Job Description
Type of Post: British Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Job Category: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory: Chancery
The British Embassy Abu Dhabi has a vacancy for a Cultural Affairs Officer.
The jobholder will work closely with wider Embassy teams in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the British Council, GREAT Campaign and VisitBritain teams, to develop and drive forward the Embassy’s cultural agenda. This includes enhancing cross-government co-ordination and bilateral collaboration around the themes of technology, sport, design, and creative arts. Building on momentum from the 2017 UK-UAE Year of Cultural Collaboration and 2018 Year of Zayed, the jobholder will help deliver UK engagement related to e.g. the Year of Tolerance 2019, the Special Olympics, Expo 2020, and high-level visits.
Duties and Responsibilities
Your main responsibilities in this role include the following:
The jobholder will identify opportunities and develop an innovative and varied annual programme of events that promote the bilateral relationship and the UK’s interests in line with our country business plan. Often working to tight deadlines the jobholder will source appropriate venues and suppliers to deliver top quality events, ensuring value for money, seeking feedback, and always improving events.
He/ She will deliver a range of off-site and on-site events (e.g., at the Ambassador’s Residence), working closely with the Executive Office, Chancery, wider Embassy teams, as well as the Residence and Estates Teams to ensure events run smoothly and Her Majesty’s Ambassador (HMA) and Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) are supported. This will require flexible working and some evening work.
The jobholder will also maintain a database of relevant cultural contacts and event venues and manage the soft power events budget, ensuring full compliance with financial reporting responsibilities and procurement rules.
Job Requirements
The ideal candidate will have at least a university degree, previous relevant experience in events management planning and delivery, an awareness of soft power issues, and the ability to implement soft power themes through events. Experience in resource or budget management will be an advantage. Previous relevant experience in events management, planning, and delivery in the Middle East will also be highly regarded.
We are looking for someone with excellent interpersonal, organisational, customer handling, and communication skills. The ideal candidate will have the ability to work autonomously and have strong planning and self-management skills. He/ She will have excellent organisational skills, with proven ability to plan and prioritise tasks. They will also have previous experience of working in a team.
Having a customer-focused approach is essential. Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken are required, including the confidence to interact effectively with a range of stakeholders. Arabic language skills (speaking and writing) will be desirable but is not essential.
The ideal candidate must have the ability to anticipate and solve problems, pay close attention to detail, and be able to think strategically to spot opportunities.
Strong IT skills, including proficiency in MS Office software are also required. Previous experience of social media will also be helpful.
Required competencies
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering Value for Money, Managing a Quality Service
Job Details
Company/Organization: British Embassy in Abu Dhabi
Employment Type: Full-time Job
Job Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Duration of Post: Permanent
Compensation/Salary: AED 13,296 Per Month
Start Date: 3 March 2019
Application Deadline: 28 January 2019
