Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
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Position description
The British Government’s Embassy in the Washington is offering an exciting opportunity to join our political team. This is a meaningful role which supports the smooth running of the team and contributes to the development of the special relationship between the UK and the US – shaping international diplomacy to make a real difference globally.
The US Network offers a unique, career-enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a comprehensive benefits package- including generous leave, competitive insurance options, a top-tier 401(k) programme, and access to world-class learning and development resources. We are committed to fostering a healthy work-life balance and supporting employee wellbeing through a structured hybrid working model that includes opportunities for remote work and flexible hours, where operational needs allow.
The BE Washington Political Section is responsible for: deepening political relationships with the UK’s closest bilateral partner at the Federal, State, and local levels; advising London on implications of political developments in the US; coordinating and advising on Congressional affairs; building links with future leaders; building links in to major political campaigns; and representing the non-devolved (reserved) interests of the Home Nations of the UK.
The Political Section works daily with colleagues across the Embassy and US Network, representing all Whitehall Departments and Devolved Administrations. These relationships are critical to our success. But our operational focus is external, building links to anyone of importance or influence in US politics. We are a small team who punch above our weight, and who aim to bring the US Political Officers Network (across eight Consulates-General and five UK Government Offices) together to be more than the sum of our parts in order to make the UK the most influential US partner.
The Political Support Officer will be responsible for supporting the smooth running of the ten-person political team, whilst also providing cross-cutting administrative support for colleagues across the Political and Communications Section. The role will have a particular focus on events, organisation, and contact management, helping the team to use our events and engagement to achieve key bilateral objectives. A significant part of the role will involve leading the administration and delivery of the UK Honours System within the US: a vital tool of the British Government in the US, which projects UK soft power and develops ties with the next generation of US leaders. You will work closely with internal stakeholders such as policy teams and senior leadership, and external partners, diplomatic contacts, and other key stakeholders. This role supports the delivery of the UK’s broader strategic objectives in the US and offers valuable experience in international engagement and cross-government collaboration.
We are looking for a proactive, organized, detail-oriented, and collaborative professional with experience in administration, stakeholder coordination, or office management. You’ll bring strong communication, prioritization, and organisational skills, along with the ability to manage competing demands and maintain high standards of accuracy. You will also demonstrate a commitment to delivering high-quality work, improving processes, and supporting an effective and professional office environment.
Roles and responsibilities
This is a busy and interesting role at the heart of a large Embassy, and offers exposure to some of the most important and high-profile issues in the US/UK relationship. The job holder will be a key member of a friendly and approachable team. They will work closely with a variety of staff across the Embassy, Ambassador’s Residence, and the Consulates General network across the US, as well as with colleagues in London. Each day varies and the job holder will need to demonstrate flexibility, initiative, and a proactive approach. The right candidate will find plentiful opportunities to develop a wide variety of experience. Given the number of events, the jobholder will on occasion be expected to work outside of core hours.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Leading delivery of the UK Honours system with the US (40%): The honours system is a vital tool of the British Government in the US which projects UK soft power and develops ties with the next generation of US leaders. You will be responsible for delivering the process for gathering nominations across the US network and organising awards ceremonies for both US nationals and Brits in the US that have received honorary or substantial awards. Key tasks will include:
- Acting as the Secretariat for the Honours Committee.
- Ensuring high-quality nominations from across the US Network.
- Liaising with colleagues in London to ensure key deadlines are met.
- Maintaining records and an inventory of Honours material including warrants and insignia.
- Leading on Investiture Ceremonies for approved recipients.
- Events organisation and contact management (30%): You will lead the delivery of events within the political section, including several high-level engagements which bring together key figures from across the Administration and Congress. You will also support the team’s contact management, building an effective system for managing the team’s external engagement and ensuring political contacts are fed into events organised by teams across the embassy.
- Administrative support (30%): You will play a key role in supporting the everyday running of the political team and the wider political and communications section. This will include forecasting and profiling the section’s spend against agreed budgets, monitoring and spending through the financial year, and resolving issues. It will also include ad hoc tasks such as assisting with travel arrangements, meeting scheduling and maintaining the team’s information management systems.
Qualifications
- Strong organisational skills and attention-to-detail.
- Experience managing and owning projects.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to adapt, prioritise, and manage a varied and fast-paced workload.
- Be able to work well in a team and independently.
- Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to be professional, courteous and deal directly with senior level contacts both inside and outside the Embassy.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Teams, etc.).
- Legal status to live and work in the US in your own right, from time of Application.
- Experience working with budgets and familiarity with forecasting processes.
- Experience supporting and organizing visits and events.
- Familiarity with contact management systems (e.g. Salesforce).
- Professional or pre-professional experience in an administrative or other relevant role.
- An understanding of US and UK government structures, political environments, current events, and key players.
Application instructions
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