Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy in Kinshasa is recruiting a Political Assistant to join the Political, Governance, Inclusion and Communications Team. 

The Political Assistant will play an essential role in helping to drive the UK’s bilateral relations with the DRC, including by managing the globally recognised Chevening Scholarship Programme for DRC, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. 

The Political Assistant will also hold the necessary relationships with DRC interlocutors to deliver high-profile and urgent HMG policy priorities. This includes on sensitive issues, such as UK visit visas and UK migration policy. The responsibilities of this job include a high proportion of the tasks which are crucial for the British Embassy’s business continuity, including in the event of a crisis.  

The Political Assistant must have excellent interpersonal skills, an ability to work under pressure and manage competing deadlines, and a capacity to apply strategic thinking to a range of tasks. The job requires an ability to problem solve, using creative approaches to unblock bilateral issues and act as a bridge between different stakeholders, within and outside of HMG. 

You will need to rapidly get up to speed with the workings of the UK and DRC governments. A high standard of verbal and written communication in both English and French, targeted appropriately at a range of senior external stakeholders from both the UK and DRC, will be essential.  Your ability to deliver through others, both within the embassy and DRC government contacts, will be crucial to your success. 

Roles and responsibilities:

In this role you will be responsible for: 

1. Managing the Chevening Programme for DRC, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic: coordinating the promotion campaign; ensuring a smooth and timely recruitment process; organising interviews for candidates; organising the pre-departure event; managing the Chevening Alumni Association; leading on the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund; acting as the focal point for prospective candidates throughout the year.
2. Acting as embassy focal point on UK visit visas: working closely with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to support important UK visit visa applications; managing sensitive cases efficiently, including working directly to the Ambassador.
3. Delivering Home Office policy priorities in DRC: supporting on voluntary and enforced returns; managing the relationship with the DRC Government to support effective returns cooperation.
4. Supporting on diplomatic overflight and landing clearance requests and other Protocol documentation: managing requests for overflight and landing clearances, including by holding relationships with key DRC government interlocutors; providing Notes Verbales.

This is a flexible role and the successful candidate should expect to remain adaptive to respond to the team’s requirements. This might include supporting on high-level visits including from UK Ministers and senior civil servants. There will also be opportunities to develop policy expertise through support to the wider team. 

About the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

How we approach our work is important. The How We Work Statement (below) sets out the ambition we share across the FCDO for how we lead and behave towards each other, how we make decisions, and how we get the job done. Some aspects may be particularly relevant to this role.

• We put respect and kindness first. We are inclusive, we get to know each other, and value our diversity and the contribution we each bring. We are fair, act with integrity, and tackle inequality and unacceptable behaviour. We work together and take responsibility to solve problems.
• We draw on the expertise, insight and diverse perspectives of people across the FCDO, HMG, and beyond. We use the best available data and evidence. We are open to challenge and take a sustainable, long-term approach. We are transparent about the rationale for decisions and smart about taking and managing risks.
• We are agile and alert to emerging opportunities. We encourage learning, innovation and use of data and digital. We are all clear on what we are expected to deliver and support each other in doing so. We look to reduce duplication and unnecessary process. We are committed to transforming both the FCDO and the way HMG delivers international policy.

About the team in British Embassy Kinshasa
This role sits within the Political, Governance, Inclusion and Communications team which delivers a cross-cutting policy and programme function in the office. You will report to the Second Secretary Political and will work closely with the Political Officer, as well as the rest of the team. You will also work with the Senior Leadership Team including the Ambassador.

• Excellent written and oral skills in French and English.
• A proven track record managing tasks and delivering impact through maintaining a wide range of contacts.