View Vacancy - Consular Assistant (FRA18.117)

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

The British Embassy in Paris is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. It is also part of the UK’s France Network (including offices in Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseilles and representation to international organisations in Paris (OECD and UNESCO) and Strasbourg (CoE).

The British Embassy is currently looking for a Consular Assistant to work in the consular team in Paris, part of the France Consular Network which provides a high quality, professional and efficient service to British residents and over 15 million annual British visitors that travel through France.


As a member of the Consular Section, you will be part of the team that is responsible for ensuring that a high quality consular service is delivered to British nationals visiting the Paris Consular services team. You will work closely with another Consular Assistant and a team of 5 Pro-Consuls, assisting them in delivering Paris’ objectives under the Consular Strategy and France-wide business plans.


The successful candidate will be working in a fast paced environment, where the ability to work under pressure and a high resilience to trauma are vital. S/he will often have the chance to make a direct difference to someone’s life in very challenging circumstances, and to sometimes deal with extremely sensitive cases or respond to crises.

Roles and responsibilities:

Consular reception – issuing emergency travel documents and dealing with a variety of customer needs. This work involves contact with the customer in person, handling several customers at a time and managing the work flow of the busy reception, sometimes on your own.

Processing certificates of customs applications for British nationals getting married or pacsed in France, dealing with customers enquiries and with incomplete applications.

Carrying out specific tasks on consular cases under the Pro-Consuls supervision.

Ensuring that the information provided in the reception area is up to date, including the various notices and handouts – Updating lists and various consular databases.

Dealing with incoming correspondence from British nationals, local French authorities and some UK authorities on a wide range of consular issues.


  • Excellent communication and customer service skills, including an ability to support customers in traumatic or difficult circumstances.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English (C2) and French (C2). Language skills will be tested during interview process.
  • Ability to work at pace and prioritise, managing an often heavy workload;
  • Flexible, resilient, patient and able to deal with difficult situations, including work unsocial hours in an emergency;
  • Ability to work collaboratively work with colleagues in France, Wider Europe Network and the UK
  • Capable of adapting to changing priorities and able to work under pressure;
  • Able to display a high level of discretion and responsibility;
  • Good attention to detail;
  • Computer literacy in all Microsoft packages and accurate typing skills;
  • Ability to travel within France and Europe.
  • Previous experience in consular services, or in another support-providing organisation would be an advantage;
  • The ideal candidate would have general knowledge of the local French administrative system.
29 March 2018
Administrative Assistant (AA)
Fixed Term, Part-Time
28
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
France
Paris
British Embassy
1
EUR
2,004 gross
16 April 2018

This is a part-time and 1 year fixed-term position.


All appointments are subject to professional background check satisfactory security clearance. The successful applicant will be required to provide a copy of his/her passport or national identity card for all nationalities held, an up-to-date criminal record (casier judiciaire) for recent countries of residence (which can be obtained online at www.justice.gouv.fr/cjn/), two written proofs of address (utility invoices and/or bank statements) and two references.


Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in France are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local French employment law and FCO guidance for Local Staff. The posts we offer are not an entry point into the UK’s Diplomatic Service.


Your application will only be considered if you follow the guidance below:

  • Your application must be sent in English only.
  • Your application must clearly indicate all nationalities you hold.

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.

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.