Sarah Russell

Employer: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Qualifications: BA war studies and history, King’s College London

8.30 am

I arrive in the office and switch on Sky News. As I work in the department involved with the Middle East peace process it’s important to look out for any developments in the region. Our posts around the world are a few hours ahead so there are often a lot of e-mails to catch up on.

10.00 am 

I spend time working on briefings as they can arrive very last minute with 11.00 am deadlines. The documents provide the foreign secretary and prime minister with detailed background information and key messages to put across in meetings with other heads of state. I might then meet with the Palestinian General Delegation for an update on their current priorities, or with Oxfam to discuss humanitarian situations and how we can best work together.

1.00 pm

I have regular lunch meetings with a colleague from the Prime Minister’s office to discuss what we’ve been working on. I love the fact that my job is also about developing a strong network of contacts. I work on some policy papers that deal with the strategic direction of our work within the EU. I may also prepare for an upcoming trip to Brussels, where I represent the UK in a working group.

4.00 pm

I often attend corporate meetings involving the wider Middle East and North Africa as I’m currently responsible for rolling out a new IT system and often organise social events.

6.00 pm

I tend to leave at around 6.00 pm, but that doesn’t always work! However, beyond the odd weekend when I may be on call, the hours are normal. There are often receptions at various embassies or events for stakeholders that we can attend after work – tomorrow I’m off to a quiz night at the US Embassy!