Senior Political Specialist

Information about the Role

The Senior Political Specialist serves as the senior Locally Employed (LE) Staff member within the Political Section of the U.S. Embassy. In this high-level capacity, the incumbent acts as the senior policy advisor to the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), and Political Section staff. The role involves leading a three-person team covering the full spectrum of political issues in Kenya and U.S.-Kenya relations, including direct supervisory responsibility for team members.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Policy Advisory & Leadership: Serve as the primary policy advisor to Mission leadership on political matters. Lead and supervise a team of locally employed staff, including performance management and rating responsibilities.
• High-Level Liaison: Act as the primary link between the U.S. Mission and senior leaders across Kenyan society. Maintain a robust network of contacts within the national, regional, and county governments, including the Office of the President, Cabinet, Parliament, and political party leadership.
• Diplomatic Outreach: Influence and negotiate with Kenyan contacts to further U.S. foreign policy goals. Advise leadership on the most effective strategies for private and public diplomacy outreach.
• Analytical Writing & Reporting: Monitor and analyze the Kenyan political and security landscape. Produce high-quality analytical reports for the U.S. Department of State that adhere to strict writing guidelines and require minimal supervision.
• Mandated Reporting: Lead the data collection and drafting of annual Congressionally mandated reports, including the Human Rights Report, International Religious Freedom Report, Trafficking in Persons Report, and the Counterterrorism Report.
• Predictive Intelligence: Gather non-public information from diverse senior sources to assess trends and provide predictive reports on government stability and its implications for U.S. regional interests.
• Strategic Planning: Plan and execute field trips for information gathering and contact development. Brief visiting U.S. officials on current political trends and facilitate meetings with Kenyan counterparts.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Education: A University Degree in Political Science, International Relations, Law, Business Studies, or a related field is required.
• Experience: A minimum of five to seven years of work experience in a senior-level Kenyan government, public service, or journalism position. Experience must include extensive knowledge of and access to public security and political sector leadership.
• Geographic Scope: Experience working across multiple regions of Kenya is essential.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Deep familiarity with issues of democratization and governance in developing contexts and a demonstrated ability to analyze these issues.
• Social Competency: Proven ability to maintain sustained interaction with diverse social interests, the international diplomatic community, and non-governmental organizations.
• Security Clearance: All candidates must be able to obtain and hold a security certificate or Public Trust security clearance.