View Vacancy – Projects and Public Diplomacy Officer

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Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job:

The Projects and Public Diplomacy Officer will support the design, planning, and delivery of project and public diplomacy activities aligned to the Embassy’s Country Business Plan and UK priorities in Panama.
The role combines project delivery, event and stakeholder management, and communications support, contributing to the Embassy’s strategic objectives by strengthening people to people links, promoting UK values and reputation, and supporting policy outcomes through effective public diplomacy.
The postholder will operate with guidance from senior colleagues, using judgement within established frameworks, and will be expected to manage their own workload, deliver to deadlines, and work collaboratively across teams and with external partners.

Roles and responsibilities:

Project delivery (approx. 40%)

• As Programme Responsible Officer (PRO), working closely with policy leads support the design, delivery and monitoring of a small portfolio of projects in support of Embassy goals – to include public diplomacy and soft power activities (e.g. cultural, education, sport or alumni engagement projects), in line with FCDO programme rules and proportionality.
• Act as day to day project officer for assigned activities, including maintaining basic project documentation, taking forward financial transactions such as requisitioning, tracking milestones, budgets and risks, and escalating issues as required.
• Support contract or grant management processes, including administration, due diligence checks and routine reporting, under the supervision of a Senior Responsible Officer (SRO).
• Contribute to short internal reporting and lessons learned notes to inform future projects.
• Secretariat/lead for the Embassy’s Programme Board
• Horizon scanning for new funding opportunities and support policy officers in bidding processes.

Public diplomacy and soft power delivery & comms (approx. 40%)

• Support delivery of the Embassy’s Soft Power Strategy, helping to translate strategic themes (e.g. culture, education, sport, values) into practical engagement activity.
• Help plan and deliver public diplomacy events, campaigns and visits, to include logistics, briefs, guest lists and follow up.
• Build and maintain working level relationships with delivery partners such as NGOs, cultural organisations, education providers, alumni networks and implementing partners, under senior guidance.
• Provide input to creative ideas and delivery plans that help reach priority audiences identified by Post.
• Work with Embassy comms colleagues to ensure impact is maximised through creative, eye-catching social media content and contributing to its production.

Cross-embassy support (approx. 20%)

• Work collaboratively across Embassy teams, contributing to a positive team culture and supporting wider corporate or operational tasks when required.
• Actively engage with learning and development opportunities relevant to role.

Resources managed:

• The role will manage small administrative or project budgets, tracking spends and processing routine financial actions in line with guidance. Budgets tbc.

Learning and development opportunities:

• There are ample opportunities for learning and development both role-specific and more broadly as required. Formal project management training on the FCDO’s Programme Operating Framework (PRoF) will be available.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Essential on arrival:

The role requires practical knowledge of public diplomacy and project delivery processes, sufficient to support delivery of small scale activities and events under established frameworks and guidance.

The jobholder will require:

• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills to draft short briefs, summaries and basic communications content.
• Interpersonal skills to work constructively with colleagues and external partners.
• Attention to detail, particularly in logistics, record keeping and documentation.
• To be comfortable managing budgets and dealing with figures.

The postholder must understand:

• Basic programme and project delivery concepts (planning, timelines, monitoring budgets, risk awareness);
• Capacity to work collaboratively with both internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure delivery standards

The post does not require deep technical or policy expertise, nor responsibility for setting strategy, but does require the ability to apply guidance consistently and confidently in day to day delivery.

Language requirements: Proficient (C1) in Spanish and English

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Desirable skills:

• Public diplomacy and soft power activity at delivery level (events, campaigns, stakeholder engagement);
• Relevant organisational guidance, processes and standards.

Required behaviours

Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together

Application deadline

18 June 2026

Grade

Executive Officer (EO)

Type of Position

Permanent

Working hours per week

40

Region

Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean

Country/Territory

Panama

Location (City)

Panama City

Type of Post

British Embassy

Number of vacancies

1

Salary Currency

USD

Salary

USD 2397.69

Type of Salary

monthly

Start Date

3 August 2026

Other benefits and conditions of employment

The successful candidate must be Panamanian or have a valid and current Work Permit through Ministry of Labour at the time of application and be able to provide it when requested by Embassy. The British Embassy – Panama City does not sponsor work permits.

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.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second of subsequent candidate.

The British Embassy Network offers a strong benefits package. This package includes generous vacation and leave time, flexible working patterns, and enriching learning and development opportunities.

Additional information

• Office based role with periodic involvement in events or visits.
• Occasional requirement to work outside normal hours to support specific activities. Workload fluctuates and requires flexibility, particularly around visits or campaigns.
• Where additional/out of hours working is required, time off in lieu will be offered.

Additional information

Closing date of receiving applications is before 23:55 (Local Time) on 18 June 2026.

Office hours in the embassy are 8am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am-1pm on Fridays, though there is scope for flexible working arrangements, which can be agreed with the Line Manager.

All applicants must fully complete the online application form, including the sections for employment and educational details, experience, and behaviour-based questions. Only those applications that contain all required information will be considered. To ensure the sift process remains anonymous, please do not include any personally identifiable information in your application form.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.