View Vacancy – DXB – DIT Events, Visits, Marketing and Communications Officer B3(L)

The British Embassy Dubai has a vacancy for an Events, Visits, Marketing and Communications Officer under the Department for International Trade (DIT).

The main purpose of this role will be to deliver events, visits, marketing and communications for the DIT teams in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The role will be based in Dubai but will require frequent visits to our team in Abu Dhabi. This is a high-pressured role, particularly during the Expo year and may require working long hours at times.

Events

DIT Sector Leads run a number of events throughout the year, including roundtable meetings, networking receptions, meet-the-buyer sessions, various virtual events and senior level dinners. The jobholder will be involved on working on the logistics of these events with other stakeholders when held off site, e.g., with hotels, external venues such as the World Trade Centre, etc. The role means working closely with the DIT Sector Leads in understanding their requirements and then running with the logistics of the events from booking and paying for rooms/ catering to sending out invitations, managing RSVPs and promoting the events. Events could be anything from five up to 500 guests.

The jobholder will also be managing events for Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC)/ Consul-General at his residence on the Embassy site in Dubai. The majority of the events will be for DIT, but will occasionally be non-DIT, which means working with others teams in the Embassy, including helping the Embassy Events Manager. These events can range from 500-person networking sessions to small roundtable dinners. The jobholder will be required to work closely with our Security Team in ensuring risk assessments have been conducted and liaising and managing outside caterers/ production companies to access the Embassy site. Additionally, the jobholder will also be responsible for auditing of events stock and ensuring it is kept up-to-date.

Visits

The UAE DIT team host a number of high level visitors ranging from senior DIT officials through to Ministers and members of the Royal Family. This role will be integral in organising these visits with the Director and Deputy Director of DIT, Sector Leads, and the Regional Trade Commissioner’s Office based in Dubai. The jobholder will be required to manage and delegate the briefing packs, including formatting the documents, organise logistics, transport plans, organise diplomatic notes and the ministerial lounge at the airports, and be the liaison point for private offices in HQ. They will also have to produce official diplomatic notes for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organising their translation and ensuring they are sent through the correct channels.

Marketing and communications

The jobholder will handle internal (UAE) communications, ensuring the whole of Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) in the UAE – including but not limited to Embassies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (particularly the Press Team), VisitBritain, British Council, and Devolved Administrations – are aware of DIT’s activities in market, including visits and events. They will ensure key internal stakeholders are kept up-to-date on DIT’s work and building relationships with interlocutors.

The jobholder will also handle external communications, ensuring the Director of UAE DIT’s external facing work is promoted and amplified on social media. They will assist on speech writing and press releases for senior DIT officials in the UAE.

The role requires working closely with the Embassy’s Press and Public Affairs team, ensuring messaging is joined up. The jobholder will be the main point of contact for DIT partners, e.g. the UK/ UAE Business Council, British Business Groups (BBGs) in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The jobholder will also lead on UAE DIT’s GREAT campaign, promoting GREAT at all DIT events in market, ensuring visuals are on brand, and collating monthly returns for HQ/ regional marketing team.

Duties and responsibilities:

– Deliver all of DIT UAE’s and the Consul-General’s events, working with the relevant Sector Lead, Embassy Security Manager, and key stakeholders

• Take the lead on all DIT events and manage them from start to finish, including organising all logistics, guest lists and RSVPs, often working alongside internal and external stakeholders.
• Supporting the lead officer working on the logistics of events (often with the Embassy Security Manager if they are in the Embassy), but with other stakeholders when held off site, e.g., with hotels and external venue such as World Trade centre, etc.
• Working closely with the Sector Leads in understanding their requirements and then running with the logistics of the events, from booking and paying for rooms/ catering to sending out invitations, managing RSVPs and promoting the events.
• Work closely with other teams in the Embassy and outside contractors to help deliver on non-DIT events held at the Embassy (Consul-General’s residence).

– Deliver all of DIT UAE’s visits, working closely with senior DIT leaders in Post/ Embassy and in HQ

• Act as the main point of contact for all visits, including senior DIT officials and Ministers. Manage all logistics, briefings and travel plans, and liaison with HQ, Sector Leads in market and Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners and Director of DIT’s offices.
• Draft all diplomatic notes for official meeting requests, arranging for them to be translated and ensuring onward transmission to the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

– Marketing and communications

• Promote all of DIT UAE’s activities on social media, increasing and amplifying DIT UAE’s presence, particularly on Twitter and LinkedIn.
• Identify new and innovative ways of engaging business in market through communications and marketing. Establishing a network of social media influencers in DIT UAE’s priority sectors.
• Be the Post/ Embassy champion for the GREAT Campaign, ensuring all events are correctly branded and recorded.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.

Key competencies required:

• Leading and Communicating – Showing pride and passion for public service, leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction, integrity, and enthusiasm. Championing difference and external experience, supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens. Managing and engaging with people in a straightforward, truthful and candid way, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
• Collaborating and Partnering – Being a team player who creates and maintains positive, professional, and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the organisation to help get business done. Working collaboratively, sharing information appropriately, and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions. Being approachable, delivering objectives through creating an inclusive environment, encouraging collaboration and building effective partnerships and welcoming challenge however uncomfortable.
• Delivering at Pace – Focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. Building a performance culture where staff are given space, authority, and support to deliver outcomes; and keeping a firm focus on priorities and addressing performance issues resolutely, fairly, and promptly.
• Managing a Quality Service – Valuing and modelling professional excellence and expertise to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. Effectively planning, organising, and managing time and activities to deliver a high-quality, secure, reliable, and efficient service, applying programme and project and risk management approaches to support service delivery.

• At least five (5) years of work experience in event management.
• At least five (5) years of experience in marketing and communications, particularly social media management and ideally in a similar government organisation or multinational company
• Experience in visit planning/ logistics.
• Ability to multi-task and have good organisational skills. Ability to effectively work under tight deadlines and in a fast paced environment whilst maintaining close attention to detail and without compromising the quality of the work.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement across all levels. Experience in working in large, complex environments.
• Resourcefulness in solving problems and demonstrates good judgement.
• A team player who is capable of working on their initiative and who is adaptable to changing priorities. Must be able to work and act without close supervision and react calmly to situations which may arise.
• Excellent teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate successfully with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong work ethic and demonstrates high level of professionalism.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to engage and influence at all levels internally and with external contacts, and collaborate effectively across Embassy teams.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
• Strong IT computer skills and in using MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).