Main Purpose of Job:

 The British High Commission in Guyana is looking for a highly motivated individual who can be part of the team that is adapting and responding to new opportunities and changes in the country’s context. This job provides the opportunity to work directly with senior officials and build relationships with key players in Guyana and beyond.  The position requires a pro-active adviser with a deep understanding of local political dynamics, technical governance expertise, programme delivery skills and political acumen in order to provide advice and deliver programmes in a complex context. He/She must have the confidence to build relationships with senior public officials, the private sector, civil society and development partners to help support reform that will contribute to strengthening transparency and accountability in Guyana through formal and/or informal institutions.

The UK’s strategic objective of this role in Guyana is to support:

• Guyana’s current political settlement with continued commitment to a democratic governance model, including a stronger role for non-partisan institutions (including civil society and media), and work to strengthen these institutions;
• The public sector’s ability to absorb large sums of financing to support long-term sustainable, equitable and poverty reducing growth, while managing the risks of climate change.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The postholder will need excellent skills in political economy analysis and democratic governance in order to shape UK’s engagement in a crucial development period.  He/She will need to understand the pressures, trends and impacts of:

• The fast pace of investment and the capacity of the government to implement its development priorities;
• The country’s commitments to Westminster style democracy, constitutional reform and models of rights and freedoms (especially for civil society and media);
• Guyana’s widening network of bilateral, multilateral and institutional relationships;
• The impact of social dynamics on national politics and the role of youths.

The Adviser will be based in BHC Georgetown but will be part of the wider FCDO Caribbean development cadre of advisers (and part of the Governance and Security Team) and therefore also expected to engage across a range of regional governance activities.  The postholder will report to the High Commissioner with technical oversight of the role provided by the Regional Governance Adviser.  He/She will also work closely with other Governance Advisers, political officers, and social development, climate change, and economic development teams.

Main Responsibilities Include:

• Providing thought leadership on governance, including Political Economy Analysis, shifts in political settlements and providing advice as required;
• Building and maintaining an extended network of contacts with Government (at all levels), opposition, civil society, media and expert organisations, the private sector and the development partner community;
• Engaging effectively to support a more collaborative relationship among political actors, and a stronger role for communities/non-state actors in constitutional reform, electoral reform and election observation;
• Support systems and institutions that enable greater transparency and accountability across public service entities;
• Providing advisory support on strengthening of systems that will improve strategic planning and the delivery of Guyana’s Low Carbon development Strategy;
• Supporting institutional strengthening activities geared towards social cohesion and greater respect for rights and freedoms;
• Delivering programme elements of regional governance initiatives which include Guyana as a beneficiary country;
• Establishing and maintaining relationships for technical guidance and support with the political officers, FCDO governance cadre, and relevant teams and staff from FCDO’s UK headquarters.

• A Master’s degree in a relevant subject (Public Policy and Administration, Political Science, Governance and Development Studies, International Relations, Finance and Economics and Management, etc).
• A proven track record of at least five (5) years working with national and international partners on democratic governance, public sector reform and/or anti-corruption.
• Understanding of the dynamics and nuances of the local political and social context.
• Able to provide briefing and advice to senior managers on a range of governance issues.
• Applicants must have the independent right to reside and work in Guyana.
• The successful candidate will be expected to attain FCDO accreditation in accordance with the criteria of the Technical Competency Framework for Governance.