SRR - Administrative Officer, Economic Diplomacy Team (AO)

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A diplomatic office in Saudi Arabia is seeking an Administrative Officer for the Economic Diplomacy Team. The role involves providing administrative support for high-level visits, managing logistics, and liaising with ministries. Strong communication skills in both English and Arabic are essential. The position offers a salary of SAR 8,619.49 monthly and is full-time, requiring flexibility in working hours.

Benefits

Visa sponsorship

Housing Allowance

Travel Allowance

Qualifications

• Must have excellent communication skills in both English and Arabic.
• Organisational ability with strong project management skills is essential.
• Strong IT literacy in Microsoft Office applications required.

Responsibilities

• Support the Economic Diplomacy Team with various administrative responsibilities.
• Organise visit programmes for UK officials and coordinate logistics.
• Liaise with ministries and stakeholders for policy engagements.

Skills

Excellent communication skills in English and Arabic

Excellent organisational ability

Strong IT skills in Microsoft Office

Excellent interpersonal skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for an Administrative Officer under the Economic Diplomacy Team for a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2026. There is a possibility of extension of the contract depending on performance and operational requirements.

The jobholder will support the British Embassy’s Economic Diplomacy Team to advance the UK-KSA economic partnership under Vision 2030. The role includes providing a secretariat function, supporting high level visits, cross-team support, and policy/governmental engagement.

The jobholder will provide administrative support to the Economic Diplomacy Team, help with operational logistics, lead administrative tasks, contribute to visit programmes for senior UK officials, and assist in liaising with Saudi Arabia’s Ministries. They will also provide additional administrative support to the Head of the team.

The Embassy in Riyadh is a large, diverse team delivering key priorities against UK Government objectives. The environment is challenging, with issues that can be complex and fast moving. The jobholder will need to make effective decisions, work well in a team, have strong organisational skills, and resilience to deliver in a dynamic environment. The jobholder will work closely with the Economic Liaison Officer (grade EO) to coordinate their support of the team.

Duties and responsibilities

• Visits and events
• Assist in organising visit programmes for visiting UK Ministers, Special Representatives, and senior officials, coordinating logistics across the Embassy.
• Lead on receptions, events, and roundtables.
• Support organisation of the Economic Diplomacy Team’s events.
• Political
• Liaise and develop productive relationships with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Saudi stakeholders to secure meetings relating to policy work and high-level visits.
• Develop background understanding of the Economic Team’s policy focuses and how they interact with UK and Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.
• Provide administrative support to assist with contacting Saudi Ministries and Government Organisations.
• Team support
• Provide administrative support to the Team Lead.
• Lead on administrative tasks in the Embassy’s Economic Diplomacy Team.
• Organise travel and accommodation for the Economic Diplomacy Team.
• Provide organisation and management of the Economic Diplomacy Team’s office, including diary coordination, arranging meetings, and other logistical support.
• Develop and maintain information management systems internally.
• Draft diplomatic notes, and provide interpretation support in meetings and translation of documents from Arabic to English.

The list is not exhaustive; the jobholder may be asked to take on other responsibilities as needed and may be asked to participate in the Embassy’s emergency planning or other crisis responses.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Excellent communication skills in English and Arabic, both written and spoken.
• Excellent organisational ability and project management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams). Competence in email and calendar management.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Experience liaising with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other international engagement.
• Experience of working in the UK and/or KSA public sector.

Eligibility and other details

Application information

Application deadline: 14 September 2025. Grade: Administrative Officer (AO). Type of Position: Full-time. Working hours: 35 per week. Region: Middle East & North Africa. Country/Territory: Saudi Arabia. Location: Riyadh. Type of Post: British Embassy. Number of vacancies: 1. Salary: SAR 8,619.49 monthly. Start Date: 30 November 2025. End Date: 31 March 2026. Other benefits and conditions of employment.

Essential eligibility:

• The British Embassy provides visa sponsorship. The Embassy will employ you on the condition that we can obtain the required residence and work permit in Saudi Arabia.
• If you already have the right to work and reside in Saudi Arabia (iqama), you will be required to transfer your visa under the Embassy’s sponsorship.

Salary and benefits

The salary includes Base Salary, Housing Allowance, Travel Allowance (subject to eligibility) and total compensation of SAR 8,619.49. Some allowances are not payable to staff who receive other provisions. Spouses/dependants of UKBS Officers are not eligible to Housing or Travel Allowance. No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable for this position.

The position is full-time, 35 hours per week. Normal hours are 08:00–15:00, Sunday to Thursday, with core hours 10:00–15:00. The role may require out-of-hours work, particularly during visits and events. Flexible working arrangements may be considered subject to operational needs and policy.

The successful candidate will be subject to a 90-day probationary period and will be required to transfer their iqama under the Embassy’s sponsorship.