Public Diplomacy Officer Heo - Pretoria, South Africa - Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Thabo Mthembu

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Thabo Mthembu

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Description
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)


Main purpose of job:


This role will drive increased collaboration and profile of the great sporting, cultural and people to people links between the UK and South Africa.

Working with policy leads, you'll create and deliver events and engagements that speak to the breadth of UK / South Africa engagement.

You will develop a broad spectrum of partnerships across sport, music, literature, theatre, arts and more.

You will then use those networks to create and deliver innovative engagements, events and stories that speak this unique and historic, yet modern, relationship.

You will work closely with our communications team, the British Council and our teams in Pretoria, Jo'burg and Cape Town to ensure this speaks to the full range of our interests and objectives.


Roles and responsibilities:

The UK and South Africa share strong people to people links through culture, education, sports, language, values and innovation. There is also our unique history and what it means to our modern partnership today.

Acknowledging the past is key as well as a forward looking engagement showcasing modern Britain with the values, rule of law and human rights being key areas.

Engaging with a range of diverse stakeholders will remain key to this role.

You will be responsible for coordinating our work across the full breadth of policy including our cultural, sporting and artistic links - what we call soft power and public diplomacy


In particular:

  • Developing alliances and productive partnerships with key organisations in the UK and South Africa across our areas of engagement to produce creative ideas for oneoff and enduring events and engagements.
  • Work collaboratively across the whole UKinSA operation to develop a coherent soft power strategy and delivery plan. Yet also be agile to take advantage of short notice opportunities.
  • Work across the UKinSA events, residence and corporate services team to ensure and support event and engagement delivery.
  • Seek opportunities to secure ad hoc funding from the UK or other sources for this work.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

No staff management. The post will have a travel, hospitality and events budget to be managed.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

  • Ability to build diverse networks with a wide range of stakeholders in relevant fields
  • Excellent verbal and written skills
  • Innovation, creativity and willingness to try new ideas
  • Delivery focused, sometimes in a fast pace environment
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

  • Previous experience of being able to implement policy and/or key strategic objectives in an innovative way
  • Previous experience of soft power, communications or diplomatic work


  • Required behaviours

  • Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together Application deadline Application deadline day Application deadline month Application deadline year
  • 12 September 2023
Grade

  • Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Type of Position

  • Permanent
Working hours per week

  • 36.5 hours
Region

  • Africa
Country/Territory

  • South Africa
Location (City)

  • Pretoria
Type of Post

  • British High Commission
Number of vacancies

  • 1
Salary

  • R 643, per annum)
Start Date Start Date - day Start Date - month Start Date - year

  • 1
November 2023

Other benefits and conditions of employment


Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop diplomatic, communication and events management skills.

The High Commission in Pretoria also hosts the FCDO's regional learning and development hub so there is ample opportunity for attending a range of formal training courses.

Mentoring and coaching is also encouraged on ad hoc basis.


Working patterns:

This role will require flexible working and evening/ weekend work for which TOIL can be claimed. Regular travel to Cape Town and Johannesburg will also be required.

Additional information

  • Obtain the relevant permit
  • Pay fees for the permit
  • Make arrangements to relocate
  • Meet the costs to relocate
  • The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
  • 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.

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