British Embassy

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 identity, 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. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

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Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)

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Job Subcategory

Communications, Press and Media

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Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Are you an enthusiastic communicator with a deep passion for education and culture?

The Communications & Chevening Manager is responsible for leading and delivering excellent Embassy communications, including developing an Embassy wide communications strategy, across all media and evaluating its impact. The jobholder will also manage the promotion and delivery of the FCDO’s flagship scholarship programme, Chevening, in Kazakhstan.

Our new Communications & Chevening Manager will act as the Embassy’s key contact point for engagement with local media, building and maintaining working relationships with journalists, bloggers, social media influencers, PR specialists, TV, newspaper, and radio outlets to proactively organise interviews for the Ambassador, promote Embassy objectives and publicise Embassy events.

This will require strong political understanding and ability to give high quality verbal and written advice to the Ambassador and senior UK staff on media engagements, including drafting press lines, press releases, social media lines, Ambassadorial quotes, as well as providing strategic communications advice on the media outlets/bloggers/journalists that we should be engaging with.

As the Embassy’s lead on Chevening scholarship programme, the incumbent will also manage the Chevening annual cyclical recruitment and collaborate with the Kazakhstan Chevening Alumni association on promotional events.

As a key member of the Embassy frontline team, the job holder will drive forward the UK’s wider strategic goals in the region as laid out in the Country Business Plan, working closely with other Embassy sections (Political, Economic, Trade and Investment, Defence, British Council, and Consular) to increase the effectiveness of our public diplomacy.

Roles and responsibilities:

Using initiative to proactively drive forward ways to improve the Embassy’s existing communications and branding to increase engagement and strategic impact across all priority areas. This includes being confident with traditional and digital media tools and being up to date with latest media and communication trends, as well as Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office guidance, adding value to the Embassy’s strategic communications, public diplomacy objectives and producing high quality content in English, Russian and Kazakh.
Maintaining, implementing and regularly updating the Embassy’s strategy and action plan for Press, Public Affairs and Communications work covering all Embassy sections i.e. Political, Economic, International Trade, Defence and Consular sections to:
- Advance sections’ objectives through better communications
- Ensure that sections’ communications objectives feed into the Embassy’s Communication Strategy – giving guidance on overall communication strategy, branding and thematic campaigns i.e. climate change, UK business/trade, human rights, gender, equality, culture, art, education, international security, consular, etc.
- Monitor the impact of communications delivery.
- Ensure Ambassadorial media engagement is strategic, regular and impactful.

Leading the Chevening annual cyclical process i.e., promotion, sifting applications, setting up interviews and preparing Chevening pre and post-departure events with the Ambassador. The jobholder will also collaborate with the Kazakhstan Chevening Alumni association on promotional events and liaising with International Trade (DIT) and British Council colleagues on education and culture related issues.
Representing the Embassy/FCDO as spokesperson for external communications with media and public and liaising with the Media Office in London, geographical desk officers in Eastern Europe & Central Asia Directorate (EECAD), EECAD Strat Communications team and Cabinet Office/Whitehall to promote general UK government and Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office objectives.
Providing high quality, tailored and politically-aware verbal and written advice and recommendations to the Ambassador and senior UK staff on media, bearing in mind key political risks and opportunities. Drafting remarks and press releases in English, Russian and Kazakh.
Line manage the Communications Support Officer. Ensure the Embassy’s digital/social media/online content is impactful, up to date and innovative, including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and gov.uk page. Develop Embassy branded merchandise i.e., badges, gifts, flags, banners, shirts etc. Managing Communications team travel and activity budgets.
Providing communications support on important inward and outward UK-Kazakhstan visits (i.e., Ministers, Senior Officials etc.).

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Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Excellent written and spoken fluency at C1 level in English, Russian and Kazakh according to CEFR*, or equivalent
Ability to do public speaking
Ability to work independently, proactively, creatively and collaborate with others
High organisational and managerial skills, with a keen eye for detail
Good time management and ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
Experience in journalism or PR, with a confident grasp of political issues.
Confident user of traditional and new digital media tools i.e. photo and video cameras, smartphones and apps, computers, microphones, projectors, editing/production software, monitoring & evaluation tools etc.

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Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Knowledge of Chevening scholarship programme
Experience in line management or leading a team
Degree in Communications, Journalism, PR , International Relations, Marketing or similar

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Required behaviours

Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service

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Application deadline

27 November 2024

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Grade

Executive Officer (EO)

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Type of Position

Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal

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Working hours per week

36 NET

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Region

Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia

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Country/Territory

Kazakhstan

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Location (City)

Astana

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Type of Post

British Embassy

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Number of vacancies

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Salary Currency

USD

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Salary

2,289 gross

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Type of Salary

monthly

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Start Date

6 January 2024

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Other benefits and conditions of employment

This is a full-time position of 5 working days (36 hours net) per week, fixed-term contract with a duration of 12 months.

Salary will be USD 2,289 per calendar month (gross). Please note that it is the employee’s responsibility to pay individual income tax.

Employees are entitled to annual leave entitlement pro-rata based on 25 days total per calendar year. In addition, the Embassy observes up to 14 days public holidays marking different Kazakh and UK holidays. The Embassy provides medical insurance for the job holder and two dependants.

There will be learning and development opportunities available and an excellent benefits package with a flexible and friendly employer.

Some of the learning and development opportunities include:

Attending annual Europe Communications Conference and International Chevening Scholarships Conference (Istanbul).
Opportunity to develop content production skills through photography and videography courses.
Access to Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office online and offline Learning and Development resources, including technical skills, line management and communications.

The successful candidate will be subject to confirmation of a professional background check and security clearance, and is expected to commence employment as soon as possible. The successful candidate must have pre-existing work authorisation for the Kazakhstan in order to apply. All applicants should have the right to live and work in Kazakhstan. The British Embassy does not sponsor applications for work permits.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Kazakhstan are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service based on Kazakhstan employment law.

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Additional information

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 of the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We kindly advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application.

Only applications completed and submitted before the closing of the deadline will be considered.

*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.

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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.

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To apply please copy and paste this link: https://fco.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/1/adv/
To help us track our recruitment effort, please specify on the application form/indicate in your cover letter where (globalvacancies.org) you saw this job posting.

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