Political/Economic Officer

Embassy of Canada in Zimbabwe

Position title: Political/Economic Officer

Type: Indeterminate

Number of Vacancies: 1

Group and level: LE-08

Salary range: Starting salary USD $ 41, 487 per year plus benefits

Location: Embassy of Canada in Zimbabwe, Harare

Closing date: Friday, January 15, 2016, at 12:00 (noon).

Summary of Duties:

Under the general direction of the Political Counsellor and head of the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy

Service (FPDS) section of the Embassy of Canada in Zimbabwe, the incumbent is responsible for

providing analysis and advice on political and economic matters in Zimbabwe, Angola and Botswana

and in relation to the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The incumbent also

actively participates in the implementation of the foreign policy, public diplomacy and advocacy

initiatives which are aligned to embassy objectives and designed to further Government of Canada

priorities.

The position calls for a wide-ranging background knowledge of Zimbabwe politics, strong analytical

skills and solid judgement in providing advice to a number of Embassy clients, strong inter-personal

skills in dealing with contacts and partners, the ability to organize information and prioritize demands

from several clients (often at extremely short notice), a very strong writing ability, and oral

communication skills in English (with Shona as a strong asset). The knowledge of Canadian

government policy and the Canadian political, economic and social context is an asset. The incumbent

must also have mastery of an increasingly complex set of social media tools and electronic sources of

information.

Area of selection/Eligibility:

This position is open to individuals who are eligible to work in Zimbabwe, who meet all of the

essential qualifications stated below, and whose applications are received by the closing date of

Friday, January 15, 2016, at 12:00 (noon).

How to apply:

Please provide a CV and covering letter, in hard copy to be delivered by hand or courier to the Embassy of Canada, 45 Baines Avenue, P.O. Box 1430, Harare, Zimbabwe, to the attention of: FPDS Section: Selection Process Political/Economic Officer. Please note that applications sent by electronic mail or that do not demonstrate that the applicant meets all the essential qualifications will be rejected. We will not communicate with applicants that are not screened in for a further assessment.

Note: Candidates must clearly demonstrate how they meet both essential and asset qualifications in their covering letter and CV.

Essential qualifications

Education/Experience:

Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline or a combination of a relevant Bachelor’s Degree and three years of pertinent work experience in political/economic research and analysis.

Language:

Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

Wide-ranging background knowledge of Zimbabwe politics. Proven ability to conduct research and understand political, economic and social issues

pertaining to Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries. Computer skills including experience with Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated maturity, flexibility, initiative, discretion and a

commitment to working as part of a team Ability to organize workloads and set priorities while maintaining high quality and quantity of

work Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines under minimal supervision. Knowledge of social media environment in Zimbabwe and relevant electronic sources of

information.

Asset Qualifications

Preference may be given to candidates who have the following asset qualifications:

Ability to communicate in Shona (strong asset). Ability to communicate in Ndebele or French. Knowledge of Canadian government policy and the Canadian political, economic and social

context. Experience in advocacy, public diplomacy or communications. Having published research papers or articles on political, economic or social issues. Experience in using social media platforms professionally.

Operational Requirements:

Overtime may be required beyond the normal 37.5 hours of work per week, some of which might be unplanned,

Travel within Zimbabwe and to Botswana and Angola may be required.

Conditions of Employment:

Legally able to work in Zimbabwe Appointment will be subject to Medical Clearance and Reliability Status (RS) check obtained

by Management.

Important notes:

Candidates are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the Canadian official language of their choice. They are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application (English or French).

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.

Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Candidates selected at the screening stage will be invited for further assessment. Methods of assessment may include, but are not limited to, a written examination, and/or an oral interview.

Reference checks will be sought for candidates that reach interview stage and may form part of the selection process.