Job Description

 Regional Engagement Coordinator - British Embassy Addis Ababa    

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, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)

Job Subcategory: Political  

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)    

Main purpose of job:

To take the lead in co-ordinating UK engagement with Ethiopian Regional Governments. To build a network of senior contacts in regional governments, business and the media in key regional capitals in support of this, identifying new opportunities for engagement or to promote the UK’s extensive existing work across the country. To organise and accompany the Ambassador’s regional travel when it is possible to do so.

Roles 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 on matters of regional and international security, and in promoting economic reform and protecting human rights. We are proud of our longstanding bilateral relationship with Ethiopia and committed to continuing to support the country in these important times.
• As part of this, we want to strengthen our links and relationships with key stakeholders in Ethiopia’s regions. The UK already does a lot in Ethiopia’s regions – from supporting new water and sanitation projects to training journalists to helping fund the Productive Safety Nets Programme. But to support and promote these efforts most effectively, as well as identify other potential areas for cooperation, we want to deepen our relationships and make sure we are joining up our efforts across these diverse issues.
• This new role will be at the heart of that. The successful candidate will be tasked with building contacts amongst government, business and media in several key regions (precisely which ones will be determined in part by the skills and knowledge of the individual) and using these to identify new opportunities to promote the UK’s work and find additional areas for co-operation. To do so they will need to have, or to quickly develop, a strong understanding of the political situation and economic developments in Ethiopia’s regions. They will need to be available to travel regularly once safe to do so; both individually and accompanying diplomatic officials including the Ambassador.
• To achieve this, the successful candidate will need to be a confident communicator who can clearly explain UK actions and interests. They will need to be a credible interlocutor for senior officials, as well as business and youth groups. They will need to be a self-starter, who brings ideas and takes initiative. As someone who will be travelling regularly, they will need to be reliable, independently making good decisions and solving problems. And they will need to be a quick learner, able to understand and analyse local issues within the regions that may present new opportunities and risks, but which may not be immediately obvious from Addis Ababa. As well as fluent English and Amharic, proficiency in other Ethiopian languages would be a significant advantage to aid outreach.
• The successful candidate will also need to be well organised and flexible – able to move quickly between dealing with a diverse range of issues in different regions. And they will need to be a natural collaborator, working to support other staff engage government across a broad range of issues. In return, for the right person this is an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills and to prove their ability to deliver in an international context.

Job Requirements

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 

At least 5 years’ working experience

Language: Fluent English and Amharic (both spoken and written)  

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 

Experience of working in or with Ethiopian Government agencies.

Experience working with international organizations. 

Required competencies 

Seeing the Big Picture, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace  

Application deadline: 16 November 2020

Grade: C4 (L)

Type of Position: Fixed Term, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal

Working hours per week: 36

Duration of Post: 24 months

Region: Africa

Country/Territory: Ethiopia

Location (City): Addis Ababa

Type of Post: British Embassy

Number of vacancies: 1

Starting monthly salary: ETB 43,026.73

Start Date: 4 January 2021  

Other benefits and conditions of employment 

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

The successful candidate will get access to a range of learning and development opportunities, including on the job training and workshops. They will also be able to benefit from the wide range of training run by the British Embassy including on management and leadership, cross-cultural communication, and understanding the UK.  

Working patterns:

The standard working hours of the British Embassy for office staff are 0800-1645 Monday-Thursday and 0800-1300 on Fridays. The job-holder will be required to travel regularly.

Additional information    

Annual Leave and Public Holidays:

Locally engaged staff of all grades will be entitled to paid annual leave as follows:

Up to 2 years 22 days

After 2 years services 25 days

After 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.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants are encouraged to see full vacancy and apply through our job website: click on the position - Regional Engagement Coordinator (22/20 ADD).

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Local 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.