Main purpose of job

The British Government’s Embassy in Washington, DC is seeking a highly motivated, exceptionally organised, and strategically minded individual to join the British Defence Staff United States (BDSUS) as Assistant Head of Strategy Coherence.

This pivotal role, reporting to the BDSUS Chief of Staff, will shape and steward the strategic direction of BDSUS. The successful candidate will lead the development and ongoing refinement of the BDSUS Strategy, ensuring it remains aligned with wider UK Defence objectives and fully integrated with the British Embassy Washington’s Country Business Plan. You will also oversee the BDSUS Campaign Engagement Plan, ensuring that organisational activity clearly demonstrates progress against agreed Strategic Outcomes.

A key element of the role is leadership of the Visits and Events Team, ensuring its outputs directly support strategic priorities, strengthen defence relationships, and maximise the impact of BDSUS engagements across the United States. You will help translate high‑level strategy into coherent, deliverable activity, connecting teams across the organisation to shared goals.

The role also carries responsibility for shaping, coordinating, and improving BDSUS governance, ensuring that structures and reporting mechanisms provide clear oversight of strategic delivery. You will ensure coherence with the broader governance requirements of the British Embassy Washington and support senior leaders with timely, accurate, and strategically relevant information.

The ideal candidate will bring experience working within the UK or US Government or military, with a strong understanding of Defence organisations and objectives. They will be an effective team player who is comfortable shifting focus quickly, resolving competing priorities, and working at pace. Strong communication skills, excellent judgement, and confidence engaging with senior government stakeholders are essential. This role is well‑suited to someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, enjoys shaping complex strategic narratives, and brings a high level of personal organisation and initiative.

The US Network offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401(k) programme. It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to better maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses flexible hours where possible. In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment side-by-side with UK diplomats, Armed Forces personnel and other country-based staff and with defence stakeholders in the UK and US defence interagency.

Roles and responsibilities

• Lead the development, maintenance, and delivery of the BDSUS Strategy, ensuring alignment with wider UK Defence Strategy and the British Embassy Washington Country Business Plan
• Oversee the effective operation of BDSUS governance structures, including the Management Board and Executive Committee; maintain Terms of Reference, develop agendas and forward looks, and provide secretariat support for all governance meetings
• Provide coherence and oversight for the BDSUS Campaign Engagement Plan, ensuring activity reflects and drives progress against BDSUS Strategic Outcomes and is integrated into BDSUS engagement activities
• Coordinate and quality‑assure BDSUS reporting to Defence stakeholders, including weekly and fortnightly strategic updates
• Coordinate briefing requirements for senior stakeholders, including HMA, Quad leadership, and Ministers, ensuring timely, accurate, and strategically aligned input
• Support the design and delivery of strategic change initiatives across BDSUS
• Line manage the BDSUS Visits and Events Team, ensuring outputs are aligned to strategic priorities and contribute effectively to organisational outcomes

Resources managed (personnel and expenditure)

• Line management responsibility for 1 HEO and team

• Experience working within the UK or US Government or military, ideally with exposure to Defence organisations or policy
• 5+ years demonstrated full‑time experience in a fast‑paced office environment, with previous exposure to executive support, briefing seniors, meeting and event coordination and logistics
• Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to work independently, manage multiple competing priorities, and deliver high‑quality outputs at pace
• Proven line management or supervisory experience, with the ability to motivate, support, and develop team members
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build effective networks and influence partners across a complex organisation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distil complex, multi‑layered issues into clear, concise briefings for senior decision‑makers
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications—particularly Word and Outlook—and proven ability to quickly adapt to new IT systems and tools
• A valid U.S. driver’s licence
• Legal status to live and work in the US in your own right, from time of Application
• Due to security constraints, must hold a UK passport (dual citizenship OK)