View Vacancy - Communication Officer (04/18 ADD)

fco.tal.net

Foreign & 
Commonwealth 
Office

View Vacancy - Communication Officer (04/18 ADD)

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
Communications, Press and Media
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
Main purpose of job:

Present a positive image of the United Kingdom (UK); formulate and implement a dynamic communication strategy and lead the Embassy’s engagement with media in order to achieve UK’s foreign policy priorities; lead the Embassy’s digital output and provide advice to different departments in the Embassy on media and digital handling; monitor local media on issues of key interest, producing timely short, analytical reports; manage public diplomacy budget; support Ambassador’s office on internal embassy communications.

Roles and responsibilities :

- Public diplomacy: Lead day to day delivery of our communications strategy, promoting a modern and positive image of the UK and delivering business objectives for: UK-Ethiopia, UK-AU and UK-Djibouti.

- Press: Draft local press releases, press lines and speaking points, in relation to UK objectives. Organise and lead on all local press events, including ensuring that the Ambassador has a comprehensive media engagement programme.

- Press/Political: Proactively establish and maintain a network of local press contacts to provide insight into topical political, economic and work with political colleagues on media environment and training projects.

- Digital diplomacy: Ensure a vibrant UK digital diplomacy presence, through creative use of social networking sites, working with UK government digital content experts in Pretoria and London.

- Corporate: Bid for and ensure full spend of the Embassy’s annual Political, Press and Public Affairs team budget. Provide ad-hoc support to the Embassy’s project, political and trade sections.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Responsibility for Budgeting for approximately £20k GBP (700,000 ETB)

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in any arts/humanities subject. Degrees in communications or journalism are preferable.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in communication work, including, creating content for media outlets.
• Social media experience: creating attractive and interesting digital content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram strongly preferred.
• Must be a self-starter, capable of working independently and in a team.
• Good understanding of the political and social conditions in Ethiopia essential, some grasp of the UK and UK foreign policy preferred.
• Excellent level of spoken and written English.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• MA in similar fields is desirable
• Amharic is strongly preferred and other Ethiopian languages are desirable.

Required competencies
Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace

Application deadline
21 March 2018

Grade
B3 (L)

Type of Position
Permanent

Working hours per week
36

Region
Africa

Country/Territory
Ethiopia

Location (City)
Addis Ababa

Type of Post
British Embassy

Starting monthly salary 
ETB 20 519 gross

Start Date
1 May 2018

Other benefits and conditions of employment

The British Embassy in Addis Ababa is located within a beautiful compound. The work is varied and interesting and the role will span across all areas of the Embassy, from development to political work. There will be a large degree of autonomy, with the job holder able to stretch themselves and the communications of the Embassy.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

There will be opportunities for further training in international communication skills, as well as general professional and management skills. This may occassionally involve international travel.

Working patterns:

Occasional work during evening and weekends may be required- though Time Off In Lieu is given in these circumstances where possible.

Additional information

• Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
• Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
• The British Embassy will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
• Employees recruited locally by the British Embassy in Addis Ababa are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Ethiopia.
• 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.
• The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to;
• Obtain the relevant permit
• Pay the fees for the permit
• Make arrangements to relocate
• Meet the costs to relocation

• Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount
• 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 Please note: Job grade AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
• Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.