View Vacancy – SRR – Culture, Sport, and Tourism Policy Officer (HEO)

The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for a Culture, Sport, and Tourism Policy Officer on a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2025. There is a possibility of extension of the contract depending on performance and operational requirements.

The jobholder will lead the further development of the UK-Saudi partnership on culture, sport, and tourism, focusing on the opportunities for the UK sectors as part of Saudi’s Vision 2030 economic reforms. They will identify relevant UK expertise across the UK Government and beyond that aligns with Saudi requirements – matching Saudi need to UK key strengths and areas where the UK has competitive advantage.

The jobholder will understand the aims and policy context in the UK and Saudi Arabia, implement a strategy for cooperation, and facilitate exchange of expertise between the two countries to identify relevant partnership opportunities. The jobholder will need to engage and coordinate with relevant Saudi government agencies as well as UK colleagues.

The jobholder will be comfortable with both policy issues and with project management, as well as able to add value bringing a strategic approach. This is a visible role across the Embassy and with a wide range of UK Government partners, and the jobholder will have the opportunity to gain political analysis and project delivery experience, as well as develop economic and wider prosperity skills, influencing, and public diplomacy capabilities.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Advise and support engagement between the UK and Saudi Governments on culture, sport, and tourism. This is likely to involve leading in shaping and delivering Ministerial visits from the UK to Saudi Arabia and vice versa.
• Advise the British Ambassador and UK Government on culture, sport, and tourism in Saudi Arabia. This will entail preparing oral and written briefings.
• Develop an extensive knowledge of the culture, sport, and tourism sector in UK and Saudi Arabia.
• Establish a strong network of contacts among leading figures in culture, sport, and tourism in government, academia, and business in UK and Saudi Arabia.
• Report to UK Government significant developments on culture, sport, and tourism in Saudi Arabia.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in UK and Saudi Arabia to spot and create opportunities to support and enable partnerships between UK and Saudi institutions, including museums, universities, and sports federations.
• Develop a strong partnership with colleagues from the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) and support trade missions as needed.
• Coordinate UK Government engagement with Saudi Arabia on culture, sport, and tourism by building and maintaining strong partnerships with colleagues in different UK Government departments and coordinating regular meetings with them.
• Design and secure funding for practical projects to strengthen the UK-Saudi culture, sport, and tourism partnership, and support the continuation of existing projects.
• Raise the profile of the UK-Saudi culture, sport, and tourism partnership by organising events e.g., seminars, signing ceremonies, and generating media coverage.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future, and this would be at the discretion of the line manager and Senior Management. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. The jobholder may also take on other ad hoc tasks as and when required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.

Key behaviours required:

• Leadership – Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.
• Delivering at Pace – Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive
• Seeing the Big Picture – Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
• Communicating and Influencing – Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity, and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses, and opinions of others.

Eligibility:

• The successful candidate must be able to secure a local residence and work permit in Saudi (iqama) OR already have the right to work and reside in Saudi.
• The British Embassy provides visa sponsorship. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy’s sponsorship.

• High standard of project and programme management skills and track record of successful project delivery.
• Excellent relationship development and management skills, capable of operating at all organisational levels. Experience of developing relationships and building influence with multiple stakeholders in public and private sectors. Recognises the importance of developing a strong business network.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
• Ability to coordinate and contribute to strategy development and business planning.
• Flexible, resilient, decisive, and calm under pressure. With a proven track record of delivering results to a high standard within tight deadlines.
• Excellent organisational ability, with proven ability to manage, plan, and prioritise tasks and workload; and a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Team player who is capable of working on their own initiative and manage others.
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).