Project Officer - Service: International

We are seeking a skilled and motivated International Officer to support the delivery of Sheffield City Council’s International Strategy 2025–2028.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the Council’s global engagement, supporting senior leadership, developing international partnerships, and helping position Sheffield as an outward‑looking, globally connected city.

The postholder will work as part of a small, high-performing team to coordinate international activity, provide informed advice, and support the delivery of strategic priorities across a wide range of stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

Support the development and implementation of the Council’s strategic direction and policy priorities relating to international activity
Provide briefing, advice and operational support to Elected Members, senior officers, and leadership on international matters
Facilitate effective partnership working, both within the city and with international counterparts
Maintain and strengthen relationships with Sheffield’s Principal Partner Cities
Contribute to the design and delivery of international programmes, projects, and initiatives aligned with the Sheffield International Strategy

International engagement and partnerships

Support the development and delivery of city-to-city partnerships, working with local and international stakeholders to generate mutual benefits
Promote Council-to-Council collaboration, sharing best practice and supporting service improvement opportunities across partner cities
Work with Council services and partners to identify and develop opportunities arising from international engagement

Visits and delegations

Support the planning and delivery of inbound and outbound international visits, which may including the involvement of:
Lord Mayor
Leader of the Council
Chief Executive
Senior Members and Officers
Coordinate visits from foreign delegations, including diplomats, officials and international partners
Ensure activity is professionally managed, aligned to Council priorities, and delivers measurable outcomes

Policy and intelligence

Monitor and assess national policy developments relating to international relations
Identify, capture, and disseminate good practice and intelligence to inform Council activity and decision-making

About you

We are looking for a candidate who:

Has experience of working in international relations, partnership development, or public policy
Demonstrates strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, including working with senior leaders
Is able to coordinate complex activity involving multiple partners and competing priorities
Has excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce high-quality briefings
Understands the role of local government in international engagement and economic/cultural diplomacy
Can work independently, use initiative, and operate effectively in a politically sensitive environment

What we offer

The opportunity to play a key role in delivering Sheffield’s international ambitions
A collaborative and supportive working environment
Flexible working arrangements and a commitment to work-life balance
Access to learning and development opportunities within a large public sector organisation

Additional information

This role may require occasional out-of-hours working and occasional international travel
The postholder will be expected to work flexibly to support civic and international activities

How to apply

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

Nik Hamilton, Service Manager - International Nik.Hamilton@sheffield.gov.uk

Sheffield City Council is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.