PROTOCOL AND OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

High Commission of Barbados in Nairobi

Engagement: Contract for services, 12 months, renewable

Remuneration: KES 320,000 gross per month (KES 3,840,000 per annum)

Application deadline: 12 August 2026

ABOUT THE MISSION

The High Commission of Barbados in Nairobi is Barbados' resident diplomatic mission to Kenya, with concurrent accreditation to Rwanda, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa. It also serves as the Permanent Mission to UNEP and UN-HABITAT and hosts the Middle East and Africa regional headquarters of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI).

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are engaging an execution-oriented professional on an independent contractor basis: a heavy-duty, high-responsibility engagement for someone with a strong sense of initiative who thrives under pressure with minimal supervision.

The workload changes daily and demands calm, analytical effectiveness during sudden diplomatic or logistical surges. We are not looking for someone who waits for a checklist. We need a systems thinker who anticipates bottlenecks before they occur and takes personal ownership to triage competing priorities and see complex tasks through. Services are delivered on-site at the Chancery.

SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLE WEIGHTINGS

Diplomatic Protocol and Government Navigation (25%)

- Processing diplomatic privileges, tax exemptions, and clearances on IPMIS

- In-person liaison with the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, NTSA, and related agencies on privileges applications

- Resolving stalled or disputed clearances and pursuing pathways to unblock delays

- Lodging submissions, retrieving documentation, and tracking pending protocol matters

Public Diplomacy, Trade Support and Storytelling (20%)

- Identifying public-facing engagement opportunities for Barbados across the accredited states

- Supporting trade shows, investment events, cultural exhibitions, and tourism activations

- Outreach to prospective students, remote workers, investors, and other strategic audiences

- Designing and executing a narrative-driven digital storytelling strategy that projects Barbados' cultural and economic presence across East and Southern Africa

- Hands-on execution support for event activations, including for BTMI

Communications, Media and Stakeholder Mapping (15%)

- Daily monitoring and triage of the Mission's general mailbox, escalating sensitive matters

- Leveraging a network of institutional counterparts to clear roadblocks quickly

- Developing and maintaining the Mission's stakeholder map of key contacts

VIP Transit, Conferences and High-Pressure Logistics (10%)

- Principal contact for logistical issues during official visits, ministerial transits, and summits

- End-to-end conference logistics: registration, delegation coordination, transit workflows

- Overseeing flight and hotel arrangements through the Mission's travel agents

- Producing detailed operational itineraries under tight timelines

Research and Policy Support (10%)

- Supporting the Mission's policy positions with local context and insights from research

- Recording and tracking action points from meetings with diplomatic staff

Systems, Document Management and Filing Operations (10%)

- Systemic organisation of document management and filing: indexing, cataloguing, archiving

- Supporting the modernisation and digitisation of legacy filing structures

- Structuring briefing materials and documentation for bilateral meetings

Property and Facilities Support (5%)

- Coordinating with service providers on a strictly non-financial basis to address maintenance at the Chancery and official residences

- Proactive inspection of the Mission's property, plant, and grounds

Internal Policy and Operations Support (5%)

- Disseminating internal policies and best practices

- Responsive operational support to diplomatic staff within the scope of the engagement

PROFILE OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

- Operational background: experience within government, an international organisation, a diplomatic mission, or a comparable high-stakes environment. Familiarity with diplomatic etiquette and workflows is a strong advantage.

- Systems thinker: you build and optimise administrative systems and understand how a delay in one area affects the whole operation.

- High initiative: you walk into a fluid, unpredictable environment and independently figure out how to deliver.

- Performance under pressure: you triage competing priorities under tight deadlines and solve complex problems calmly, with zero hand-holding.

- Keen relationship skills: professional polish, emotional intelligence, and diplomatic etiquette, communicating assertively yet respectfully across cultural and bureaucratic structures.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

- A degree in International Relations, Public Administration, Business, Communications, or a related field, with at least two years of relevant experience; equal weight is given to a proven track record of high-stress operations, results delivery, and a strong institutional network

- Excellent numeracy, verbal, and written communication skills

- Fluency in English and Kiswahili

- Ability to pass and maintain an intensive institutional security clearance, under a regime of random compliance checks

- Kenyan citizenship or valid work authorisation

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

- Working familiarity with IPMIS

- A track record of managing large-scale conference logistics without errors

- Experience coordinating building maintenance and physical asset inventories

- A portfolio of written content or managed public channels demonstrating digital public diplomacy campaign design

REMUNERATION

An all-inclusive retainer of KES 320,000 gross per month, fixed for the duration of the services. It does not attract employment benefits, leave entitlements, or medical insurance