Job Description

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 one-off 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 643,242.53 (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

• 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 High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
• Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
• 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 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.
• Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link:

. Please note: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5 * Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.

• Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a 'reserve list'. If during the reserve period of 6/12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidatexe2x80x9d.

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.

HM Government