Chevening Programme Assistant AO by Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Job Description
Main purpose of job:
Many countries, including middle-income countries still face considerable challenges such as youth unemployment, climate change, high and persistent inequality (including gender inequality) and digital exclusion, which can lower long-term growth prospects.
Education and Skills
Roughly 8 out of 10 children can’t read for meaning by Grade 4. Higher Education excludes many and the cost of tertiary education in much of sub-Saharan Africa exceeds 60% of average incomes. The UK government is leading and mobilising global commitment and investment in education, including for marginalised girls; and working to deliver a joined-up UK international education offer. Our two bold global targets – 40 million more girls learning, and 20 million more able to read by age 10. Within the British High Commission in South Africa, our top priorities in supporting education are through support for Higher Education, Technical, Vocational Education and Training, skills development and youth employment.
Skills development and youth employment in particular, are key objectives of South Africa’s National Development Plan, top of the President’s agenda and are consistently woven into the fabric of policies across the government. Addressing the skills shortage is widely regarded as a key ingredient to reducing endemic poverty, which disproportionately affects women and young people from low income backgrounds in South Africa.
Chevening Scholarship
Chevening is the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s flagship global scholarship programme. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023/2024, Chevening identifies future leaders and key influencers across 160 countries and territories, providing them with an opportunity to study a postgraduate degree in the UK. Chevening has a 55,000 strong global alumni network.
Since Chevening’s inception in 1983, over 880 South Africans have had the opportunity to participate in this program. Our alumni continue to contribute to South Africa’s development in different capacities. The incumbent will work with a dedicated team at the High Commission in Pretoria to deliver the Chevening Scholarship Scheme.
We run a flagship Chevening scholarship programme, offering ~50 scholarships in South Africa to fully fund graduate studies in the UK. The Chevening Scholarship scheme enables students in South Africa with leadership qualities to undertake postgraduate study or courses in universities in the United Kingdom.
The post holder will support the administration of the Chevening Scholarship in South Africa reporting to the Chevening officer.
Roles and responsibilities:
- Lead administration and logistics, including downloading applications, assisting with shortlisting, arranging interview panels, updating the Chevening online application system with short-lists and interview results and organising pre-departure briefings
- Support delivery of Chevening media, communications and outreach events including University fairs, education exhibitions and road shows
- Management of promotional and marketing material, including liaison with the Chevening Secretariat and other suppliers on design, branding and delivery
- Promote Chevening information to colleagues in the High Commission to foster office wide marketing of the scholarships
- Update and maintain the Chevening alumni database for South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini
- Support the organisation of alumni outreach events
- Other administrative support to the Economic Growth Team as required
As all other staff at post, the post holder is expected to participate in wider British High Commission activities. These may include being active on various committees and in other corporate roles.
- Experience working in a team in an office environment
- Strong interpersonal, organizational and presentation skills
- Strong customer focus, stakeholder engagement and team working skills
- Strong IT skills, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and web based applications
- Interest in education and cultural relations
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The FCDO offer a wide range of learning and development opportunities throughout the year.
Working patterns:
While there will be flexibility around working from home, you will be required to work in the office in Pretoria, a minimum of three days a week. On a few occasions you will be expected to work outside the normal working times e.g. to support evening events.
The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.
- Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
- Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
- Working hours per week of 36.5
- Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
- Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
- The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
- Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
- All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.
- The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to:
- Obtain the relevant permit
- Pay fees for the permit
- Make arrangements to relocate
- Meet the costs to relocate
- The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
- Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
- Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. Please note: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
- Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
- Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6/12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”.
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