Senior Political and Projects Officer 1676 views

Senior Political and Projects Officer

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, 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.

Job Category : Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory :Political
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job:

To be the operational lead within the Embassy’s political section. The successful candidate will oversee the delivery of the Embassy’s political programmes, build and maintain networks with government, political parties and civil society and ensure the smooth running of bilateral visits. This is a demanding leadership role, working closely with the Deputy Ambassador and the Political Counsellor. The ideal candidate is likely to have worked in a political field – perhaps in civil society or a think tank, with significant project and budget management experience; and will have at least a five-year track-record of delivering at pace.
Roles and responsibilities:
• An in-depth knowledge of Zimbabwean politics, contributing to political analysis within the Embassy, keeping track of developments within the major political parties, organising and attending political meetings/events, and producing timely and accurate reports for the team
• The officer will ideally bring a strong network of contacts with them to the team. In particular, the officer will build and maintain contacts in government, political parties and civil society, monitoring and attending key meetings and tracking political developments
• Lead the project and programme team, identifying activities to be funded from the Enabling Fund as well as managing the monitoring and evaluation process
• Support the UK’s prestigious Chevening programme, which provides educational scholarships, and work with the alumni association
• The Officer will be part of an energetic and engaged team, where they will also play a wider corporate and leadership role, particularly within the middle management tier of the Embassy
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
• Line manage x1 A2 Projects and Programmes Officer
• Day-to-day management of ~$250,000 programme funds
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
• High level of people skills – leadership, networking, management, organising, coaching, influencing, persuading, giving feedback, conflict management
• Sound project and financial management knowledge, skills and experience, ideally based on industry recognised methodology (e.g. PRINCE2)
• Strong analytical and judgement skills, able to process and summarise information quickly for different audiences
• Excellent communication skills – written, oral, one-to-one, group, formal presentations – ability to vary style, pace and presentation to suit the audience
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
• Bachelor of Science Degree in Politics and Public Management
• Professionally recognised qualification in the field of political, business or quality management
• Experience of working in Embassies/High Commissions
• Ability and willingness to undergo higher security vetting process

Required competencies

Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Delivering at Pace

Application deadline : 26 October 2018
Grade :C4 (L)
Type of Position :Fixed Term
Duration of Post :36 months
Region:Africa
Country/Territory :Zimbabwe
Location (City) :Harare
Type of Post :British Embassy
Starting monthly salary () :USD 3,411
Start Date ; 3 December 2018

Other benefits and conditions of employment

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The Embassy is highly supportive of the development of its staff. There will be frequent opportunities to build leadership, project management and policy skills, including potential visits to the UK and the region. The incumbent recently completed the prestigious Global Leadership Programme, which took place in Accra. There will also be opportunities for the officer to involve themselves in the Embassy’s crisis response and management structures, including taking part in relevant training.

Additional information

• Employees recruited locally by the British Embassy in Harare are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Zimbabwe.
• All applicants must be legally able to work in the country of application with the correct visa/status or work permit.
• HM Treasury has issued an instruction to Government departments employing staff overseas, where they are not liable to local tax, that their salaries should be abated by an equivalent amount. The British Embassy currently has not implemented this policy, however, reserves the right to do so in future.
• Reference and security clearances checks will be conducted.
• Any questions you may have about this position will be answered during the interview, should you be invited.
• Information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework
• Successful candidates not resident in Zimbabwe will be personally liable for costs and arrangements to relocate, including accommodation and work permits.
• Complete the application form in full as the information provided will be used for screening purposes.
• Check your application and attachments before you submit your application, as you will not be able to make any changes once submitted.
• The British Embassy will never ask you to pay a fee or money to apply for a position.