The British Embassy in Tashkent is part of the UK’s global diplomatic network and is now looking to recruit a Governance Advisor. The new job holder will support the Regional Director to deliver on the existing governance portfolio in Uzbekistan, build partnerships, as well as provide advice on the future governance portfolio. The role will provide advisory inputs on governance issues across the region as required – including for example on the prosperity, stability & climate portfolio.

The job scope includes:

Strategy/policy:

• Provide governance advisory inputs to support the development and implementation of the Central Asia Strategy and Country Business plans in Uzbekistan and the wider region as required.
• Participate in the Regional Portfolio Board and provide technical advice across the office on public sector governance, civil society, accountability, and other technical governance and political issues.
• Support the development of the next generation of governance programming in Uzbekistan and the wider region, building on lessons learned and good practices from Central Asia, the wider EECAD region; as well as governance best buys.

Analysis:

• Understand the governance donor landscape in Uzbekistan and the wider region and how the UK’s efforts contribute to the reform agenda; help identify specific policy and institutional needs of partner Government.
• Commission/undertake political economy analysis/wider in key sectors to support the UK’s policy and programme interventions.
• Support horizon scanning by being able to provide sound technical advice and lead technical discussions to identify specific areas/niches of interventions and new ways of working in line with the UK Aid Policy and UK strategy for Central Asia;
• Feed into the monitoring of/reporting on governance and related policy trends in Uzbekistan and wider CA region.
• Ensure lessons from Central Asia helps responsible learning across FCDO, Whitehall, development partners and partner governments.

Programmes:

• Act as the Lead Adviser on FCDO’s flagship £25 million economic governance programming for Uzbekistan, ensuring high quality technical inputs and outcomes which substantively contribute to the Government of Uzbekistan’s reform agenda as well as the reform agendas across the region.
• Line manage staff members across the region to ensure delivery of the programme to a high standard.
• Ensure programme management on live governance programmes are in line with the PROF rules and take account of operational and political complexities.
• Ensure governance programmes Annual Reviews (ARs) and Project Completion Reports (PCRs) focus on lesson learning. Provide governance QA support to other programmes ARs in Uzbekistan, as required.
• Ensure that best practice from the economic governance programming in Uzbekistan is shared across the wider region.
• Lead the development of an internal and external comms strategy for economic governance programming.
• Ensure FCDO leads on the development of external events which raise the profile of UK expertise in Uzbekistan. 
  

Partnerships:

• Build partnerships with the Uzbek Government, identifying areas for co-operation, including engaging on governance related country platforms.
• Develop partnerships with key partners including: the IFIs; UN agencies; CSO partners and identify opportunities for collaboration to amplify the UK investment.
• Development partnerships with FCDO central teams to identify funding opportunities on Centrally Managed Programmes which could be deployed in Uzbekistan.
• Provide governance advisory inputs into related programmes in Uzbekistan and across the region, e.g. on economic growth; stability; and climate change as needed.  

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

Leadership responsibility for economic governance programming for Uzbekistan on existing portfolio (£25m) and new portfolio.

Line management of at least 3 staff members.

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in the English, Uzbek and Russian languages (minimum C1 level for CEFR framework *)
• Masters’ degree in a related area (e.g. development studies, political science, law; public administration; public finance)
• Understanding of governance evidence, policy and practice in a range of settings; knowledge of political systems and core governance; political economy analysis skills; (see FCDO governance competency framework)
• Experience and understanding of conflict analysis and how to apply it in order to develop strategies to address conflict and instability (see FCDO building stability framework)
• Understanding of political economy issues and drivers of conflict and stability in the region
• Experience undertaking policy influencing with government and wider stakeholders
• Programme management experience especially managing large, complex economic governance programmes
• Effective communication skills