View Vacancy - Personal Assistant to the HM Deputy Trade Commissioner

The Department of International Trade at the British Embassy in Cairo is seeking a Personal Assistant to the HM Deputy Trade Commissioner grade A2 (L) to start in July 2019.

Main purpose of the job:

The Department for International Trade (DIT) Africa is one of nine international regions and is led by Emma Wade-Smith, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner and two Deputy Trade Commissioners.  We are looking for a personal assistant to the Deputy Trade Commissioner based in Cairo to efficiently manage the Deputy Trade Commissioner’s schedule and activities, as well as carry provide administrative support to the wider DIT Africa Network. 

The Department’s role is to increase prosperity in the UK and overseas through increasing trade and investment. The Trade Commissioner’s role is to lead the pan-African trade and investment team to increase the value of the commercial relationship between Africa and the UK. 

The Africa Region is exciting and energising and UK firms have a strong presence here, making the UK the second largest foreign investor on the continent. With some of the fastest growing economies in the world and booming population growth there are numerous more opportunities for UK firms; from tech start-ups in the West to infrastructure in the East and everything in between. The DIT Network’s role is to promote these opportunities to UK businesses and position the UK as the African continent’s largest G7 investor and a key trading partner. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Support to the Deputy Trade Commissioner

• Efficiently manage the Deputy Trade Commissioner’s time by organising the diary and daily papers, and prioritising and responding to invitations and requests for meetings.
• Deal with routine enquiries; ensure that all correspondence (letters, emails, faxes, etc) is dealt with correctly and efficiently.
• Plan and support the DIT Africa team’s planning and implementing of the Deputy Trade Commissioner’s travel, including flights, visas, hotels, programme and papers.
• Complete all expenses and other ad-hoc tasks for the Deputy Trade Commissioner accurately and efficiently. 
• Commission and collate briefing as required for the Deputy Trade Commissioner events/meetings.
• Act as the Deputy Trade Commissioner’s Information Management Officer, ensuring that information is recorded and stored correctly.

Support to the DIT Egypt Team

• Provide similar support to other seniors as requested.
• Support in organising VIP and senior official visitor programmes, regional visits and DIT Egypt team internal events, e.g.  Arranging programmes, organising networking receptions, managing hotel bookings and all dealing with relevant logistics.
• Support to multisector inward & outward missions including logistics, transport, hotel accommodation, etc
• Check, validate and maintain DIT Egypt contacts database. Co-ordinate in case of HMA and embassy events where DIT Egypt need to contribute to guest lists
• Ensure that DIT activity is accurately recorded on the Data hub management information system.
• Manage other corporate tasks including team procurement, leave rotas and DIT participation in embassy corporate activity.
• Work as a flexible and adaptable member of the DIT Africa Network in order to work on varying tasks from both the Hub and across the Network.

Key Competencies: 

• Making Effective Decisions - People skilled in this area create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done.
• Collaborating and Partnering - People skilled in this area create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done.
• Leading and Communicating – Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. It’s about supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.
• Delivering at Pace - Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes.

• Minimum 3 years work experience in a similar administrative role
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English
• Self-starter
• Excellent IT skills