Deputy Head of Communication at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Main purpose of job:

This is an opportunity for an experienced communications professional to join the fast-paced UK in South Africa Communication Team. You will support our efforts to creatively tell the story of how the UK is working with South Africa on issues such as gender equality, economic growth, global health, green energy and consular support, while showcasing the UK-SA people-to-people links across arts, sport, culture.

Roles and responsibilities:

This is an opportunity to join the fast-paced UK in South Africa Communications Team, as the Deputy Head of Communication.

• You will be reporting to a Head of Communication and play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of communication produced by the team.
• We are looking for an extremely organised individual with management experience to take a leadership role in developing engaging communication campaigns about the UK’s partnership with South Africa.
• This role would be ideal for someone with an interest in a wide-range of international issues, offering the chance to design media plans for major events involving the UK and South Africa on the world stage -such as G20 summits - and showcasing progress on joint UK-South Africa priorities - such as the ground-breaking International Just Energy Transition Partnership agreed at COP26. The role will also include delivering media around VIP visits.
• The individual will be a communication expert with long-standing journalist relationships, experience in designing and delivering media moments and a solid track record of securing high-profile media coverage. You would need the ability to flex around the UK’s priorities at different times, and be confident briefing media and creating media materials, including press releases and media lines.
• This role will be based in the British High Commission in Pretoria, working closely with and complementing the existing HMG communicators network across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• Line management of two Communication Officers.
• Management of comms budget, subscriptions and budget for subscriptions, branding and communication products.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Media/Journalism/Communications or relevant qualification
• At least five years professional experience in media, communications or PR, with proven digital and social media skills
• Experience managing a team
• Experience of designing and delivering proactive and reactive communications plans
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, including stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience of engaging with the press and securing interview slots and other media opportunities
• Experience of advising and training senior officials in media engagement
• Knowledge of the media and social media landscape across South Africa with an established network of contacts
• Strong copywriting skills and experience of writing press notices and other written materials
• Excellent organisational and self-management skills to respond effectively to tight and changing deadlines and priorities
• The ability to learn quickly and work with a high degree of autonomy
• A positive “can-do” attitude that can see way through challenges
• Evidence of using research to inform communications advice and of using evaluation to learn lessons and improve communications
• Fluent in English with other South African languages desirable

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Experience of working in a crisis situation would be highly regarded
• Experience of working with government departments and/or public-sector agencies
• Strong digital skills and experience in producing multimedia content including photography and videography