Head of Strategic Communications, HEO (British Embassy)

Working with a wide range of UK government and non-UK government stakeholders, to lead the Vietnam Network’s strategic communications, including traditional media, social media, events/visits, and scholarship programmes, in order to (i) maximise positive public perception of UK government’s policy and programme activity in Vietnam, (ii) to generate positive influence amongst local opinion formers and potential leaders towards the UK (not just UK government), (iii) to build stronger people-to-people ties between the UK and Vietnam, and (iv) to ensure the UK’s diplomatic network in Vietnam makes a significant contribution to UK strategic communications across ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

Strategic Communications approach:

To lead and ensure the Vietnam Network uses a single strategic communications narrative; to oversee the design and delivery of a single communications grid (by week, month and long term over a year); to draw up and maintain a risk register for strategic communications; to ensure strategic communications are informed by Monitoring & Evaluation and by an annual perceptions survey of the UK in Vietnam;

Stakeholder Engagement:

To map and engage systematically primary stakeholders (to include influencers, academic/science institutions; business community; traditional media; UK-based bodies e.g. UK-Vietnam Network);

Oversee delivery of communications campaigns:

To ensure the communications team pro-actively supports policy and programme teams across the Vietnam Network with effective communication plans.  The plans should include social media, mainstream media and events depending on the audiences we need to reach.

Senior Communicator:

To act as senior spokesperson for the Vietnam Network (where the Ambassador, Deputy Ambassador, Consul-General in HCMC, Deputy Consul-General are not engaged); to quality control media products (press statements, press lines, speeches, social media posts/videos) and media events (e.g. press conferences, interviews);  to ensure that the Network’s social media channels remain attractive and relevant.

Chevening scholarships:

To provide strategic oversight of the design and delivery of the Vietnam Network’s plans to identify and recruit high quality Chevening scholars; to ensure effective use of the Chevening alumni to deliver the Vietnam Network’s Country Business Plan.

Member of Policy Board:

As a member of the Senior Management Team Policy Board, to ensure that the work of the Board takes into account strategic communications and that the Network’s strategic communications approach is fully aligned with the Country Business Plan;

Senior Communicators’ Regional Network:

As the senior communicator for the Vietnam Network, to ensure that the strategic communications of the Network are aligned with and contribute to FCDO and other cross-UK government regional communications initiatives (ASEAN posts)

Internal Communications:

To ensure effective internal communications across the Vietnam Network (including with pro-active support for the Ambassador, Consul-General and Deputy Ambassador).  This should include advocacy for the Network’s Values, People Survey follow up, and new initiatives to encourage engagement by all members of the Network on the full range of corporate, learning and development, and policy issues, as appropriate.

Building communications capability:

To coach and mentor the Communications Team to develop their professional skills, as well as support their efforts to engage policy and programme teams to use communications tools to enhance their reach and influence.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

• 05 staff: 2 x EO(L), 1 x AO(L) in Hanoi and 1 x AO (L) in HCMC
• Oversight of 1 x EO(L) in HCMC.

The communications team’s budget:

• Depends on successful bids to UK government funds, but average annual budget can be greater than £100,000

• 20+ Chevening scholarships

Essential qualifications, skills and experience:

• Team leadership

• Excellent communication skills (oral and written)

• Able to work to tight deadlines and multi-task effectively

• Ability to develop productive relationships with other teams around the network

• Proven experience in wide range of strategic communications tools (communications planning, impact evaluation, traditional media, social media, event leadership)

Language requirements: 

• Language: English/Vietnamese
• Level of language required: Fluent Vietnamese and excellent written and spoken English is essential

Required behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together