View Vacancy – Senior Political Adviser (Federal Politics)- C4, Islamabad

Note : All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, motivational segment and the competency based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Please note that due to Covid-19 outbreak, the start date of employment mentioned in the advert is tentative, subject to normal business of British High Commission. All recruitment campaigns will remain open for applications, we will progress the recruitment process as swiftly as possible and continue to review all applications, monitor progress and developments. We will be in touch with you for the interviews/ should there be further updates on the application, however given the circumstances, kindly expect some delay in response and please reach out to [email protected], if you have any further questions.

This is a short term position for 6 months.

Main purpose of job:

Working within the Strategic Engagement and Understanding Team (SEU), you will provide analysis and advice on Pakistani politics, covering the federal government, the judiciary and courts, and Parliament. Your reporting, advice and support to senior leaders in the mission, teams across BHC Islamabad, FCDO HQ in the UK, and other Whitehall departments, will help to shape how HM Government achieves its objectives in Pakistan.

You will need to ensure that senior leaders and SEU have the right contacts to be able to understand Pakistan and achieve BHC Islamabad’s objectives. In addition, you will need to develop and maintain your own network of contacts to inform your reporting and advice. You will also work with our offices in Lahore and Karachi to understand the interplay between federal and provincial politics. You will play a leading role in the coordination of events and visits that advance BHC objectives.

You will also be required to provide guidance to junior colleagues, including embedding organisational vision and values.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Understanding and reporting (30%)

• Use network of contacts to inform reporting on and monitoring of political developments, and the UK-Pakistan bilateral relationship.
• Support the Strategic Engagement and Understanding Team and other teams in the mission by providing informed, timely and strategically aware political analysis.
• Undertake proactive and reactive open source research on topics of interest to the BHC, verify this research with expert contacts and use it to increase depth and breadth of understanding, often to tight deadlines.
• Lead in compiling the flagship weekly political report, which goes to the BHC, a senior readership in FCDO HQ, and government departments across Whitehall.

Engagement and network management (30%)

• Develop and maintain a diverse network of contacts and use this network to inform our understanding, identify engagement opportunities and support UK priorities across Pakistan.
• Support effective BHC engagement through advice on relationships and key influencers within and outside the Pakistani system.

Political advice to BHC teams and HQ (20%)

• Maintain relationships with the BHC’s six ‘Campaign Goal’ teams, in order to offer political advice when needed, spot opportunities to advance their objectives, and identify potential linkages.
• Engage with FCDO HQ when needed to provide advice on Pakistani politics and government systems.

Leadership (10%)

• Setting the framework for junior colleagues in SEU: which could include providing guidance, task management, and timely and appropriate feedback.
• Contributing to learning and development in this specialist area for BHC and FCDO HQ colleagues.

Visits and Events Organisation (10%)

• Organise, accompany and support senior staff on visits and produce timely and informative records of meetings.
• Co-ordinate events (receptions, dinners) to support BHC objectives, including proposing events, compiling guest lists, overseeing administration to ensure success and on occasion attending to provide support.

Resources managed:

None, but some task management and leadership responsibilities for junior staff within team.

Learning and development opportunities:

Cross-mission Learning and Development opportunities including:

1. Formal in-house and external training
2. Coaching, mentoring and job shadowing
3. Structured learning on the job, including stretching objectives and work

• Deep knowledge of Pakistani politics, state institutions, and key influencers.
• Relevant experience of interacting with political parties, government bureaucracy and civil society organisations.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective professional networks.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• High standard of accuracy and attention to detail.
• A proactive and dynamic individual with a can-do attitude, who works well in a team.
• Be well organised and able to demonstrate flexibility.
• Ability to think creatively to solve problems, sometimes under pressure and multi-task.
• Have a track record in managing and prioritising your workload.
• Confidence and commitment to deliver with minimal supervision.
• A Bachelor’s degree; ideally in International Relations or similar.
• Have strong computer skills (particularly MS Word, Excel and Outlook).

Language requirements:

Language: English and Urdu.

Level of language required: Exceptional command of written and spoken English and Urdu.