View Vacancy - WS - Personal Assistant and Residence Manager, A2(L)

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.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)
Private Office

Main purpose of job:

To organise the UK High Commissioner’s meetings and diary, maintain access to senior contacts, write official letters including on protocol issues, and to provide administrative support to the UK High Commissioner and the Deputy High Commissioner (DHC), to organise and run the official Residence for official events/visitors, and to oversee its maintenance and human resources. 

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

Personal Assistant (40%)

  • Organise the High Commissioner’s diary and arrange meetings for his and the Deputy High Commissioner.
  • Maintain an accurate senior-level contact list (diplomats, government ministries, business, NGOs etc).
  • Maintain access to senior level contacts (ministries, Head of State, Prime Minister etc) and ensure local protocol procedures are carried out properly.
  • Provide administrative support to the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner, such as arranging travel, note-taking, and drafting letters.

 Residence Manager (40%)

  • Directed by the High Commissioner to organise official events and guests at the Residence
  • Manage the food stock at the Residence.
  • Prepare basic food items for official visitors.
  • Provide the Corporate Services Officer (CSO) with written reports on the Residence when requested.
  • Lead on ensuring the efficient running of the Residence, such as managing a Residence furniture maintenance programme.
  • Assist the CSO to plan Residence projects.

Human Resources (20%)

  • Assist DHC with terms and conditions of service for local staff and ensure compatibility with local labour law, and with UK health & safety regulations.
  • Working closely with the HR Hub to provide guidance on sensitive staff matters for both diplomatic and locally employed staff, including management issues and dispute resolution.
  • Working closely with the Pay and Benefits Team of the HR Hub to ensure local staff pay scales and performance related pay increases are reviewed regularly and fairly. Monitor expenditure on pay to ensure it remains within budget allocation

Other duties as necessary and as determined by the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner.

  • Knowledge of local government ministries
  • Intermediate levels of IT knowledge (sending e-mails, electronic diary management etc)
  • Good track-record of dealing with senior customers
  • Fluent spoken and written English; Fluent spoken and written Samoan
  • Experience of working for similar organisations (diplomatic missions, government ministries, international organisations)
20 August 2019
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
38.75 gross
Asia Pacific
Samoa
Apia
British High Commission
1
34,619
23 September 2019

The starting annual salary for this position is WST 34,619.

There will be continual on-the-job learning and access to the UK’s online Diplomatic Academy training courses.

We will consider flexible working arrangements in line with the High Commission terms and conditions of service.

All applications must be received before 23:55 local time on the day of the specified deadline. 

Applications must address experience against the role responsibilities and include a current CV.

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

This is a new role in a brand-new High Commission. As new procedures and functions are tested, we would expect some changes to each role in the Mission in the first year until things are established. Thus, the ideal candidate would be flexible and positive in accommodating these changes.

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.