The British Foreign Policy Group occupies a unique position in the thought leadership space.   It focuses on Britain’s place in the world, but in the context of its direct impact on domestic policy and the people – and businesses – of the nations and regions of the UK.

Founded in 2018, it has developed a strong reputation for pioneering work in this area. This has included working with Government to engage with a wide range of stakeholders across the country. It produces regular reports and shorter pieces on the policies, relationships and issues of greatest importance to the UK from the evolving relationship with China to climate change and from AUKUS to the Arctic. It has hosted debates with leading political and diplomatic figures and commentators.  It co-chairs, along with the British Council, the UK Soft Power Group.

The BFPG is a non-partisan not-for-profit think tank and is part of Strategy International, a unique group of well-established independent networks delivering insights, connections and opportunities for businesses and organisations employing over 1.5 million across the UK and considerably more globally. An important part of these networks’ activity is a focus on the strategic interface between business and government at home and overseas.

Our vision is for BFPG to grow its range of activities, consolidating its position as a key thought leader at the interface between geopolitics and the UK’s domestic and economic policy.  As part of this engagement with key domestic constituencies we envisage BFPG playing a greater role enhancing understanding between business and the foreign policy world.

BFPG is a small but flexible organisation in which the Director will play a decisive role. S/he will be supported by a growing number of both Senior Research Fellows who are experts in fields of direct relevance to the organisation (currently soft power and trade policy) and in-house researchers who are typically at an early stage in their careers. Given its interest in the interface between policy and business (eg in supply chain resilience), BFPG can also leverage collaborative opportunities with other parts of the SIL group.

The Director

The Director will lead all the work of BFPG under the guidance of the Non-Executive Chairman, Tom Cargill (CEO, Wilton Park) and the Chairman of SIL, Peter O’Kane. There is also an Advisory Board led by two Hon Presidents, Baroness Stewart of Edgbaston and Sir Simon Fraser.

The Director will be responsible for all the Group’s content and for developing a range of activities and initiatives. Many of these will be in partnership with other organisations, so the Director will need to develop and maintain close productive relationships with a wide range of thought leaders and donors, mostly in the UK but also overseas.

S/he will ensure that the Group is financially sound and growing, through developing revenue streams to match the organisation’s ambition to make a strong impact. This will involve identifying and promoting the value BFPG can offer to business as well as to government and foundations.

The Director will be personally accountable for leading and convening a productive, impactful and happy team and – as a member of the SIL senior leadership – for promoting collaborative relationships across the wider group.

We are now seeking a new Director with:

• Foreign policy and social research experience, gained in think tanks, academia and/or government and who is at home operating both in the broader foreign policy community and engaging with key domestic communities .  S/he should have an interest in UK foreign policy, including prosperity/trade/innovation, as well as the interface with domestic politics and public opinion. S/he should be able to demonstrate the ability to research, write and present on their specialist areas.
• An entrepreneurial approach, keen to find new ways to deliver impact – and to finance it.  Fundraising experience – or at least evidence of the necessary mindset – is essential.  Ideally the Director will be familiar with developing relationships with businesses as well as Government/NGOs.
• A leader with the interpersonal and managerial skills to motivate a diverse team from early career professionals to contract expert advisers.
• A natural collaborator without ego who thrives on finding ways to work with colleagues at all levels and across out group’s entities.

 

If you wish to express your interest, please send a full CV together with a covering letter setting out your qualifications for the position and your ideas on how you would work to achieve the ambitions set out above. Applications should be sent to jobs@bfpg.co.uk

Applications will close at 12pm on 16th January 2023.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.

The British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG) is an independent think tank, which seeks to promote understanding and engagement with the UK’s foreign policy, and international affairs more generally. With the conversation around our role in the world more important now than ever, we are now beginning a new phase of expansion –  focusing on political engagement, facilitating public debate, strengthening international networks, and producing robust research.

To help us to achieve this, we are now recruiting for a National Engagement Manager – a confident individual with a passion for foreign policy, who enjoys building networks, and working collaboratively to lead a busy programme of events and activities.

About the Role
The National Engagement programme is a core function and area of growth for the British Foreign Policy Group, and its community-based approach is a distinct point of difference for the organisation. Partly funded by the British Government, its aim is to build a network of stakeholders across the UK who are actively interested and engaged on foreign policy, and to better understand regional interests in international engagement. These stakeholders range from businesses and trade organisations, to cultural institutions, local city councils, universities, and more.

The National Engagement Manager will be the face of the organisation’s presence outside of London, and a critical valve of knowledge exchange and partnerships. They will be responsible for building cohesive and engaged networks in a range of UK cities and towns, facilitating events – both workshops and public debates – and feeding back insights into the BFPG head office in London, to be shared with Government.

The National Engagement Manager will also be responsible for managing the organisation’s day-to-day involvement in co-leading the UK Soft Power Group, a new membership organisation with the UK’s leading cultural institutions, to promote Britain’s soft power assets on the global stage.

At times, for example, during the party conference season, this position will also involve collaboration on events with the Communications and Events Manager.

Role Requirements

• A confident and entrepreneurial individual, who thrives on building networks with a wide range of organisations and institutions
• Experience in organising events from end-to-end, including managing suppliers, sourcing venues, and identifying and securing speakers
• Highly organised and structured mindset, able to juggle multiple projects at the same time
• The willingness and capacity to travel widely across the UK, including overnight stays as needed
• Equally adept at working independently and making sound judgements, as well as being a communicative and collaborative team player;
• Knowledge of, and passion for, international affairs is highly desirable, although a willingness to learn is also appreciated.

 

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time role, based in our offices in Mayfair, and with regular regional travel expected, and the possibility of some international travel. Salary is circa £30,000 p.a.

The BFPG offers its staff support and development, flexible working conditions and annual leave, and the opportunity to work closely with a diverse range of leading national and international organisations.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit a CV of no more than two pages, along with a one-page covering letter outlining why your skills, experience and ambitions make you a suitable candidate for this role, to: hello@bfpg.co.uk.

Applications will close on 29 September 2019.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.

The British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG) is an independent think tank, which seeks to promote understanding and engagement with the UK’s foreign policy, and international affairs more generally. With the conversation around our role in the world more important now than ever, we are now beginning a new phase of expansion –  focusing on political engagement, facilitating public debate, strengthening international networks, and producing robust research.

To help us to achieve this, we are now recruiting for a Communications and Events Manager – a dynamic, motivated individual who can work to build our profile, our stakeholders, and our impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing BFPG’s press and communications activities from end-to-end, including press outreach and enquiries, research launches, keynote speeches, and ad hoc comment;
• Overseeing the organisation’s social media content and growth, and building its networks and databases;
• Developing comprehensive launch strategies around research outputs, and working with internal and external partners to deliver these;
• Working closely with the Director to produce and implement strategies for growth in organisational reach and influence;
• Leading the organisation’s calendar of public events and private workshops, including liaising with collaborative partners and external suppliers, managing budgets, and overseeing promotion and guest attendance; and
• Managing interns and other support staff, who will assist with the administrative responsibilities of this position.

 

Role Requirements

• An enthusiastic self-starter, who enjoys meeting new people and making connections;
• A creative thinker, who grasps media logic and enjoys communicating research;
• Equally adept at working independently and making sound judgements, as well as being a communicative and collaborative team player;
• Experience in media relations, including preparing press releases, managing press contacts and lists, and collating and analysing coverage;
• Diligent, hard-working and flexible – prepared to work atypical hours around media requirements and to travel regionally and internationally if required; and
• Knowledge of British politics, the think tank landscape, and foreign affairs are highly desirable but not critical.

 

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time role, based in our offices in Mayfair, and with the possibility of some regional and international travel. Salary is circa £35,000 p.a.

The BFPG offers its staff support and development, flexible working conditions and annual leave, and the opportunity to work closely with a diverse range of leading national and international organisations.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit a CV of no more than two pages, along with a one-page covering letter outlining why your skills, experience and ambitions make you a suitable candidate for this role, to: hello@bfpg.co.uk.

Applications will close on 20 September 2019.

*This role closed on 31st May 2018*

The BFPG is looking for an intern to join our small team based in London starting June 11th 2018. The intern will have a high level of responsibility and involvement.

The intern’s role would involve a range of different tasks including:

• Administrative support
• Assisting in the planning and running of BFPG events
• Research for BFPG publications and articles
• Assisting with BFPG Communications (website, social media)

 

The ideal candidate will meet the following requirements:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject
• Excellent oral and written English
• IT proficiency (including social media)
• Capable of working both as part of a small team and independently
• Highly motivated and committed to the aims of the BFPG

 

This internship is a paid internship (London Living Wage – £10.20 per hour) for a period of 3 months with the possibility of a full-time offer upon completion.

Closing Date/Interview Dates/Start Date

The final day for submitting an application is 31 May 2018. Interviews will take place in the week commencing 4th June 2018; the starting date for the internship is the 11th of June 2018.

Application Details

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter (maximum of one page) explaining why you are interested in the role and why you are the right person for it with the subject line: “Internship Application 2018” to edward.elliott@bfpg.org.uk.