View Vacancy – AUS (Open in Canberra, Sydney or Melbourne) – Science and Innovation Officer C4(L)


The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

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

Science and Innovation

Main purpose of job:

To facilitate science and innovation collaboration between the UK and Australia and promote UK science policy objectives.

Roles and responsibilities:

  • The successful candidate will lead the High Commission’s Science and Innovation (S&I) work in Australia. You will be responsible for identifying and facilitating opportunities for greater collaboration between the UK and Australian Science and Innovation sectors. You will be the key contact point in the High Commission for S&I related enquiries and information requests from Whitehall Government Departments, their agencies and UK research organisations.   A key part of your work will be to facilitate relationships and information exchange between the UK and Australian research and innovation systems.   You will work closely with colleagues across the British Government network in Australia to add value to their commercial work and help deliver the British government’s wider policy goals. For example, by engaging your academic and government network to support the UK’s Climate Change agenda; work with the High Commission’s Communications team to promote to the Australian public and media the UK’s world-leading Science and Innovation capability, and opportunities to engage and collaborate with it; or alert trade colleagues to innovative companies and emerging technologies with commercial potential. Similarly, you will identify and brief UK officials, such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), on Australian research and innovation capabilities, where collaboration with the UK could be mutually beneficial.
  • As part of the British High Commission team, you will also contribute to wider work at times of pressure such as visits by UK ministers and senior officials or crises. You will have opportunities to initiate and deliver projects in support of UK government policy priorities and provide S&I input to support the wider work of the High Commission. This opportunity comes at an exciting time as the UK negotiates its Free Trade Agreements with the EU and Australia and both countries look to S&I to find a Covid-19 vaccine and treatments and drive the economic recovery from the pandemic. You will have a high degree of autonomy in designing and delivering UK central government S&I strategies in Australia.
  • The position is part of the UK’s global Science and Innovation Network, jointly owned by the Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and BEIS, and reports to the First Secretary Regulatory Diplomacy, Health and Agriculture at the British High Commission in Canberra.
  • Develop and implement strategies to increase S&I research collaboration between the UK and Australia
  • Support the UK’s global science and innovation campaigns
  • Establish strong relationships with S&I influencers in government, academia and industry to inform a perceptive analysis and advice on policy, trends and other developments in Australia and their implications for the UK, and facilitate knowledge exchange.
  • Lobby the Australian government to secure support for UK S&I related policy objectives on issues considered by multilateral organisations such as the World Health Organisation, UN etc.
  • Support existing, and facilitate the development of new, partnerships between UK and Australian actors.
  • Design and implement projects that deliver UK science and innovation objectives.
  • Identify opportunities to engage in regional activities in strategic priority areas.
  • Research and respond in a timely manner to requests for information, introductions, and briefing for meetings and visits from UK government departments and their agencies.
  • Organise visits by senior UK government and non-government representatives, deploying them strategically to deliver UK prosperity, security and promotional objectives in Australia.
  • Support a scientific and evidential approach and consideration into the broader activities of the High Commission.
  • Other team and corporate duties as required.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

The job-holder will have the opportunity to bid for programme funds to run projects in support of UK objectives in Australia. Indicatively these might be between £5,000 and £30,000 per year.

  • A proven ability to deliver results with strong strategic awareness, excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to develop productive relationships.
  • Experience in Australian and/or international science policy or R&D collaboration and an understanding of the role of research and innovation in international policy, trade and business. Industry, academic or government experience would be equally relevant.
  • Language: Fluent English

  • Understanding and interest in other areas of government policy and/or Australian politics and an enthusiasm and ability to respond to new ideas and challenges.
  • The ability to develop productive relationships and to be creative about achieving science and innovation objectives.
  • Familiarity with the Microsoft suite of office applications.

Seeing the Big Picture, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering at Pace




26 October 2020

C4 (L)

Full-time, Permanent

38

Asia Pacific

Australia

Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney

British High Commission

1

101,623




16 December 2020

Salary is at AU$101,623 per annum (paid out monthly), plus 11% superannuation.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed): The successful applicant will have the opportunity to develop on the job knowledge of Australian and UK science and innovation policy and to hone networking, influencing and project management skills. The British High Commission actively promotes continuous personal development and the job-holder will have access to a full range of learning and development opportunities including through the UK’s International Academy, as opportunities to attend training in the region and the UK.

Flexible working patterns will be considered, including the option to work remotely for one or two days a week.  This role could be based in either Canberra, Melbourne or Sydney, but will require travel to the other cities every 3 – 4 weeks. 

Appointment is subject to an AFP records check and UK security clearance.

Open to Australian citizens, permanent residents, and partners/ dependents of UK-based diplomatic staff currently posted in Australia.

Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission and its Consulates is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Australian employment law.

The British Government supports flexible working practices. Interstate applicants will be required to meet their own travel and relocation expenses.

Your application must be submitted before 23:55 AEST-Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC/ GMT +10) on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

Advertised start date is provisional and subject to completion of reference and security checks.

Kindly check your application centre or email regularly for any update on the status of your application.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Local 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.

To help us with our recruitment effort, please indicate on the application form /cover letter where (ngotenders.net) you saw this job posting.

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