Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
**Main purpose of job**:
To lead on communications, design and digital media activity for the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, including:
- Producing communications campaigns across a range of policy areas, ensuring that UK policy is communicated effectively to target audiences.
- Leading the High Commission's digital communications work, runing social media platforms and websites, leading on photography and videography, and designing creative content.
**Roles and responsibilities**:
We are looking for a dynamic, confident professional to deliver the British High Commission's public communications objectives.
You will report to the Head of Public Diplomacy, and have the opportunity to work closely with the High Commissioner and senior leadership team.
**Communications 65%**:
You will develop and deliver effective communications plans for the UK in Sri Lanka.
You will use those plans to promote UK policies through effective public communications activity, produce and deliver communications across a range of policy areas such as human rights; climate action; business and trade, work with policy officials in the High Commission and produce impactful communications events and materials.
You will be responsible for producing English-language press releases, speeches, OpEds, press lines and other comms materials - across a range of policy issues.
**Media & Digital Comms 35%**:
You will liaise with local media, work with policy officers on official lines, and arrange and oversee media engagements (interviews, press briefings, coverage of High Commission events).
You will need to be comfortable dealing with the local media on a daily basis, handling enquiries and writing press lines.
You will also be responsible for analysing local media reporting, and sharing that analysis with policy teams at the High Commission and in the UK.
The ability to draft English-language reporting and communications products accurately at speed is essential, as well as the ability to network effectively, to build the relationships needed to maximise the impact and reach of our public messages.
You will lead on designing sophisticated digital material such as eye-catching infographics.
You will be responsible for managing the High Commission's digital platforms, and develop and deliver social media strategies.
An excellent working knowledge of a range of digital and social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is essential.
You will need a strong understanding the digital media landscape and be able to spot opportunities to use your digital skills to communicate UK policy effectively and creatively to a wide audience.
You will also need expert photography and videography skills.
As a member of the Public Diplomacy and Communications team, you will be expected to cover other roles, such as the Head of team and the Public Relations & Marketing Manager.
This will include working closely with the High Commissioner, working on publicity events relating to education, culture and sport, as well as the Chevening Scholarship programme.
This is a busy, demanding and high profile role.
You will need to be proactive, organised and energetic, and be able to work well with internal and external stakeholders.
You will also need to be resilient, flexible and able to adapt to changing priorities.
**Resources managed**:
The job holder will have joint responsibility of managing the Communications budget of approx £13,000.
**Language requirements**:
**Language**: English
**Level of language required**: The jobholder should be fluent in written and spoken English.
Sinhala and Tamil language skills would be an advantage.
**Learning and development opportunities**:
The job holder will attend an International Communications Skills training course, delivered by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
This could take place virtually, regionally or in the UK.
The job holder will also be able to access a wide range of online and face-to-face training delivered in the UK and regionally.
Much of the learning is on the job, which will be diverse and varied.
There are also a range of informal development opportunities including accompanying the High Commissioner on visits, and job shadowing.
There is also the opportunity to be involved with the wider work of the High Commission, taking part in change management and crisis management planning, as well as joining committees such as wellbeing, diversity and inclusion.
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
**Essential on arrival**:
- Previous Communications experience
- Understanding of the Sri Lankan media environment
- Experience in campaign planning in the fields of communications
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Expert in digital platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and ability to deliver key messages through social media
- Expert photography & videography skills
- Strong IT