Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at British High Commission

Job ref.: 16/20 ABJ
Grade: C4 (L)
Type of Position: Fixed Term
Working hours per week: 37
Duration of Post: 24 months
Start Date: 9th November, 2020
End Date: 9th November, 2022
Type of Post: British High Commission
Job Category: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory: Communications, Press and Media

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)  
Main purpose of job:

• The British High Commission (BHC) office in Abuja is looking for creative, organised and dynamic strategic communication professional to join the UK Government’s Communications network in Nigeria as soon as possible.
• Strategic Communications is an increasingly important tool used to help deliver on the international objectives of the British Government. Building stakeholder relationships is an essential component of any skills set for this role.  
• The successful applicant will work with policy and programme colleagues, stakeholders and customers from across the UK’s International Nigeria network.  This includes working with colleagues from different HMG departments.
• The successful candidate will be a confident and effective communicator and able strategist who can identify the correct audiences, calibrating the right key messages and innovatively help to shape the UK's narrative through a range of traditional, digital and if necessary unconventional communication channels.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Working from a small but busy and fast-paced team, you will work with a large range of colleagues and partners across different UK Government departments operating in Nigeria. 
• You will work with press offices of Government Departments in London and help to set the direction for the UK’s communications operation in Nigeria developing bespoke communications strategies and implementation plans to support the delivery of BHC policy and programme priorities ensuring wherever possible that all communications are effective, efficient and evaluated.
• You will lead by example to drive high-quality delivery in the Communications team. 
• You will help shape and deliver strategic communications and public diplomacy objectives developed across the UK Government’s Nigeria network. You will work with British Government communications leads across the region, with the UK Government’s Communications Hub in South Africa, the Government Communications Service in London and press offices of local and international partners.  
• You will develop a sound understanding of the UK’s priorities in Nigeria and, working with the relevant teams, will identify how to make best use of comms to help to deliver the UK’s international objectives.  
• Using a blend of communications tools, you will help to deliver regional communications campaigns in Nigeria using OASIS model style communications strategy techniques to tailor effectively to the relevant local audience.
• You will help the team generate innovative high quality and impactful media campaigns and events that promote a positive image of the UK, and support delivery of the UK’s strategic political and soft power objectives in Nigeria.  
• Working in a small team, you will help ensure that the communications effort in Nigeria is proactive and creative, including but not limited to public diplomacy events, external digital communications (increasing the size and calibration of the audience receiving UK messages to help maximise impact) and traditional media engagement. 
• You will help shape programmes for visiting senior officials, Ministers and VVIPs, managing media engagements and providing sound advice on all press and public affairs elements.   
• You will build and maintain an effective network of contacts across the spectrum of Nigerian and international media to ensure that the BHC has a thorough understanding of the media’s role in Nigerian society and is well placed to engage constructively. Drawing on the expertise from colleagues in Nigeria and across West Africa, you will ensure all UK Government communications is tailored to its audience.
• Acting as one of the British High Commission’s spokespeople, your responsibilities will include drafting articles, press notices, blogs, social media posts, communications briefings and OASIS model style communications plans as well as clearing and delivering appropriate media messages to local and international media as and when required.

Job Requirements
Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Qualified to at least undergraduate degree level
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English
• Highly organised, able to take initiative and to work accurately within sometimes short deadlines and with limited supervision  in a fast-paced and high profile environment
• Good working knowledge of ICT software (e.g. MS Word) in general and strong skills in digital media, including Face book, Twitter, Instagram and other social networking sites
• Attention to detail and comfortable producing accurate statements under pressure and taking direct instructions to also deliver under pressure
• Strong networking and relationship management skills towards both senior and junior staff inside and outside the British High Commission
• Previous experience in public relations, marketing or media, including developing and implementing media communication plans / media campaigns, managing events and evaluating results
• Effective management of junior staff

Desirable Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Experience working in an international organisation
• Experience working  with UK government departments

Required Competencies  

• Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace

Starting Monthly Salary
N827, 892.98

Other Benefits and Conditions of Employment:

• Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
• The British High Commission is proactive in supporting learning and development. There will be opportunities to attend International Communications, Digital in the FCO, online and regional training courses.

Working Patterns:

• Flexible arrangements should be discussed with the hiring manager.