icddr,b - International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
JOB DESCRIPTION
View Vacancy – Political and Communications Manager, Grade – HEO, Male
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Political
Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience segment and the behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.
Main purpose of job:
Provide high quality political reporting and analysis of developments in Maldives, contributing to post policy development, supporting programme development and helping deliver HMG (His Majesty’s Government) objectives. Supporting the bilateral relationship with the Maldivian government and developing multilateral cooperation. Design and deliver strategic communications supporting HMG objectives and the Chevening programme. Manage one staff member.
Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:
We are looking for an experienced, dynamic and confident person, with good political awareness, to report on developments in, and help develop UK policy towards Maldives across a range of policy areas.
Our ideal candidate will have a good understanding of Maldivian politics and an established network of contacts. They will provide balanced analysis and advice and produce timely and accurate reports and summaries of key developments and emerging issues for the High Commissioner, Deputy High Commissioner and Ministers to inform UK policy.
The role focuses on ensuring the bilateral relationship with Maldives stays strong, explaining and promoting UK priorities and multilateral cooperation. We need someone who can work with a range of stakeholders, including the government of Maldives, to help deliver UK objectives on issues including democracy, human rights, regional and global issues, such as environment, climate change, economic and growth.
The role requires visit/event planning, planning of public diplomacy projecting UK objectives and values, and seamless working with programme staff. The incumbent will also oversee programme and policy work on climate and environmental issues, managing one member of staff.
Excellent self-management and team-working skills will be vital, as is the ability to build co-operative working relationships outside the High Commission with a wide range of contacts as well as colleagues in London and other FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) posts and like-minded missions in Malé and Colombo
We are seeking someone who:
- Has experience in building and managing relationships with a range of stakeholders in the political arena.
- Is energetic, flexible and has experience in report-writing.
- Has good interpersonal skills to enable a good working relationship with external contacts; FCDO teams in the UK and elsewhere, and colleagues in the BHC.
- Understands how their work feeds into policy and programme development and can provide advice on approaches to HMG work in-country.
- Can develop, deliver, and manage strategic communications to promote HMG objectives and values through social media, traditional media, and events.
- With leadership and oversight from the Deputy High Commissioner, will manage and deliver the Chevening programme.
The role reports to the Deputy High Commissioner (High Commissioner in their absence). Key responsibilities include:
1) Political engagement, visits and reporting (50%)
- Developing and maintaining relationships with a wide range of contacts across government, parliament, civil society, political parties, other diplomatic missions, and media.
- Monitoring political developments in Maldives and writing regular, balanced, reports that take into account the regional context, to inform policy development. Making recommendations to BHC (British High Commission), regional and HQ teams as required.
- Advise the High Commissioner, Deputy High Commissioner and colleagues in the British High Commission on major political developments and their implications; provide timely, high quality written analysis and briefings.
- Keep up to date on emerging issues, suggest key decisions for the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner to meet; facilitate relationships between senior UK visitors (VIPs, ministers, officials and diplomats) and leading regional figures.
- Supporting programme development by providing advice on local landscape and sensitivities.
- Supporting the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner, contributing to country business planning, reporting timelines, and meetings.
- Designing high quality visit programmes, including recommendations for meetings.
2) Communications and Public Diplomacy (30%)
- Designing and regularly reviewing strategic communications.
- Overall social media management and promoting UK policy through events and digital media channels in coordination with the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner through centrally generated campaigns.
- Coordinating with programmes team on public diplomacy and where the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner could have most impact in delivering HMG objectives.
- Providing advice to BHC colleagues on local sensitivities and ensuring communications are balanced and effective.
3) Chevening Programme (20%)
- With leadership and oversight from the Deputy High Commissioner, manage and deliver the Chevening programme. This will include supporting the shortlisting process, organising interviews, events and alumni engagements.
- Effectively promote the Chevening programme in the Post; create a regional alumni network and develop a strategic engagement plan to ensure they are part of the global alumni network.
- Maintaining local partnerships through regular contact and reviewing partnership understandings to ensure continuity.
4) Additional:
- Lead on the issuance of Diplomatic Note Verbales for BHC, providing training and support to the team.
- Represent the BHC at meetings, events & functions, support arrangements for high level visits and major events.
- Support the BHC with corporate issues as required.
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
1 x EO Political and Communications Officer
Budget: annual public diplomacy and hospitality allocation; oversight of some programme funds
Language requirements:
Language: English & Dhivehi
Level of language required: Fluent in both reading and writing, accurate in grammar and writing
Budget: annual public diplomacy and hospitality allocation; oversight of some programme funds
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
This role offers significant opportunities for “on the job” learning, in addition to formal opportunities for learning and development, including access to a large range of online training opportunities and in-person learning in the region and/or London.
Essential on arrival:
- 4 years + in a similar role
- Knowledge of regional and international issues
- Experience of working in an international context
- Thorough knowledge of Maldivian politics and society
- Established network of contacts in Maldives.
- Confidence in using and managing social media proactively and reactively.
Desirable:
Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in International Relations, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Policy or related field
Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Leadership, Making Effective Decisions
25 August 2025
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Fixed Term
41
24 months
South Asia & Afghanistan
Maldives
Male”
British High Commission
1
MVR
MVR 35,642 per month
monthly
1 October 2025
For British High Commission (BHC) candidates, the Country Based Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.
For other than BHC candidates, starting salary will be MVR 35,642 per month.
No relocation or any other related costs or assistance will be provided. FCDO does not pay for any travelling, accommodation & relocation expenses incurred and/or accept any financial risk, including cancellation or reschedule costs.
Please note – BHC does not deduct tax at source and employees are required to ensure that any requirements of local income-tax law are complied with in full. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, e.g. some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
FCDO operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance.
Around half of our work forces are women. We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment.
This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCDO has anywhere across the globe. We are aiming to make it the best.
Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage
Please note – successful applicants will be offered employment on Country Based Staff (CBS) terms and conditions. This is not a permanent UK Civil Service position and does not attract diplomatic immunities and privileges (other than what an individual may already hold if they are a recognised partner/family member of a serving diplomat).
To Apply:
Please note applications without (a) and (b) will not be considered. Point (c) to be adhere strictly.
a) Complete the Online Application Form
b) Complete the Experience, Professional Skills and Behaviour based Segments in the Online Application Form
Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.
To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate behaviours and technical / professional skills, basis your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides a detailed guidance on how these behaviours are defined for each position.
Applicants are encouraged to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique to prepare specific examples of when and how you have demonstrated these behaviours in your application, by evidencing a structured response, including your skills and experiences. You briefly describe the situation in which you demonstrated the behaviour, and then explain your task in addressing the situation, what action you took and the result of this.
Internal candidates applying for this position need to inform their current line managers, else the applications will not be considered.
We will accept only online applications by 25 August 2025 (latest by 23:55 hours – Maldives Time Zone).
Please note that all the applicants will be required to strictly adhere to the security guidelines for British High Commission.
Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and no telephone enquires will be dealt with. Basis the scores, the candidate/s who did not score as highly as the successful candidate, might be placed on the reserve list. If during the reserve period of 12 months, the same or largely similar role becomes available, the role may be offered to the second or subsequent appointable candidates.
The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative and he appointment will be subject to successful clearance of police Verification and other checks including references, medical, educational, and professional.
We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.
Level of Education: Bachelor Degree
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: No requirements
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