View Vacancy - Team Support Officer – Defence Policy Nuclear

This is an exciting role at the centre of the British Defence Staff United States (BDSUS), which is based at the British Embassy in Washington DC. BDSUS includes a team of around 140 people inside the Embassy, made up of civilian, military and country-based staff, as part of a wider network of around 950 people located across the breadth of the US.

BDSUS’ role is to engage with and work alongside US partners across all aspects of Defence activity – including operations, training, capability development, science and technology research, intelligence, interoperability, policy, procurement and prosperity. Together, we represent UK Defence as a whole to our US hosts. BDSUS is jointly led by two senior MOD officers: the Defence Attaché and Head of British Defence Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Mick Smeath, and the Director United States and Minister Counsellor Defence, Edward Ferguson, who is MOD’s most senior civil servant based in the US.

As An EA/ Team Support Officer, you will: 

1. Ensure principal and the team members are supported in a variety of administration duties, which includes the controlling, filing, and recording of information (emails, electronic documents, paper documents) onto the MOD computer systems. Running the Principal’s diary and/or central team diary, highlighting issues in advance where diary conflicts occur. Booking rooms, arranging IT facilities, and setting-up presentations or other media for meetings as required, ensuring the relevant data protection and security protocols are followed.
2. Maintaining desk-level contacts in key Government Departments, Congressional, DoD and foreign embassy offices in support of the team’s objectives in arranging admin support for a function or event
3. Be responsible for, and hold if required, a Government Procurement card (GPC) in order to facilitate expenditure within authorised limits and authority. Control and track authorised expenditure to ensure timely completion of annual budget requests and quarterly returns.
4. Maintain competence in Data Protection policies and be the focal point for Data Protection issues in regard to team output. 
5. Attend meetings and record information to produce draft minutes of meetings or records of decisions. 
6. Arrange accommodation, travel and transport, as required for the Principal and team members in support of team activities.
7. Assisting in the organisation of the principal and team official functions, to include assisting in preparing business cases for official entertainment and functions, maintaining guest data, compiling guest lists, managing invitations, and meeting/greeting guests. Maintain official hospitality book. 
8. Handle UK classified information documents on relevant IT systems and in paper copy.
9. Be prepared to support other teams in administration support as required.  

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

Executive Assistant to Counsellor Defence Policy & Nuclear (70%)

• Manage the schedules of the Counsellor, including prioritising competing demands on their time, problem solving where necessary, and coordinating logistics such as transport and IT.
• (As travel resumes post-COVID) Book business travel arrangements, including flights, transportation, and accommodation for senior management and other staff members.
• Organise and schedule meetings. Prepare internal meeting agendas, perform research for meetings, and take minutes during meetings.
• Maintain electronic filing system and distro lists, ensuring processes are in working order.
• Liaise with other staff members on behalf of senior management.
• Maintain up-to-date contacts lists.
• Solve simple IT problems and contact the IT department when necessary.

Support Officer (30%)

• Liaise closely with DPN Team policy leads on visitor programmes including for Ministerial visits, providing logistical support.
• Plan and deliver events in support of wider DPN objectives, including securing venues, organising catering, managing guest lists and providing on-site support.
• Provide support across full range of administrative tasks to facilitate the smooth running of the Team.
• Undertake any additional administration to support the DPN Team.

• Must be a British citizen. 
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications including Microsoft outlook.
• Previous history of working in general administration duties.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to be professional, confident, courteous, and deal with interlocutors at senior level.
• Strong independent judgement, excellent organisational skills, the ability to multi-task and strong problem-solving skills.
• Excellent customer service skills, with proven ability to take responsibility and exercise considerable discretion.
• Understanding of UK defence and UK government.

Language requirement:

Language: Must be able to speak and write English fluently

Level of language required: Fluent

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*.

If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office.  Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa.  All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. 

*A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.