Main Purpose of Job:

This role supports our influencing and diplomatic action in Indonesia and Timor-Leste relating to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and climate components of other multilateral institutions and agendas as G20 and Sustainable Development Goals. The role also delivers public diplomacy and outreach on climate and nature by the British Embassy Jakarta.

The British Embassy Jakarta works in partnership with the Governments of Indonesia and Timor-Leste to advance the low carbon growth agenda. Our work covers public and private finance, energy and infrastructure, environment, cities, trade and investment. Indonesia is an important partner to the UK, with an influential role in regional and global affairs. Indonesia is also a crucial country for global climate change action and ambition. Timor-Leste is an important voice among Small Island Developing States facing the most acute impacts of climate change.

This role helps to carry out the Embassy’s climate diplomacy work. It works closely with teams across the mission and helps to integrate climate policy across the wider Embassy. The main activities of the role are:

• Engaging Government counterparts such as relevant desk officers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and policy leads in sector ministries, especially the Ministry of Environment. The jobholder is expected to identify who holds policies related to UK objectives, assess internal dynamics and influencing opportunities, and be able to lobby as necessary on UK climate objectives. These include topics as varied as raising Indonesia’s NDC ambition, encouraging endorsement of COP26 legacies such as the Breakthrough Agenda, and finding alignment between UK and Indonesian objectives at annual climate events.
• Building alliances with civil society, academia, scientists, faith and youth groups, and the media. The jobholder is expected to identify who are the potential agents of change in faith-based organisations (e.g. Muhammadiyah and NU), in think tanks (e.g. ClimateWorks, ViriyaENB), and in academia (e.g. UGM, UAD, BIT) as well as media (SIEJ, BBC Media Action). In most cases the jobholder will lead communication with these partners at head of section or director level, to prepare the ground for formal agreements with the embassy (such as MoUs or grant agreements).
• Identifying new funding and knowledge-sharing opportunities to catalyse change.
• Raising awareness of the impacts and causes of climate change via strategic communications.
• Analysing and reporting to colleagues both in Indonesia and the UK, about climate change policies and activities in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. The jobholder is expected to seek out unique sources of information beyond what could be found in general media, by tapping into networks of specialists and experts on a wide range of topics. They will also digest and report this information in formats suitable for FCDO-wide consumption e.g. drafting DipTels, blog posts, and briefings for Ministers.
• Aligning the Embassy’s wider climate and nature activity to UK strategic priorities, in particular supporting the climate and energy pillar of the new UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership. The jobholder will be expected to build personal relationships with teams across the embassy including political, economic, trade, and defence in order to spot areas of mutual interest and opportunities for collaboration.

Some of this work is enabled through UK Official Development Assistance (ODA), and as such this role will be required to support effective and compliant delivery of ODA projects and programmes, working with project and finance management specialists.

To deliver successfully the jobholder will need to work closely with a wide range of internal and external colleagues. We are looking for a pro-active, engaged individual with a passion for making a difference and a strong understanding of climate diplomacy, as well as understanding the breadth of climate and nature issues in Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

The role will include opportunities for multilateral climate diplomacy with the United Nations, Global Climate Fund, and International Financial Institutions. It will also offer travel opportunities within the ASEAN region and elsewhere as required.

What the Jobholder will be Expected to Achieve:

The jobholder is expected to:

• Strategic Relationship Management (25%): Build effective relationships with relevant Ministries, to gather information, understand priorities and dynamics, and facilitate the Embassy’s relationships with key stakeholders. In practice this means building a network of professional contacts inside and outside government from desk officers up to decision-makers at Director level, with ministries, CSOs, academia, faith groups, the international community, and businesses. The jobholder will use these contacts to stay up to date with Indonesia’s positions and plans on key climate topics, including ahead of international negotiation groups under the UNFCCC. They will also leverage relationships to secure agreement to UK lobbying priorities, proposals, and actions, and to provide advice to the Ambassador, Development Director, and visiting ministers.
• Expert reporting and analysis (25%): Keep track of and report on Indonesia and Timor-Leste climate and nature policy and political landscape, covering emerging issues and sharing analysis to relevant audiences in HM Government. Reporting includes drafting advice applicable at the most senior levels in FCDO such as visiting ministers and senior officials, DipTels, and advice to the Ambassador and Development Director.
• Strategic communications (15%): Plan and deliver public diplomacy events and communications, including leading on event planning and logistics. The jobholder will play an important part in communicating the climate change angles of the UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership. They will identify climate change outreach opportunities through the remainder of 2025, discuss collaboration opportunities with communications partners, and set our proposed agenda and priorities for public events. They will work with the media team to develop content, including speeches and visuals.
• Policy coordination, visits, and meetings (25%): Coordinate with Whitehall colleagues on engagement with Indonesia and Timor-Leste, including briefings for senior officials and ministers and planning and delivery of senior visits. The jobholder will lead on discrete areas of climate policy for the embassy, notably adaptation and resilience, and scan the external environment for new issues.
• Corporate support and programme management (10%): The jobholder will lead delivery of the Climate and Nature Diplomacy Fund at post, working with colleagues to bid, plan, implement, and monitor this fund. They will also support delivery of climate governance work through UKPACT. In addition, they will hold a corporate role in support of wider embassy objectives (this is to be determined, but could e.g. be in a people committee role or in crisis response).

Resources Managed (staff and expenditure):

The jobholder will be responsible for generating and delivering projects through the Climate and Nature Diplomacy fund, which has ranged from £25k to £50k per year in recent years. The role will also support delivery of c.£300k climate governance programming through the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UKPACT) programme. Other sources of funding are also available, subject to approved bids to the budget-holder. 

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field, for instance, Public Policy, Public Administration, International Relations, Climate and Environment Science, etc.
• A minimum of 4+ years of experience working for an organisation in a relevant field, for example, working for/with national or regional government, international organizations or agencies, preferably in climate change
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience of managing diverse and senior level relationships
• Good understanding of international climate change policy, with relevant experience including from university or previous professional work experience
• Knowledge and understanding of the Indonesian government
• Language requirement: English and Bahasa Indonesia to level C1 advanced

Note: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview by late August or early September