Public Diplomacy & Social Media Officer

Roles and Responsibilities:

The precise range of duties will vary over time according to the needs of the Embassy, but will include the following:

• Responsibility for Public Diplomacy, Social Media and Communications;
• Creation and provision of content for website and social media platforms;
• Drive creation of a public diplomacy plan for the Embassy;
• Develop and take ownership of delivering a social media calendar for the Embassy;
• Undertake media monitoring, reporting and analysis;
• Contribute to event planning and management, particularly around logistics and stakeholder engagement;
• Build and engage a network of contacts with key partners including journalists and the media; relevant community groups and regional counterparts;
• Support coordination of high-level visits and events around key milestones on the Irish cultural calendar;
• Liaise with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade HQ and state agencies on campaigns and initiatives
• Manage relationships and engage with relevant service providers;
• Ensure compliance with Department policies and procedures;
• Support the delivery of the Embassy’s objectives and regional strategy, specifically around promotion of Irish culture and increased visibility of Ireland;
• Represent the Mission in engagement with HQ’s Communication Network, reporting to management upcoming relevant initiatives and providing feedback to HQ colleagues;
• Contribute, as part of the wider Embassy team, to administration and other work as required.

Essential Requirements

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Bahasa Melayu.
• Candidates must have 2 years previous professional experience in a role with related responsibilities as outlined, and / or an academic certification in relevant disciplines such as communications, marketing, journalism or media studies;

Using the provided application form, candidates must demonstrate, using examples from their own work and/or academic experience:

• excellent interpersonal skills, persuasiveness, ability to work in a team and autonomously and ability to deal effectively with a wide range of stakeholders;
• specialist knowledge in social media account management, analytics, content creation, and cultural promotion;
• excellent communication skills, and ability to provide information clearly, concisely, and confidently both verbally and in writing;
• evidence of flexibility, efficiency and effectiveness showing strong organisational skills, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure and to manage multiple tasks;
• leadership in their area of expertise;
• a solutions-oriented approach, and commitment to delivering results, including by adapting approach if necessary;
• their working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel) as well as strong familiarity with social media and management of relevant communications or content creation platforms, such as Adobe Express
• High level of discretion and an ability to exercise sound judgement
• All applicants must already have a permanent legal right to reside and work in Malaysia

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• A working knowledge of Mandarin;
• A knowledge of Ireland;
• A good understanding of the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland and the Embassy of Ireland, Malaysia;
• Previous experience in a diplomatic mission; or other comparable organisations.

Terms and conditions of employment:

• The successful candidate will be hired on a 12 month fixed term contract with the option to renew based on satisfactory performance;
• The position will be based at the Irish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur;
• Generally office hours are 9:00 - 17:00; Monday to Friday with one-hour lunch period. Some attendance at events on evenings and weekends will be required as part of the role, including possible travel outside of Kuala Lumpur as required;
• Annual Leave entitlement 21 days per annum;
• The gross salary for the position is Base Point MYR 79,807.41 per annum, paid locally on a 13-month basis. An incremental pay scale is in operation for this role based on length of service; Salaries are paid direct to a bank account, therefore, the successful candidate must have a bank account;
• The position also benefits from EPF / SOCSO contributions, as well as enrolment in an Irish non-contributory pension scheme (terms and conditions apply).
• Learning and Development will be provided.

How to apply

Only applications completed on the form available at the bottom of this webpage below will be considered.

Completed application forms should be sent via e-mail only to KualaLumpurEMRecruitment@dfa.ie, with the subject line Public Diplomacy and Social Media Officer.

Applications must be received before 16:30 hrs. (Local time) on 26/04/2026

Depending on response rate, the deadline may be extended. Unless the deadline is formally extended, no applications will be accepted after this time. Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted.

Selection Process:

• A short-listing of candidates to be called for a competency-based interview will be undertaken based on the Essential Requirements / Desirable Skills above.
• A skills test and/or a second interview may be included in the recruitment process; it is planned that interviews will be held in person before the end of May.
• A panel may be set up depending on the calibre of candidates;
• General Data Protection Regulation: All personal information received will be managed in line with GDPR guidelines.
• Security Clearance for Local Staff Police security clearance will be sought from individuals who come under consideration for appointment. Security clearance may also be sought from the police force of any country in which the applicant under consideration for appointment resided. If unsuccessful, this information will be destroyed. If the applicant subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.
• Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.
• The Embassy of Ireland, Malaysia is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity