Executive Assistant to the Political, Economic and Communications Section - British Embassy Washington

Main purpose of role

The British Government’s Embassy in Washington DC has an exciting opportunity for a skilled person to join the Political, Economic and Communications Section as an Executive Assistant. 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 US Network offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous paid 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. In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment to support UK diplomats 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.

The Political, Economic and Communications section (PEC) is an exciting and dynamic team at the heart of the Embassy, spanning a fantastic range of issue areas. Working here, you will have a front-row seat to the political and economic developments in the UK-US special relationship. The focus of this role is on providing exceptional administrative support to PEC leadership. You will work collaboratively with a range of teams in the Embassy and will be expected to be flexible and attentive to the Section’s needs. You will have the opportunity to provide expert events and stakeholder management support, acting as a ‘Salesforce Champion’ for the Embassy.

The successful candidate will be organised, collaborative and proactive. They will have excellent attention to detail and an ability to prioritise work, with experience as an Executive Assistant or in a similar administrative role.

Roles and responsibilities

Your primary responsibility will be to ensure the delivery of the British Government’s priorities by providing administrative support to the Minister Counsellor Political and Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The critical responsibilities for successful performance in this role are:

• Administrative support to the Minister Counsellor Political and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) (60%): You will be responsible for managing meeting requests, setting diary invites, booking travel, booking rooms and setting up calls, printing agendas and key papers and submitting security notifications. You will also be responsible for requesting briefing from teams ahead of external meetings. You may also have the opportunity to attend stakeholder meetings and take minutes. This function requires excellent attention to detail and an ability to organise and prioritise multiple busy schedules.
• Events and stakeholder management (25%): You will lead on organising official events at the Minister Counsellor’s Official Residence and set and advise colleagues on processes for use of the Residence. You will work with colleagues to organise official events which SLT are taking part in. You will have a leading role in managing the contact database (Salesforce-based), identifying gaps in the Section’s contacts and working with teams to upload new contacts. You will also play an important role in helping events at the Embassy and Residences run smoothly. This function requires excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Wider corporate support to the Political, Economic and Comms Section (15%): You will work flexibly and proactively to support the corporate functioning of the Section, including managing leave calendars, supporting on visits and scheduling regular team meetings.

Precise responsibilities and duties will be discussed with the successful candidate and may change over time in line with Embassy priorities.

You will also be encouraged to play an active role in corporate life, with opportunities to volunteer for events and engagements spanning a range of policy areas (not limited to economic and political) and to get involved in staff affinity groups and Networks.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated experience as an Executive Assistant or in a similar administrative function.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills and ability to build productive relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Outlook and the Microsoft Office suite.
• Strong interest in advancing the UK-US special relationship.
• Must have legal status to live and work in the US in your own right, from time of application.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Experience providing administrative support to multiple principals is desirable.
• Proficiency in Salesforce.
• Events management experience.
• Familiarity with UK Government structure and wider context.
• Experience working for an international, government, non-profit, and/or similar organisation.

Other benefits and conditions of employment

US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US has restrictions on the type of visas our non-diplomatic staff may hold. If you are not a US Citizen or a US Permanent Resident, or the dependent of a diplomat (with an EAD card), you may not be eligible for employment with the UK government. We cannot accept student Visas (J1, F or M) nor other forms of work Visas (I, H, P). If you hold a work visa it is best to check on your eligibility to work for a foreign government before applying for a position.

You may refer to our website for additional information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-the-usa.

All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work.

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.).

The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance.

Please note that the tax arrangements imposed by the US on staff working for foreign governments, as well as those imposed by the UK Treasury on British and dual nationals working for the UK Government overseas, are atypical. The UK Government cannot withhold taxes (including FICA) on behalf of a US taxpayer. Instead, a US taxpayer is required to file taxes as if they are self-employed, and a FICA allowance is granted for those required to pay the employer contribution. Certain categories of staff (for example dual UK-US nationals and some visa holders) who work at Consulates General are not subject to US taxes. For those not subject to US taxes the UK Government reduces gross pay to a level broadly equivalent to taxed net pay. There are also social security implications for dual UK-US nationals. Please keep all this in mind when looking at the salary and the benefits package. If you are offered a job with the UK’s US Network, you will be given further tax and social security information relevant to your personal circumstances and place of work; you are advised to consider this information and its impact on your circumstances carefully – potentially with the advice of a tax professional - before accepting a job.

Working patterns

This role is in-person and requires a standard Monday - Friday working pattern of 40 hours per week. Part-time working patterns cannot be accommodated in this role.

Due to the events and stakeholder management responsibilities listed above, you may be required to work the occasional evening or early morning.

Additional information

The deadline for applications is 23:55 EDT on 28 April 2025.

All applicants must fully complete the online application form, including the sections for employment and educational details, experience, and behaviour-based questions. Only those applications that contain all required information will be considered. To ensure the sift process remains anonymous, please do not include any personally identifiable information in your application form.

Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)

Job Subcategory

Political

Required behaviours

Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together

Application deadline

28 April 2025

Grade

Executive Officer (EO)

Type of Position

Full-time, Permanent

Working hours per week

40

Region

Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories

Country/Territory

United States

Location (City)

Washington

Type of Post

British Embassy

Number of vacancies

1

Salary

USD $66,497 per annum

Start Date

16 June 2025