Senior Political Specialist

Key Responsibilities

• Policy Advisory: Act as the senior policy advisor to the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Political Section staff.
• Team Leadership: Lead and manage a three-person Locally Employed (LE) Staff team, serving as the line supervisor with rating responsibility.
• Liaison and Networking: Serve as the primary liaison between senior embassy leadership and senior leaders across the full range of Kenyan society, including government officials at national, regional, and county levels.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain robust contacts with officials in the office of the president, deputy president, cabinet members, parliamentarians, political party leaders, trade unions, NGOs, academic institutions, religious organizations, and media houses.
• Negotiation and Influence: Influence and negotiate with Kenyan contacts to further U.S. foreign policy goals and advise on optimal ways to undertake private and public diplomacy outreach.
• Briefing and Reporting: Brief visiting U.S. officials on Kenyan government stability, attitudes toward the U.S., and implications for U.S. policy objectives. Produce high-quality analytical written work that adheres to stringent State Department guidelines.
• Strategic Analysis: Regularly monitor and analyze the Kenyan political and security landscape to develop specialized knowledge and draft predictive reports based on non-public information.
• Event Facilitation: Organize and facilitate roundtable discussions on political topics and arrange meetings for U.S. officials with their Kenyan counterparts.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Education: A University Degree in Political Science, International Relations, Law, Business Studies, or a related field is required.
• Languages: Fluent (Level IV) proficiency in both English and Kiswahili is mandatory.
• Evaluation: Candidates will be evaluated against their education, experience, language skills, and overall knowledge/abilities. A pre-employment language or skills test may be administered.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply through the official Electronic Recruitment Application (ERA) portal on the U.S. Embassy website. You can access the application link via the following URL: Apply on erajobs.state.gov. Ensure your application addresses all position qualifications and requirements, including education and language proficiency.