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Human Rights Adviser - Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO)

Human Rights Adviser (full-time & part-time roles available)
Salary: c.£47,000 + London location allowance (part-time salary pro rata, 3.5 days per week)
Location: London

The promotion of human rights and democracy runs right through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) work, and underpins our strategic priorities to promote the UK’s security and prosperity, and to provide consular services to British nationals overseas. Within FCO, the Human Rights and Democracy Department (HRDD) supports FCO teams working on human rights issues overseas and leads on our human rights work in international bodies such as the UN and EU, cross-cutting work on thematic human rights issues, the FCO’s human rights and democracy programme fund, and the FCO’s annual human rights report. These roles, based in HRDD, represent a fantastic opportunity to join FCO and develop our work in this field.

The Roles

Reporting to one of two Deputy Heads of HRDD, you will provide expert human rights advice across three areas of work: thematic, geographical and communications/training. Although you will have your own areas of thematic responsibility, you will be expected to work together with your full/part-time Human Rights Adviser colleague (depending which role you apply for), in order to cover a range of geographical and communications/training issues.

Thematic work in the full-time role will include helping develop and implement the cross-Whitehall strategy on business and human rights; advising on the UK’s support for democratic freedoms; and helping implement the UK’s strategy on freedom of religion and belief.

In the part-time role, thematic work will focus on integrating human rights expertise into a range of HMG security and justice work, and advising on mainstreaming human rights into HMG’s approach to conflict.

In both roles, geographical work will see you working with teams in the UK and overseas, ensuring human rights and democracy objectives are integrated into bilateral strategies with emerging economies, and advising on political transitions, for example in post-Arab Spring countries. You will also develop the FCO’s relationships with key opinion formers and support internal communications, help strengthen our institutional capabilities through in-house training and provide advice to ensure our programmes have real impact.

Whether you join us in a full or part-time capacity, you will need to work quickly and flexibly, often to tight deadlines, supporting policymakers across HRDD and other parts of the FCO. You will also be engaging with other departments such as the MOD, DFID and Ministry of Justice, and a wide range of non-government organisations.

The Person

Adaptable, organised and articulate, you take the initiative in driving forward work and have good team-working skills. Your strong communication, interpersonal and influencing skills help you manage relationships and support your determination to deliver results. An excellent strategic thinker, you thrive on solving problems and have a firm grasp of international human rights standards and instruments.

To be considered for the full-time role, you will also need extensive experience in business and human rights and/or democratic freedoms.

The part-time role calls for extensive experience of human rights and security issues, and mainstreaming human rights into conflict responses.

The FCO

Through its London headquarters and its network of offices, embassies, high commissions and consulates in over 170 countries, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office looks after Britain's overseas interests.

In the UK, the FCO gives foreign policy advice to ministers and ensures that international angles are considered in Whitehall's policy process. Further afield, the FCO negotiates with other capitals and advises on how to achieve UK objectives in other countries and in international organisations. The FCO also ensures that the UK Government's complex dealings with other countries are managed coherently.

How to apply

Please read the information for candidate document before completing the online application form which can be found on our website via the apply now button.

Closing date for all completed applications is Monday 18 June 2012 at 12 noon.


The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve.