Political Specialist job at U.S. Embassy Kampala | Apply Now

Travel, Research, Report, and Advise on Political and Economic Developments

45% The incumbent maintains reporting and research responsibilities, advisory and related services of broad scope, complexity and sensitivity in the fields of political and economic (including commercial) reporting. Often at his/her own initiative, the incumbent prepares extensive spot and in-depth analytical reports on a wide range of sensitive political and economic issues in the context of national issues and articulates the implications for U.S. interests. The incumbent produces and/or contributes to a full range of written products, including cables, required political, economic, and commercial annual reports, briefing memos, talking points, and other memoranda. The incumbent must be able to brief the Pol/Econ Chief, Deputy Chief of Mission, Ambassador, and TDY visitors about developments and issues with authority and accuracy. This involves oral or written briefings and inputs, evaluating events in historical perspective and identifying their relationships to national trends and to the interests of the U.S. Incumbent must be able to make reasonable projections about the future course of politics and social changes, demonstrating good judgment and strong intellectual integration of social, political and economic factors. Incumbent supports USG visitors and officers permanently assigned to the section.

The incumbent liaises frequently with other sections in the Mission. The incumbent briefs visiting officials and newly arrived permanent staff on current and political developments and trends, and frequently accompanies such officials to meetings with host government officials. The job requires astute judgement, quick decision-making skills and the ability to form thoughtful connections between different political, economic and social developments. The job requires significantly high diplomatic and communication skills to be able to engage with career and elected government officials at the highest levels. This job also requires the ability to independently interact with U.S. officials in Washington on key substantive issues and informational requests, as well as trip planning and visit strategies. The job requires superior writing and communication skills so as to minimize editing by the American supervisors, thereby allowing them to focus their time more efficiently.

Develop and Maintain Contacts

25% The incumbent maintains a broad range of contacts in his/her portfolio. This includes government and political party contacts at the highest levels of government including ministers, legislature, judiciary and political party leaders as well as top-level contacts in media, academia, business, civil society and religious institutions. To maintain and expand the contacts, the incumbent attends civil society events, political party meetings, legislative sessions, court hearings, conferences and seminars of relevance to the portfolio. The incumbent is responsible for suggesting contacts, organizing and accompanying American officers to meetings with key political, economic, and social sector interlocutors. The incumbent provides orientation support to new American officers by introducing them to contacts, developing guest lists for representation events, and advising American officers on the relative importance and experience of state policy makers. The incumbent leads the section in identifying and nominating candidates for appropriate Public Affairs programs, including the International Visitors Leadership Program. The incumbent also ensures that the section's reporting and analytical products reflect a wide range of key decision maker opinion and is as well-informed and accurate as possible.

The incumbent is responsible for drafting and maintaining extensive biographic files on senior political, economic, governmental and civil society leaders. Incumbent must also understand U.S. visa regulations and visa referral policies in order to make appropriate and tactful use of these programs. The incumbent may be asked to advise the Grants Officer on the Ambassador's special self-help program, which manages annual awards of approximately $60,000.

Trip Management

10% The incumbent may travel with American officers or independently throughout the country in order to keep updated on political, economic and social developments of importance to U.S. interests across the board. Frequent visits by U.S. government officials require an attention to detail and ability to multi-task when planning multiple visits. He recommends destinations, plans multi-faceted trips to address a wide range of issues, and implements all aspects of substantive and logistical trip planning. Visits also often require work outside office hours to coordinate events and to communicate virtually with American officers on urgent matters or last-minute developments. Through travel and travel planning, incumbent keeps the political section better informed about developments in human rights, internal political party politics, political personalities and social issues.

Management Responsibilities

10% As the senior Political and Economic LE staff member in the section, the incumbent helps coordinate workflow of team tasks, briefers and representational plans. The incumbent also serves as a crucial communication link, helping ensure smooth flow of information among the LE staff team and between LE staff and USDH staff. The incumbent regularly makes recommendations to section leadership regarding workflow, work planning, assignment of projects within the LE Staff team, and other management issues. The incumbent is also responsible for direct supervision of two LE staff, including mentoring and day-to-day guidance. The incumbent assists in the organization and management of staff development activities including team-building retreats and other activities.

Research, Report, and Advice on Environment, Science, Technology and Health

10% The incumbent is responsible for reporting and advising the Mission on matters related to the environment, science and technology and health. Climate change, a growing population that is primarily dependent on agriculture and dependence on fossil fuels have combined to exert growing pressure on Uganda's environment and a key goal of the USG is to help the country manage its environment better. The incumbent is expected to report on key developments concerning the environment (including wildlife) and to advise on appropriate strategies for responding to the same. In addition, science and technology are critical to Uganda's transformation to middle income status and the incumbent is expected to research and report regularly on key developments concerning these. Thirdly, the USG supports Uganda's health sector to the tune of over $400 million annually. The incumbent supports efforts to maximize the impact of such aid by reporting on key developments in the health sector, as well as advise on important interlocutors and mechanisms for promoting efficiency.

Note: This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by incumbent. Incumbent will be required to perform other duties as assigned by the agency.