View Vacancy – Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer (10/21 ABJ)

Main purpose of job:

The British High Commission (BHC) office in Abuja is looking for a creative, organised and dynamic communications professional to join the UK Government’s communications network in Nigeria as soon as possible.

Strategic communications is an increasingly important tool used to help deliver the international objectives of the British Government. The successful candidate will be a confident and effective communicator and able strategist who can identify the correct audiences, calibrate the right messages and help shape the UKs narrative through a range of traditional, digital and other communication channels.  

Building strong stakeholder relationships is essential for this role.  The successful applicant will work with policy and programme colleagues, stakeholders and customers from across the UK’s international network. They will be expected to build good relationships with the Nigerian media in Nigeria, with Nigerian government, business and civil society spokespeople and with other key influencers.  

Roles and responsibilities:

Working from a small team, you will work with a range of colleagues and partners across different UK Government departments operating in Nigeria and West Africa.  You will work with press offices of Government departments in London and help set the direction for the UK’s communications operations in Nigeria.

You will lead by example to drive high quality delivery in the communications team.  You will help shape and deliver strategic communications and public diplomacy objectives developed across the UK Government’s Nigeria network. You will work with British Government communications leads across the region, with the UK Government’s Communications Hub in South Africa, the Government Communications Service in London and press offices of local and international partners. 

You will develop a sound understanding of the UK’s priorities in Nigeria and, working with the relevant teams, will identify how to make best use of comms to help to deliver the UK’s international objectives. 

Using a blend of communications tools, you will help to deliver regional communications campaigns in Nigeria tailored effectively to the relevant local audience. You will help the team generate innovative high quality and impactful media campaigns and events that promote a positive image of the UK, and supports delivery of the UK’s strategic political and soft power objectives in Nigeria. 

You will help ensure that the communications effort in Nigeria is proactive and creative, including but not limited to public diplomacy events, external digital communications (increasing the size and calibration of the audience receiving UK messages to help maximise impact) and traditional media engagement.  You will help shape programmes for visiting senior officials, Ministers and VVIPs, managing media engagements and providing sound advice on all press and public affairs elements.  

You will build and maintain an effective network of contacts across the spectrum of Nigerian and international media to ensure that the BHC has a thorough understanding of the media’s role in Nigerian society and is well placed to engage constructively.  Drawing on the expertise from colleagues in Nigeria and across West Africa, you will ensure all UK Government communications is tailored to its audience.

Acting as one of the British High Commission’s spokespeople, your responsibilities will include drafting articles, press notices, blogs, social media posts briefings and communications plans as well as clearing and delivering appropriate media messages to local and international media as and when required.

• Qualified to at least to undergraduate degree level
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English
• Highly organised, able to take initiative and to work accurately within deadlines and with limited supervision  in a fast paced environment
• A good working knowledge of ICT software (e.g. MS Word) in general and strong skills in digital media, including Face book, Twitter and other social networking sites
• Attention to detail and comfortable producing accurate statements under pressure and taking direct instructions to also deliver under pressure
• Strong networking and relationship management skills towards both senior and junior staff internally and externally
• Previous experience in public relations, marketing or media, including developing and implementing multiple media communication plans/media campaigns and managing events.
• Effective management of teams of colleagues and experience of delivering results through others
• Skills:     Communications – Ideas: Press and Media