View Vacancy - Policy and Business Support Officer (BEL22.605)

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 (Policy & Political roles)
UKMIS (UK Mission to the European Union)

The UK Mission to the European Union (UKMis Brussels) ensures the UK’s interests are promoted and explained to EU member states and the EU institutions. UKMis Brussels works on the full range of UK government business, with its staff drawn from a wide range of departments, agencies across Whitehall and Country Based colleagues.

 

The UK Mission to the European Union (UKMis) is part of a world-wide network of 270 Diplomatic Posts, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. We are now looking for a Policy and Business Support Officer to assist in the delivery of its corporate and policy work.

As support officer to the British Defence Section (BDS(EU)), the jobholder will support the team’s policy outputs and related administrative tasks. This includes provision of administrative support to facilitate routine office function of the BDS(EU) team.

 

The role will require the development and maintenance of UK and EU policy awareness in the Defence and Security domains. There will also be the opportunity to be involved in other corporate workstrands in UKMis.

 

The job holder must be highly organised, forward thinking and able to work to a high degree of accuracy under time pressure.  A team player is essential, as is flexibility. This may include assisting other sections in UKMis on an ad-hoc basis, as well as contributing to UKMis wider corporate life.

 

Main Duties and responsibilities

The job holder will be expected to support, and lead on tasks that help your team and the organisation function, making sure everyone is supported and organised to do their job effectively. This will involve being flexible, willing and able to help out with a wide variety of tasks which will include, but are not limited to:

  • Team Based Administration - organisation of internal team meetings, office management, organisation of internal team building sessions / away days, diary support to head of section etc.;
  • Human Resources / Induction - Ensuring HR information is kept up to date. Ensure all team members are aware of and follow UKMis induction procedures both as staff and line managers;
  • Corporate compliance – this will include regular reviews of completion rates of mandatory FCDO training and accurate record keeping of compliance databases – including for FCDO crisis preparedness;
  • Budget Management – monitoring and forecasting of local budget allocation. Reconcile expenses and general purchasing card of Defence Advisor;
  • IT - Ensuring distribution lists and MS Team storage are reviewed regularly. Ensuring all colleagues in their sections have updated Outlook/MS Teams/UKMis intranet profiles. Enable all team members to run effective meetings, including in hybrid format - supporting use of technology;
  • Internal Communications – supporting smooth internal communications by proactively signposting colleagues to relevant content and ensuring content is up to date. Develop and maintain a close working relationship with colleagues in the Foreign, Policy and Development (FPD) Teams including the communication team, and the Department for International Trade (DIT);
  • Visits and Events - coordinate programmes and logistical support for visits/events, including virtual events such as webinars. Represent senior colleagues at seminars, conferences and meetings with the confidence to speak up when needed;
  • Stakeholder Management, and Event Attendance - providing targeted read-outs of stakeholder and EU institution events for Desk Officers. Keep accurate and up to date databases of key stakeholders in line with data protection rules. Where appropriate, deputise for Desk Officers, occasionally representing the UK at external events;
  • Defence Policy – Maintain briefings, factsheets and scene-setters on defence issues by monitoring developments through open-source information.
  • Full professional proficiency in English, including excellent writing skills (written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
  • Previous experience in a business support role;
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills with proven ability to manage, plan and prioritise tasks and workload;
  • Flexible approach to tasks, discretion and good judgement and team player;
  • Good IT skills: Microsoft Office suite (word, Excel, MS Teams, PowerPoint etc.) plus Office 365 (outlook) and Webex.
  • Good knowledge of the EU and its institutions and its Defence Policy;
  • Ability to grasp issues quickly and communicate them effectively;
  • Ability to work and deliver results under pressure;
  • Willingness to work additional hours when required (we operate a system of ‘time off in lieu’) and to travel within the EU and to the UK when needed.
Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others
8 December 2022
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
36.25
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Belgium
UK Mission to the European Union (UKMIS), Brussels
UK Delegation
2
EUR
3,849.03 (gross)
3 January 2023

This is a full-time permanent contract for 5 working days (36.25 hours net) per week. The monthly gross salary for this position is € 3,849.03, AO level. In addition, we offer an extensive salary package, which includes a 13th month, luncheon vouchers, pension scheme, optional hospitalisation insurance (subject to monthly employee contribution), reimbursement of public transport and a lot more. We offer more days of annual leave than the Belgian requirements.

 

Please note that Belgian nationals will be paid their salary gross and are expected to comply with their tax obligations through completion of a tax return to the Belgian authorities. Non-Belgian nationals will receive their salary net, minus the deduction of an equivalent level of Belgian tax retained at source. Further information on this will be given to candidates during the recruitment process.

 

Staff recruited locally by the British Diplomatic Missions in Belgium are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Belgian employment law.

 

The successful candidates will be subject to professional background checks and security clearance.

 

Passport: officers are expected to be in possession of a passport due to the possibility that they may be asked to undertake business travel.

 

Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Belgium and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.

Please note, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment indicates Level C1 as Mastery or proficiency Level which comprehends that a person can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation; can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. For more information please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.

Please be advised that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

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.