Diplomatic Economic Affairs Officer

Role Overview The Diplomatic Economic Affairs Officer serves as the institutional bridge between two governments on matters of trade, investment, and legal frameworks. The role demands a rare combination of legal precision, economic judgement, and diplomatic skill. The officer is responsible for the full lifecycle of bilateral agreements — from initial scoping through negotiation, drafting, approval, and implementation — while simultaneously monitoring economic and investment flows to identify opportunities and risks for the home country. This is a senior analytical and operational role requiring independent judgement, the ability to work across government ministries and external stakeholders, and the capacity to produce clear, authoritative analysis for Ambassadors and home-government principals. Core Responsibilities 1. Bilateral Agreement Management • Draft, review, and coordinate approval of treaties, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), trade agreements, double taxation treaties, investment protection agreements, and diplomatic protocols. • Ensure compliance with domestic legislation, international law, and applicable multilateral frameworks (WTO, ICSID, UNCITRAL, etc.). • Maintain a register of active and pipeline agreements; track review and renewal timelines. 2. Protocol & Approval Processes • Navigate procedural requirements for each agreement type, from initialling and signing through to parliamentary ratification and entry into force. • Coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Attorney General’s office, and inter-agency working groups. • Manage diplomatic timelines sensitively, accounting for political cycles in both countries. 3. Investment & Economic Analysis • Monitor bilateral trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) data; identify trends, opportunities, and strategic exposures. • Assess potential investments for national interest considerations, including strategic asset exposure and overdependence risks. • Brief senior diplomats and home-government principals with evidence-based, actionable recommendations. 4. Negotiations & Stakeholder Coordination • Represent the Embassy in working-level negotiations and technical expert meetings. • Liaise with host-country counterparts including foreign ministry officials, investment promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, and multilateral bodies. • Build and maintain a professional network of public and private sector contacts relevant to the bilateral economic relationship. 5. Reporting & Policy Advice • Produce diplomatic cables, briefing notes, and policy memoranda for the Ambassador and home government. • Contribute to annual country economic assessments and bilateral strategy reviews. • Monitor legislative and regulatory developments in the host country for implications on bilateral agreements.

Technical Knowledge • International law & treaty law • Trade & investment frameworks (WTO, BITs, FTAs) • Diplomatic protocol and procedure • Economic and quantitative data analysis • Intergovernmental approval processes Professional Competencies • Complex multi-party negotiation • Policy writing and diplomatic drafting • Cross-cultural relationship management • Strategic analysis under ambiguity • Stakeholder briefing (written and oral) • Public international law What Sets Top Performers Apart • Prioritisation across concurrent mandates High-performing officers in this role consistently demonstrate the following qualities: • Strategic ambition — they identify economic and diplomatic opportunities that others miss, often before instructions arrive from capital. • Pattern recognition — they read investment flow data not just descriptively but predictively, spotting emerging leverage points. • Political acumen — they understand the domestic constraints of both governments and negotiate timing as skillfully as substance. • Clarity under complexity — they produce brief, decisive memos from dense, ambiguous information. • Adaptability — they recalibrate strategy smoothly across elections, ministerial changes, and geopolitical shifts. Qualifications & Experience • Bachelor’s degree minimum in International Relations, Law, Economics, or a related field; postgraduate qualification preferred. • Minimum 4–6 years of relevant experience in diplomacy, government economic policy, international law, or trade finance. • Demonstrated experience working with bilateral or multilateral agreements. • Proficiency in the host country’s language is a significant advantage. ARABIC DIPLOMATIC EXPERIENCE • Security clearance at the level required by the posting.