View Vacancy - Pro-Consul/Caseworker (DEU20.262)

Note: Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign. We are working hard to minimise any disruption. You may find more information in the Additional Information section below.

The British Consulate-General (BCG) in Munich is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and we are currently seeking to appoint a Pro-Consul to join our Consular team.

The Germany Consular Services team is part of the wider EuroAsia Consular region that includes twenty-nine countries, where the BCG in Munich represents the UK government in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

The jobholder will play a key role in providing modern and efficient consular assistance and services to British nationals and support the Germany Consular Services team, working alongside colleagues based at the British Embassy in Berlin and Consulate-General Dusseldorf, as well as other German speaking posts. We are seeking an independent, dynamic and detailed oriented Pro-Consul with prior experience in customer service. 

The jobholder would furthermore be expected to contribute to wider Consular and the British Government’s Germany Network objectives and to support its positive working environment and actively participate in Learning and Development efforts.

What will be your key responsibilities?

Assistance:

• Provide a high level of consular assistance and support to British Nationals in a wide range of situations including hospitalisations, death, arrest, rape and sexual assault, missing persons, child custody and financial difficulties;
• Carry out vulnerability assessments and providing corresponding assistance to vulnerable British Nationals;
• Liaison with local contacts such as funeral companies, law enforcement authorities, courts, prisons, foreigners authorities as well as other key stakeholders, such as charities and support organisations in order to provide assistance to British Nationals;
• Handle correspondence, telephone enquiries, counter appointments and services;
• Manage expectations of British Nationals to what assistance they can expect according to circumstances; signposting of British Nationals to the relevant information sources and creating awareness of their own responsibility.

Administration: 

• Manage Consular fees and complete Consular Certificates and cashier duties;
• Manage the online appointments booking system;
• Perform other administrative duties as required (e.g. processing lost/stolen/recovered passports and UK driving licences, recording death notifications);
• Print and issue Emergency Travel Documents, including stock responsibilities;
• Update and maintain the consular content on GOV.UK, in regards to service provider lists (lawyers, translators, funeral directors etc.).

Outreach and Prevention:

• Develop and maintain a network of contacts with relevance for consular assistance and crisis related work, e.g. local authorities, NGOs, British Community groups and other stakeholders where necessary;
• Help organise outreach event(s) and participate at other stakeholder events;
• Assist the consular network with the Prevention and Partnerships plan;
• Help identify and implement network/country specific prevention campaigns to change British behaviour abroad.

Notarial work and documentary services:

•  Engage with customers to signpost them to the appropriate organisation depending on the notarial act and service required;
• Prepare and sign fee bearing services where applicable.

Crisis:

• Take part in BCG/Section crisis preparedness efforts and activities;
• Deploying to a crisis;
• Assisting in Post preparation and response to large-scale events, responding to mass casualty incidents or crises.

Other Tasks:

• Undertake other duties that may reasonably be required and which are in accordance with the grading and core competencies of the job.

• Proficient in English and German (both written and spoken, minimum of C1 level according to the CEFR framework*);
• Minimum of 2 years of previous experience in a customer facing role and the ability to respond to a wide range of customer needs;
• A minimum of five years’ work experience;
• Good communication, interpersonal and team working skills;
• Adaptability and a positive mind-set towards change and working as part of a wider team;
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively and proactively without close supervision;
• Flexibility, resilience, patience and the ability to confidently deal with difficult situations, including (rarely) out of hours and in an emergency or crisis;
• Ability to display a high level of discretion and responsibility;
• Excellent organisational and time management skills;
• Excellent telephone manner and communication skills;
• Proficient IT skills, especially Office 365 applications;
• Flexibility to travel to the UK or other Post if necessary.