Main purpose of job:

The British Government’s Embassy in Washington has an exciting opportunity for a dynamic person to join the Trade and Agriculture Policy Team as Trade and Agriculture Policy Officer. This opportunity is a rewarding role which supports and further develops the special relationship between the UK and the US, supporting work at the forefront of international diplomacy in order to make a real difference globally. The team is responsible for all bilateral and multilateral global and trade issues and works to promote the UK’s trade policy interests in the US, and to inform UK policy development. This team works closely with trade promotion and investment colleagues and you will have a key role in working across teams.

This is an important position, supporting the team’s work and presenting opportunities for standalone policy research and reporting. The job-holder will be enthusiastic about promoting UK trade policy interests in the United States and passionate about helping the UK to understand the US. The successful candidate will have an interest in trade and agriculture issues, and prior experience of working in these areas would be beneficial.

The US Network offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme. It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to better maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses hybrid working, including working from home and flexible hours, where possible. In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment to support UK diplomats, armed forces personnel and other country based staff operating across the British Government’s network of Consulates and Government Offices in the United States. This network provides a platform for approximately 30 Government departments and agencies to conduct their work in the United States and is made up of over 900 staff with a rich and diverse background, skill sets, and experiences.

Roles and responsibilities:

You will have responsibility for supporting the team on the UK-US trade strategy at federal level and at sub-federal level. You will also help us to take a strategic approach to our influencing campaigns, including management of our stakeholder engagement strategy and coordinating briefings for the Ambassador’s and Deputy Head of Mission’s business engagements. Other areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting research for the team including policy reports, analysis of trends and background for meetings.
• Support the trade team’s external engagement: including business engagement as well as mapping stakeholders and tracking meetings.
• Draft policy and briefings for meetings.
• Track trade and agriculture policy news, events and developments on specific research topics (e.g. labour); brief team members and London stakeholders on results.
• Attend seminars and conferences (e.g. at think-tanks) in the DMV and report back on key points.

Essential on arrival:

• Organizational and interpersonal skills, together with an ability to work well with others on a wide range of issues.
• Excellent research skills, including ability to think creatively, problem solve, and seek out answers proactively.
• Clear and concise oral and written skills.
• Flexibility in a team setting, with an enthusiastic approach to work.
• Interest in / knowledge of trade and agriculture policy issues.

Language requirements:

Language: English

Level of language required: Fluent

Desirable:

• A minimum of 2 years relevant commercial, government or NGO experience is desirable and/or a Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as trade policy, political economy, business or finance.
• Data analysis experience.
• Knowledge or interest in UK policy strengths and priorities.

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work.

• A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas

Learning and development opportunities:

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

Working patterns:

The British Embassy and its US Network embraces hybrid working, allowing its staff to typically work from home at least one day a week. We are an organization that also recognises the critical value of team work and we embrace and endorse collaboration by ensuring that all staff attend the office flexibly yet regularly.