View Vacancy – Press & Public Affairs Officer (UZB21.521)

The British Embassy in Tashkent is part of the world- wide UK diplomatic network working to promote British interests and we are now looking to recruit a Press and Public Affairs Officer.

The Press and Public Affairs Officer is responsible for leading Embassy wide communications work, developing and delivering Embassy’s Communications Strategy, external communications, and the use of wide ranging public diplomacy tools and campaigns. This work will also involve delivering results through others; the incumbent’s effective management of a digital communications officer is an essential part of our day-to-day social media. The overseeing of digital/social media content and helping ensure strategic direction of our social media activity.

Operating closely, and independently, with local partners and media contacts, the job holder will act as the Embassy’s contact point for engagement with local media, building and developing working relationships with journalists and bloggers, proactively organising interviews for HMA. This will occasionally involve drafting speeches for HMA and senior management where applicable.

As the embassy’s lead spokesperson and point of contact with the media, they are responsible for supplying high quality advice to HMA on media and press engagements, including drafting press lines, press releases and Ambassadorial quotes, as well as strategic advice on the individuals and media outlets/bloggers that the Ambassador should be engaging with.

As a key member of the Embassy frontline team, to the job holder will drive forward UK’s wider strategic goals in the region as laid out in the Country Business Plan, working closely with other Embassy Teams (in particular our programme team) to increase our overall engagement and public diplomacy efforts.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Communications Officer

• Using their own initiative and communications training to develop and drive forward Embassy’s existing communications disciplines and practices, considering strategic engagement.
• Have responsibility for: drafting press releases, including Ambassadorial quotes.
• Providing tailored advice and recommendations, supporting senior management (HMA/Senior Policy Staff), on press opportunities, encouraging or discouraging media engagements on their advice.
• Liaising with Media Office in London, geographical desk officers in EECAD and EECAD Strat Comms team, Cabinet Office/Whitehall.
• Working closely with other sections in the Embassy, especially Programme and Commercial Sections:
  • Supporting them to advance their own objectives through better communications
  • Ensuring that their communications objectives feed into the Embassy’s Comms Strategy – giving guidance on overall communications strategy and campaigns.
  • Using negotiating and communicating skills to ensure that all Embassy comms are coherent with the Embassy’s overarching Comms Strategy, as appropriate for One Team working.

Press Officer

• Managing relations with all relevant local and international media and utilising these relationships to help achieve policy aims.
• Representing the Embassy/FCO as spokesperson for all external communications, with media and public, liaising with local media (e.g. radio) to organise interviews at their discretion on relevant topics and priorities.

Visits Officer

• To lead on all inward visits, in particular on managing the programme and logistics.
• Acting as the main point of contact for programme and logistics for London colleagues (including private office)
• Liaise with OGDs and host contacts to prepare for the visit and ensure accurate programme/logistic management
• Support the wider PPDS team in visit briefing, co-ordinating briefing packs and working independently to co-ordinate with the MFA and host government.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills enabling effective communication in English, Uzbek and Russian (minimum C1 level);
• University degree
• Outstanding communications and networking skills
• Ability to drive event scenarios
• Advanced digital and IT skills (including producing videos, infographics, website content management)
• Ability to work and make effective decisions with minimum oversight
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Be pre-emptive in understanding what the top relevant issues and priorities are and offering solutions (reports etc)
• Ability to adapt and respond to emerging trends
• Resilience to deal with setbacks and continue to deliver despite numerous challenges