View Vacancy – Governance Adviser, Grade – SEO, British High Commission Dhaka

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience-based segment and the behaviours and technical/ professional skills-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’

Main purpose of job:

Bangladesh has witnessed significant change over the past few months, from a student-led movement to a military intervention and new Interim Government. FCDO’s country diagnostic highlights weak institutions, poor governance and high corruption which may hamper the country’s efforts to achieve middle then high income status.

Governance is at the heart of FCDO’s agenda in Bangladesh. The British High Commission (BHC) Dhaka is looking for a motivated and dedicated Governance Adviser to support the mission. The Governance Adviser will support the BHC’s work on public sector governance, public financial management and development diplomacy. This includes engaging with state institutions on public sector reform, citizen engagement, service delivery, public financial management and domestic resource mobilisation. They will lead programme management for a new programme on building state effectiveness. They will engage with International Financial Institutions (the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and IMF), multilateral (UNDP) and bilateral partners to advance UK ambitions.

The post holder will be part of the Governance and Political Team, which leads the UK’s engagement on governance and politics in Bangladesh. As a Country-Based Governance Adviser, you will actively build and maintain a network of external contacts and colleagues to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

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

In this role, you will be responsible and accountable for the following range of areas:

• Building an understanding of public sector governance and service delivery at national and local levels, including the role of the bureaucracy. Keeping up-to-date with institutional reforms and the evidence on how change happens. Building a network of contacts across different ministries to understand their reform priorities, improvements to service delivery and challenges. Sharing this knowledge with colleagues.
• Building an understanding of public financial management (PFM) and domestic resource mobilisation. This includes understanding the role of PFM in service delivery and the role of transparency and accountability. It includes engaging with colleagues across the UK government to advance PFM in Bangladesh.
• Support programme delivery for a programme on state effectiveness. This programme is currently being designed and will support niche interventions to improve the effectiveness of state institutions for service delivery. The programme puts thinking and working politically into action and requires management that enables delivery in a rapidly changing context.
• Leading engagement with International Financial Institutions (World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank), multilateral (UNDP) and bilateral partners on governance with support from Governance Advisers. Influencing other actors on governance, public sector governance, PFM and anti-corruption in their development engagement.
• Working with other teams on institutional approaches to their work and political economy analysis. This involves engaging with other teams across the mission to encourage them to understand institutional reform, public sector governance and the political economy of sectors/policy problems. Ensuring a good understanding of how change happens i.e. theory of change.
• Contribute to corporate priorities and requests, including reporting results, cross-office programme reviews and high-level briefings.
• Represent the British High Commission in meetings with contacts and at public events;

We are able to offer learning and development opportunities, in particular on Political Economy Analysis. You will have a Technical Quality Assurer from the Governance Cadre who will provide mentoring, engage on technical issues and support learning and development. 

The role will include some opportunity for travel both within and outside Bangladesh.

Language requirements:

Language: English, Bengali
Level of language required: Excellent

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

You will agree a learning and development plan with their manager and will have the opportunity to undertake training courses and attend workshops and conferences.

We are able to offer learning and development opportunities, in particular on Political Economy Analysis. You will have a Technical Quality Assurer from the Governance Cadre who will provide mentoring, engage on technical issues and support learning and development. 

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate these behaviours, including through your experience. You are strongly advised to read the technical competency framework before completing the technical questions:

Competency 1: Core: Applied Governance and Political Economy Analysis

Competency 2: Public Sector Governance and Service Delivery

Competency 3: Public Financial Management and Domestic Resource Mobilization

See the following link of FCDO’s Governance Cadre at ‘Practitioner’ level:

Governance_Technical_Competency_Framework

Essential on arrival: 

We are looking for a candidate with:

• At least 3-5 years of relevant experience
• Good technical skills in public sector governance and service delivery at national and local levels in Bangladesh and public administration
• Good technical skills in public financial management and domestic resource mobilisation
• Good grasp of programme management. Will become familiar with FCDO’s Programme Operating Framework
• Good understanding of international development, including the role of international finance institutions
• Strong knowledge and experience gained working on or in developing countries and/or in fragile and conflict affected environments.
• Excellent skills in making networks and building relationships with wide-ranging stakeholders including political interlocutors, HMG counterparts and other development partners.
• Master’s Degree, ideally in public administration, public policy, public financial management, governance or similar.
• Strong IT (particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams) and knowledge of the internet and social media for use in research work.
• A proactive dynamic individual with a can-do attitude, who works well in and across teams. Be well organized and able to demonstrate flexibility. Able to manage and prioritize the workload. Confidence and commitment to deliver with minimal supervision.

We welcome applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief. We especially encourage applications from early career and female candidates.