View Vacancy - Political Economy Adviser, Grade – HEO, Bengaluru

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Political

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Main purpose of job:

The role of the Political Economy Adviser involves facilitating, advising and steering high-level political engagement of senior HMG stakeholders. This is a role ideally suited for those with expertise, experience and a passion for India, its politics, society, and culture and who are motivated to continue to grow on the job.

The holder of this position will help senior HMG stakeholders understand Karnataka, its politics, economy and society and its role in Indian national politics, in support of both UK-India bilateral and UK global priorities. The jobholder shall proactively analyse and report on state politics, its implications for both Karnataka’s and Indian economy and society, as well as its impact on UK interests in India.

The jobholder will identify and secure funding for projects and lead on delivering them

The job holder reports to the Deputy Head of Mission in Bengaluru and works closely with the British Deputy High Commissioner in Bengaluru and Head of the India Bilateral team in the Political Department in the British High Commission, New Delhi, as well as the network of Political Economy Advisers across India.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

Reporting, Analysis and Relationship Management (50%)

Political & Economic Reporting and Analysis:

  • Timely analysis of key political and economic developments (eg. state Budget, economic survey, major policy announcements etc), and analysis of longer-term trends in Karnataka and India, and their impact on UK interests.
  • Nurture and develop a wide network of contacts, particularly within government, political, legislative, and parliamentary, think-tanks, and media in Karnataka.
  • Advise on targeted engagement with key stakeholders and lead on strategic relationship management.

Chevening Programme & Projects (30%)

  • Contribute to the Living Bridge agenda by leading on the Chevening programme and University outreach activities in the region. Effectively promote the Chevening programme in the region; strengthen the existing alumni network to enhance UK soft power; promote the UK education offer; and foster collaboration between educational institutions in UK and India to further strengthen people to people links.
  • Identify projects and implementing partners in support of UK objectives; work up project proposals and secure funding; oversee projects, ensure delivery of objectives and follow up as required.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): (10%)

  • Line management responsibility of one member of staff

Cross-department support and Corporate contribution: (10%)

  • The job holder shall be expected to collaborate with colleagues across our seven Deputy High Commissions, especially at times of high volume of work, developing ideas for visit and event programmes and support and sometimes lead on implementing them. This necessarily requires the ability to work collaboratively. We also expect the jobholder to voluntarily take on a corporate objective.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

Line Manage EO, Press and Communications

Learning and development opportunities:

The FCDO offer a wide range of learning and development opportunities throughout the year.

Essential on arrival:

  • Bachelor’s/Post graduate Degree
  • The successful candidate should be able to produce written work that is concise, timely, and reflects a clear understanding of a UK audience’s needs. Deliver briefings and presentations in a confident and professional manner. 

  • The successful candidate would have at least 5-6 years of relevant working experience, knowledge of and familiarity with Indian politics, society, governance structures, and institutions.

  • Demonstrate you bring with you a broad-based political contact network and can leverage BHC contacts in support of the UK’s policy objectives in India.

  • Understand the needs of a diverse range of customers both within the High Commission, and at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London

Language Requirements:

  • Language: Written and oral English and Kannada
  • Level of language required: Expert

Desirable:   

  • Knowledge of Hindi is desirable
Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together
9 October 2025
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
South Asia & Afghanistan
India
Bangalore
British Deputy High Commission
1
INR
INR 121,533 per month plus 12% Provident Fund and 6% Superannuation
monthly
15 December 2025

For British High Commission candidates, the Country Based Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.

For other than BHC Candidates, salary will be all-inclusive of INR 121,533 per month plus 12% Provident Fund and 6% Superannuation.

Additionally, the BHC offers a great benefits package that includes annual domiciliary medical cover, plus a Group Hospitalisation Scheme with INR 500,000 floater cover for your immediate family which includes self, spouse/partner and children up to an age of 23 years and irrespective of age, only if with, physical or mental disability.

No relocation or any other related costs or assistance will be provided. FCDO does not pay for any travelling, accommodation & relocation expenses incurred and/or accept any financial risk, including cancellation or reschedule costs

Please note - BHC does not deduct tax at source and employees are required to ensure that any requirements of local income-tax law are complied with in full. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, e.g., some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.    

FCDO operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance. 

Around half of our work forces are women.  We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment. 

This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCDO has anywhere across the globe.  We are aiming to make it the best.

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment, educational details, behavioural and technical/ professional skills questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only with all the required details and the shortlisting is not basis CV/ cover letter. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders will need have, or be able to obtain, a valid special work permit issued from Government of India (GOI) to work in the British High Commission (BHC). BHC will not be able to sponsor work visas or obtain/ assist with the special work permit from GOI. Offers of employment made to OCI card holders will be conditional upon candidates obtaining a special work permit.

Note: For requisite special permission to take up employment in any foreign Diplomatic Missions in India, OCI Cardholder must visit https://ociservices.gov.in

Please note – successful applicants will be offered employment on Country Based Staff (CBS) terms and conditions. This is not a permanent UK Civil Service position and does not attract diplomatic immunities and privileges (other than what an individual may already hold if they are a recognised partner/family member of a serving diplomat).


To Apply:
Please note applications without (a) and (b) will not be considered.

a) Complete the Online Application Form
b) Complete the Experience, Professional Skills and Behaviour based Segments in the Online Application Form

Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.

To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate behaviours and technical / professional skills, basis your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides a detailed guidance on how these behaviours are defined for each position. 

Applicants are encouraged to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique to prepare specific examples of when and how you have demonstrated these behaviours in your application, by evidencing a structured response, including your skills and experiences. You briefly describe the situation in which you demonstrated the behaviour, and then explain your task in addressing the situation, what action you took and the result of this.

Internal candidates applying for this position need to inform their current line managers, else the applications will not be considered.

We will accept only online applications by 9 October 2025 (latest by 23:55 hours IST).

Please note that all the applicants will be required to strictly adhere to the security guidelines for British High Commission.

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount. 

Please note – “Provident Fund Transfer in and out from EPFO is not possible as BHC PF is managed by a private PF trust governed by Indian Income Tax Act, 1961. The staff still has the option to transfer out and in from a privately held PF trust which are not governed by EPFO. Any tax deduction on EPF will be in compliance with local income-tax law and must be complied with in full.”

Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and no telephone enquires will be dealt with. Basis the scores, the candidate/s who did not score as highly as the successful candidate, might be placed on the reserve list. If during the reserve period of 12 months, the same or largely similar role becomes available, the role may be offered to the second or subsequent appointable candidates.

" The start date mentioned in the job advert is tentative and the appointment will be subject to successful clearances including police verification, references, medical, educational, and professional checks. "

We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, caste, or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.