will have excellent verbal and written communication skills and an enthusiasm for connecting with new people. They will be excited about problem solving, able to find their feet in a new environment quickly and take pride in overseeing high-quality pieces of work. They will enjoy mentoring more junior members of their team and working with a broad role of stakeholders inside and outside the British Embassy.
Resources Managed (Staff and Expenditure)
Line manager for 1 x B3 Assistant Visits and Events Officer, 1 x B3 Chevening Officer and 1 x B3 Public Diplomacy Officer.
Budget management for projects in cultural and soft power areas – this varies from year-to-year.
Oversight of Chevening Programme worth ~£700k (although detailed budget management is handled in London).
Locally engaged staff of all grades will be entitled to paid annual leave as follows:
Up to 2 years 22 daysAfter 2 years services 25 daysAfter 5 years services 30 days
In addition to annual leave, the British Embassy observes up to a maximum number of 14 Ethiopian, British and Religious public holidays each year. A list of such Embassy holidays will be published each year. Office Staff required to work on these holidays will be granted time off in lieu or overtime where circumstances permit.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
