We have an excellent opportunity for a Political Adviser to join our Electoral Support Section within our Governance and Peace Directorate.
Reporting to the Adviser and Head of the Electoral Support Section, the post holder will support the directorate’s work programme to promote democratic values, practices and institutions in the Commonwealth. The job combines requirements for sound political judgement, diplomatic skills and sensitivity, effective project management skills, organisational ability and the requirement to travel overseas as well, sometimes in challenging circumstances.
Responsibilities of the Political Adviser
The Political Adviser is expected, among other responsibilities, to:
- Monitoring and analysing the political developments relating to the promotion of democratic values, practices and institutions in the Commonwealth;
- Deputising the Adviser and Head of Electoral Support on planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation for all programming;
- Preparing speeches, policy papers and briefing materials for the Secretary-General and other senior Secretariat officials on the strengthening of democracy in the Commonwealth, both for bilateral consultations as well as in the context of regional and international meetings, and to co-ordinate and integrate the contribution of other divisions into these documents;
- Supporting the operations of the Commonwealth Electoral Network (CEN);
- Advising and supporting the Secretary-General and other senior Secretariat officials, and to develop proposals for the future development of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s work to promote democracy;
- Supporting relevant Commonwealth meetings organised by GPD, including those of Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG);
- Participating in meetings of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations active in the field of promoting democracy, as well as seminars, colloquia and workshops as required, to promote the Commonwealth.
Please refer to the Job Description for full details of the responsibilities for this position.
To be considered, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- A post-graduate degree or other advanced, post-graduate qualification in a relevant subject, such as political science or international relations;
- Significant experience in the promotion of democracy and democratic assistance;
- Experience in an international context in managing and leading a diverse team involved in election management and/or observation, as well as project management, would be desirable.
Please refer to the Job Description for full details of the experience required for this position.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 member governments and provides guidance on policymaking, technical assistance and advisory services to Commonwealth member countries. We support governments to help achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable development.
Please apply by submitting a CV and cover letter. Covering letters should be structured to address the key criteria required in the person specification, giving clear examples.
To join us, you must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country.
Closing date: 23 December 2021 at 17:00 GMT