Job Openings at British Government

About The Job

Main purpose of job:

The High Commissioner’s office is busy and works at pace. The outer office has a critical role in facilitating the effective working of teams internally, and the reputation and impact of the High Commissioner externally.

• This position – as head of the outer office and external protocol – sits at the centre of the work of the High Commission, and is the cog that helps the whole machine work effectively.
• Day to day will look varied: some time will be spent internally helping to ensure the smooth running of High Commission business, including ensuring sensitive and political note verbales from the  MFA are processed, policy decisions are taken, emails are dealt with and actions are completed; some time will be spent managing and developing the outer office team; some time will be spent supporting the team leaders; and some time will be spent externally building relationships with other protocol officers, going ahead of the High Commissioner to act as her public-facing protocol officer.
• Manage a team effectively (including developing staff and delegating successfully), getting the best out of people, prioritising, being willing to challenge.
• Run a smooth and effective office that facilitates work for teams across BHC and for the High Commissioner, improving the impact of the High Commissioner by ensuring their time is spent on the right things. 
• Must have strong relationships across the BHC and a sound understanding of cross-BHC objectives in order to be able to provide reliable advice to the HC.

Role and Responsibilities Will Fall Across Four Areas:

• Team Leader for the outer office, including the Executive Assistant, the Residence Manager, and the Events Manager. 
  • You will support and coordinate their work, invest in their personal development, be an effective line manager, and support the work of the High Commissioner through her key staff. 
  • You will help the team make sure the High Commissioner is focussed on the priorities, is travelling regularly, and seeing the right people at the right time. 
  • You will manage the Outer Office budget day-to-day, being accountable to the High Commissioner for forecasting.
• Be the glue that helps the policy teams work effectively with the High Commissioner, Deputy, and Development Director. 
  • Including tracking key documents, ensuring internal actions are completed, progressing note verbales with the MFA, offering support when required for the High Commissioner’s responsibilities for Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso, and liaising at a senior level with embassies when escalation from the Executive Assistant is required. 
  • When Ministerial visits occur, you will be the corporate memory, helping policy teams run the visits by sharing experience and best practice.
• Be a focal point for lobbying by externals, managing external relationships effectively (including knowing when to say no), and to be the central point for, for example, visa requests and facilitation. 
  • Political acumen and resilience is key.
• A “head of protocol” who can go ahead of the High Commissioner or UK Ministers to meetings and events, when needed. 
  • Ensuring protocol is understood by the High Commissioner (what to do when), and to be practical and hands on when required (saving seats!).
  • Other things will come up, and the incumbent will need to be responsive and discreet when the High Commissioner or Deputy turns to them for advice or support.

Resources Managed (staff and expenditure):

• Admin budget of £100,000pa, covering the Residence, Events, and High Commissioner hospitality and travel.
• Managing three staff (Executive Assistant, the Residence Manager,  and the Events Manager)

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience:  

• Ability to run effective and efficient processes, including by getting the best from others.
• Experience of working in an environment where protocol is expected.
• Line management experience.
• Proven discretion.
• Level of language required: Fluent English, spoken Twi and Ga
• Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  
• Managing budgets
• Experience of working with senior officials or VIPs

Required behaviours : 

• Seeing the Big Picture 
• Making Effective Decisions 
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Other Benefits and Conditions of Employment  
Learning and development opportunities:

• The British High Commission in Ghana takes learning and development seriously. 
• The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop many core and transferable skills through both formal and informal learning and development opportunities, including the full suite of HMG training courses and opportunities and the opportunity to work closely and shadow the High Comissioner. 
• Members of staff are encouraged to make use of the learning and development opportunities that the office has to offer.

Working patterns:

• Flexible working will be required, working around the demands of the office.

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About The Job

Main purpose of job:

• Economic Adviser to the British High Commission (Ghana).

Roles and responsibilities:

• Co-Lead the macroeconomic analysis and reporting for His Majesty Government (HMG) in Ghana. 
• The economic advisor will contribute to cross-HMG priorities in Ghana, including supporting other teams to understand the economic context of their work; and working closely with Department for Business and Trade (DBT), UK Export Finance (UKEF) and others on wider trade and investment priorities. 
• The economic advisor will work closely with teams in London and Washington on issues of Ghana’s macroeconomy, IMF programme, debt issues among others.
• Co-Lead on HMG’s engagement with Ghana on economic issues. 
• Drive policy and programme work related to economic development, ensuring high impact delivery. 
• This includes building and leveraging strong relationships with the Government of Ghana (Ministry of Finance, Bank of Ghana and others),  academics, Civil Society partners and with external actors (IMf, World Bank, other partners).
• Lead the Public Financial Management (PFM) portfolio for HMG in Ghana. 
• The economic advisor will lead efforts to redefining the British High Commission’s support on PFM, scoping linkages with other programmatic work such as tax, macro fiscal management, spending on health, social welfare and education, and ensuring strategic alignment.
• Actively supporting programming and policy on HMG’s domestic revenue mobilisation programme in Ghana. The economic advisor will work closely with a team of internal and external stakeholders to support transformative change in Ghana’s tax effort. External stakeholders include other development partners supporting Ghana’s revenue transformation, His Majesty Revenue and Customs,  Government of Ghana and Civil Society partners.
• Contributing effectively to corporate objectives of the High Commission, working with others to role model the FCDO values and to help make it a great place to work

Resources Managed (staff and expenditure):

• The post holder may co-lead one or more programmes,  which has programme management responsibilities including financial management, risk and commercial management responsibility.

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• This role is flagged as an economic expert role for members who have specialised in economics (or can demonstrate fulfilling UK GES minimum criteria). 
• A minimum of three years experience working in expert economic roles is required.
• Excellent economic skills and a track record of delivering high-quality, impactful and timely economic analysis that shapes and influences policy.
• A strong grasp of macroeconomics, particularly around debt and fiscal policy; and a clear understanding of the international economic system and how it impacts developing countries.
• Strong analytical skills, feeling confident in using data, drawing policy-relevant conclusions, and in supporting others to do so. 
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain economic concepts to non-specialist audiences and identify the implications for policy.
• Experience of working with developing countries  on economic management (experience working on Ghana’s economy highly desirable)  
• The ability to build and maintain strong and beneficial relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• The ability to engage effectively across cultures, maintaining respect and integrity.
• The ability to bring together policy and programme levers to deliver a high impact in a challenging area.
• The GES Minimum Criteria is a 2:1 undergraduate degree with at least 50% of economics in the final two years, or a post graduate diploma, or a Master’s degree in economics. 
• Any successful candidate from a non-GES background should take the FCDO Grade 7 economics readiness board within 12 months.

Desirable Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 

• An understanding of and exposure to the challenges in promoting public financial management and taxation in a developing country context with be desirable

Required Behaviours: 

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Other benefits and conditions of employment  
Learning and development opportunities:

• Post holder will  join the FCDO Economics Community and have access to the extensive Learning and Development opportunities within the community including formal training and learning from peers. 
• The post holder will be encouraged to take the readiness board which formally accredits ‘expert’ status within the FCDO community and specific support is available for this purpose.