Soft Power Policy Officer British High Commission

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
This is an exciting opportunity for a committed, creative and passionate individual to join the dynamic team at the British High Commission (BHC) in Kampala.

You will lead on the BHC’s work to promote the UK’s soft power assets (such as our science, culture, sport and higher education sectors) in Uganda, and to strengthen people-to-people linkages between the UK and Uganda in these areas, working closely with the British Council. You will also help ensure that the BHC’s external communications are used strategically and effectively.

This role would suit someone who is proactive, creative, able to generate new ideas, and willing to take a personal lead in driving them through.

The role will be part of a small team of 3 (1 x Grade 7, this HEO role and 1 x EO), which together will lead on setting and tracking delivery of the BHC’s overall strategy; the BHC’s work to promote the UK’s ‘soft power’ and strengthen people-to-people links; and the BHC’s external communications.

This role will focus in particular on the soft power and people-to-people aspects of the team’s work. This is an increasingly important area of focus for the BHC. The UK has huge strengths in areas such as science, technology, innovation, research, higher education, culture, creative industries and sport, and world-renowned institutions including the Royal Family and BBC and global businesses. We want to make more of these strengths in Uganda: promoting the UK’s contributions in these areas; and using them to increase engagement and collaboration between institutions and individuals in the UK and Uganda, and therefore deepen the ties between the two countries. You will lead and be responsible for driving this agenda for the BHC.

Specific tasks will include:
• Identifying the key sectors in which to prioritise our efforts;
• Mapping existing UK-Uganda linkages, and establishing an extensive network of relationships with individuals and institutions across the two countries – you will lead these relationships;
• Identifying opportunities to broaden or deepen these linkages – this could potentially involve small-scale project funding; arranging events; or brokering connections;
• Proposing and getting agreement to what approach the BHC should take, and then driving this work forward; and
• Ensuring that the BHC’s external communications tools are used to effectively promote the UK’s global contribution in these sectors.

You will need to work closely with the British Council – who have extensive work on cultural exchange and higher education – on all of these objectives, to maximise the combined impact of our work.
You may also be asked to oversee the BHC’s external communications work – helping to ensure that our comms tools (including use of both traditional and social media) are used strategically in support of our wider objectives – and line manage the EO Comms Officer.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience
• Bachelors Degree
• Ability to work independently and flexibly, and to prioritise; strong organisational skills
• Proven track record of generating ideas and following them through to implementation
• Ability to plan ahead and proactively identify and resolve risks
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build highly effective relationships with external organisations
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Excellent IT skills (including working knowledge of MS Office Package)
• Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
• Experience of working in one of the relevant sectors (such as science, technology, innovation, research, higher education, culture and sport); on external communications; or for a diplomatic mission.
• Experience of line management.
• Experience of organising and running events, and managing budgets.

Required behaviours
• Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together