View Vacancy - HK - Pro-Consul 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 (Consular Roles)
Consular

Main purpose of job:

As Pro-Consul and a member of the Consular Team at the British Consulate General Hong Kong you will be responsible for ensuring high quality consular services are delivered to British people in Hong Kong and Macao in line with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office  (FCDO) Consular Guidance,  local procedures, and performance standards.

Consular Officers have the opportunity to make a direct difference to people’s lives in challenging circumstances. The successful candidate will be working in a fast-paced and complex environment where the ability to work under pressure and with difficult issues is vital.

Types of assistance will include, but is not limited to: dealing with British nationals who may have suffered a bereavement, been a victim of crime, rape and sexual assault or who are in hospital/prison or experiencing mental health or welfare difficulties. 

The Pro-Consul will also be providing notarial and documentary services and issuing emergency travel documents; building and maintaining contacts with local authorities and in the community; and taking an active role in consular prevention, communication and outreach activities. 

Consular work can sometimes be stressful, distressing and of a sensitive nature. The successful applicant will therefore be expected to demonstrate high levels of personal resilience and maintain absolute consular confidentiality and impartiality.

The successful candidate will need to be able to work independently and make judgements in consultation with Head of consular team.

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

Consular assistance to distressed British nationals

  • Provide clear and accurate advice to British nationals requiring consular assistance, in person, on the phone, by letter or by e-mail. This will include dealing with highly sensitive issues including deaths, detentions, rape and sexual assault cases.
  • Provide support by consular visits including to prisons, detention centres and hospitals.
  • Maintain accurate and concise case records.
  • Engage and liaise with both UK and local government departments, such as the law enforcement agencies, Security Bureau or Courts.
  • Ad-hoc translation and interpretation for managers.

Notarial and Documentary services for British nationals

  • Administer the CABS appointment system
  • Provide a range of counter services including notarial and printing of Emergency travel Documents (ETDs)
  • Taking fees and other financial requirements

Prevention

  • Working with the Vice Consul take an active role in the prevention and communications work of the consular section including producing materials, using social media, partnerships with charity sector and attending events.
  • Planning and Logistical support for outreach activity such as presentations or attendance at events where public diplomacy will be key.

Crisis Preparedness: The jobholder will be a member of the Consular Crisis Team

  • Active involvement in Consulate’s schedule of crisis training and exercising.
  • Contribute to consular team planning including knowledge and usage of consular crisis equipment.
  • First class delivery of consular assistance to affected British nationals in time of crisis.

Excellent office management and administrative support to the Consular Team, including:

  • Team Calendar and Contacts kept up-to-date
  • Compiling accurate management information statistics
  • Carry out other reasonable ad-hoc duties in support of the Consular function
  • Participate in other consulate committees and support corporate activities as appropriate

You may be required to support other posts in the China Network in these areas or requested to support regional resilience across the Asia Pacific network. The successful applicant will also be a member of the Consular Crisis Team in assisting in the preparation and response to any crisis incident affecting British Nationals in Hong Kong or Macao.

Any other information:

While it is difficult to commit to regular patterns of flexible working due to the demands on the team, and IT limitations, we are keen at Post to promote work-life balance and welfare, including by offering flexibility in working arrangements on specific occasions where this meets both the officer's and business needs.

Start and finish times can be flexible but it is important that when needed you can work the same hours as our partners. A flexible approach to working hours due to demands of consular work is needed, with possible out-of-hours requirement in emergencies. However disruption of your time outside work should be rare.

Some representational work also required such as attendance of national day receptions.  

The selection process will include a language and written test.

  • Excellent customer care skills and the ability to respond to a range of customer needs
  • Good interpersonal and active listening skills, with ability to empathise
  • A team player who is capable of working on his or her own initiative and is adaptable to changing priorities. Must be able to work and act without close supervision
  • Familiar with all Microsoft Office Packages and have accurate typing skills
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • High degree of fluency in English and Cantonese (written and spoken).
  • Written and Spoken Mandarin
29 September 2021
Administrative Officer (AO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
41
24 months
Asia Pacific
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong SAR
British Consulate General
1
HKD
17,782 HKD
22 November 2021
21 November 2023

Learning and development opportunities

We are a strong supporter of Learning and Development.  Comprehensive e-learning package to be completed upon taking up the position as well as mandatory consular training.

Further opportunities for continuous personal and professional development offered throughout the period of the employment.


This position is open to Hong Kong citizens, permanent residents, and partners/dependents of UK-based diplomatic staff currently posted in Hong Kong. Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Candidates must have or be able to obtain work authorisation for Hong Kong in order to apply.

Please note 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.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.

All information provided by applicants will be used for recruitment purposes only. Unsuccessful recruitment information will be kept for 12 months

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.