Governance Officer

The Commonwealth Foundation is committed to bringing Commonwealth civil society and its citizens into the centre of discussion and decision-making around critical issues that affect their lives. As Governance Officer in the Office of the Directorate, you will serve as a main point of contact between the Foundation and its external partners, including High Commissioners and other stakeholders. This position demands frequent and meaningful interaction with the Director-General, ensuring governance activities align closely with the Foundation’s strategic goals.

Applicants must have relevant experience. This position is only open to applicants with an existing right to work in the United Kingdom.

The organisation

The Commonwealth Foundation is mandated by its Member States to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. The Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance. Our key focus areas are climate justice, health justice and freedom of expression. Our cross-cutting themes are gender equality, small and vulnerable states and young people.

The programme

The Office of the Directorate is headed by the Director-General of the Foundation, Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO. In addition to providing overall leadership, it brings together core functions related to governance, finance and people management.

The role

The Governance Officer liaises with external partners and supports the Director-General to ensure governance activities align with the Foundation’s strategic goals. Working under the direction of the Senior Office Manager (People and Finance), you will bring strong administrative and diplomatic skills.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Manage communications and correspondence with Governors, High Commissions, and external stakeholders.
• Keep detailed electronic records of Directorate activities, decisions, and communications.
• Provide administrative support to the Directorate, including diary management and event coordination.
• Offer advice on diplomacy and protocol.
• Organise travel and manage logistics for Directorate engagements.
• Lead the planning and execution of Board and Committee meetings, handle related scheduling, correspondence, and logistics.
• Prepare and distribute documents for Board meetings, assisting with minute taking where required.
• Serve as the contact point for the Foundation’s Civil Society Governors.
• Assist with the reconciliation of expenses, preparation of financial reminders, and support finance-related tasks.
• Contribute to HR, office management, and other Directorate responsibilities as needed.
• Foundation-wide Support: Handle external communications, participate in Foundation-wide initiatives, and contribute to strategic planning and process improvement.

The individual

We seek an individual with strong administrative experience, preferably in an intergovernmental or diplomatic context. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential, along with the ability to build relationships across the organisation and a commitment to fostering a welcoming, inclusive work environment.

The ideal candidate will be discreet, practical, and solution-oriented; exhibiting a strong work ethic, high attention to detail, reliability, independence, and the flexibility to adapt to new challenges and learn new skills.

What we offer

Salary expectation: £31,000 – £33,000

The Foundation is proud of our welcoming and accommodating working environment. We strive to be a great place to work.

We offer generous holidays 30 days (plus 8 bank holidays and 4 privilege days).

Fifteen percent of your salary is payable tax-free at stipulated periods in lieu of a formal superannuation scheme.

Foundation staff have access to our private health scheme, including dental cover.

We are based in Marlborough House, Pall Mall, central London. We are currently operating a flexible working policy which requires all staff to work from the office at least five days per fortnight including every Wednesday, and applicants must be able to affirm their capacity and willingness to work within this policy.

Our commitment

The Foundation celebrates diversity, and we are proud of our diverse and welcoming team. All qualified applicants already eligible to work in the UK will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status or pregnancy.

If you need us to make any special accommodation in the recruitment and selection process because of a protected characteristic, please let us know.

The process

Interested candidates should apply online through the link below.

The application requires you to provide a comprehensive CV as well as a motivation letter that clearly addresses the criteria as outlined in the person specification and the competencies framework.

You must possess and declare the right to work in the UK at the time of application submission for your application to be considered.

Closing date for applications

17 April 2024, 1pm GMT.

Interviews

First-round interviews will be online on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 May 2024.

Second-round interviews will be held in person week beginning Friday 17 May 2024.