[1] Jenkins is the son of Sir Christopher Jenkins and was educated at Highgate School and the University of Sheffield where he gained first class honours in English Literature.

[2] He joined the Foreign Office in 1991 and has served in Ankara from 1994 to 1997, Buenos Aires 2002–06, Brussels 2006-09 and New Delhi 2009–12.

After his appointment as UK Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2015 to 2017 he was seconded in 2018 to Aberdeen Standard Life.

[2] Jenkins, who is married with two sons and a daughter,[2] has promoted Women's rights in Indonesia.

[3] In April 2020, Jenkins urged Climate Action during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.