View Vacancy - KL - Consular Officer (Full-Time), A2 (L)
The British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is part of a global network providing a full range of consular assistance to British people in Malaysia in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) published Consular Guidance and Customer Charter, Consular Services Strategy, local procedures, guidance and performance standards. The successful candidate will be working in a fast-paced environment where the ability to work under pressure is vital. Consular officers have the opportunity to make a direct difference to people’s lives in sometimes challenging circumstances. The job requires dealing with sometimes extremely sensitive cases, or responding to crises.
Roles and responsibilities
Operational Delivery - Case Management Practice
Manage a full range of casework for British people requiring consular assistance in Malaysia, ensuring that clients’ needs are assessed according to guidelines and cases are planned and delivered in line with FCO policies and local procedures.
Effectively manage and prioritise caseload, maintain timely and accurate records using the FCO’s consular casework system. Where necessary, travel within Malaysia to provide assistance directly to the customer.
Supporting British people who have been hospitalised through ill health or as a result of an accident, by advising them of the options available to them (or their family), monitor their welfare including visits where appropriate. Advise the patient, their friends or families on local procedures and liaise with medical staff and relevant authorities and medical/insurance providers.
In the event of a death of a British person in Malaysia, assist the bereaved next of kin by explaining local procedures, liaising with international undertakers and relevant local authorities.
Support British people who have been arrested and/or detained in Malaysia, by providing information about local procedures and legal service providers, undertake regular visits to monitor their welfare and liaise with the authorities on any welfare matters or health referrals in line with the international standards. Undertake urgent visits as required.
In addition provide assistance to British people who are:
- Victims of serious crimes, such as assaults or sexual/domestic violence.
- Experiencing mental health issues, have other safeguarding concerns, or are missing in Malaysia.
- Experiencing financial difficulties.
- In need of assistance on family matters such as child safeguarding, custody or abduction issues.
- Involved in crisis or emergency situations (sometimes requires unsociable working hours).
- Requiring general consular information and advice, in person by telephone or via correspondence.
Operations Support
In support of Consular operations:
Issuance of Emergency Travel Documents for British Nationals.
Issuance of letters required by Malaysian authorities.
Finance management of Consular Fees collected.
Support the maintenance of accurate information and service provider lists for inclusion into published documentation and guidance.
Teamwork and Learning
Personal administration and management including participation in the annual appraisal system.
Responsible for completing personal development plan and maintaining skills and knowledge proficiency.
Undertake ad hoc tasks as directed by line manager.
Team player proving support and understanding to colleagues including dealing with traumatic events, distressed British people and complex cases.
Projects and Engagement
Participate in projects in the Malaysia Country Business Plan and Consular Team objectives
Support where appropriate outreach, engagement or partnership initiatives building relationships with key stakeholders, authorities and partner organisations.
Play an active part in Prevention work
Business Continuity and Resilience
In crisis /emergency situations work as required to support High Commission response (sometimes on a shift pattern working unsociable hours).
In times of peak operational demand, work flexibly within the section.
Essential on arrival
- Fluent in written and spoken English.
- Considerable experience of working in a customer facing environment including the ability to support customers in traumatic or difficult circumstances.
- Experience of working in challenging, stressful situations, demonstrating a high level of resilience.
- Excellent communication skills, approachable, emphatic with enhanced customer and listening skills.
- Ability to work at pace and prioritise, managing a sometimes heavy workload.
- Sound judgement, critical thinking and problem solving skills using procedures and guidance.
- Flexible, resilient, patient and able to deal with difficult situations, including work unsocial hours in an emergency.
- Proven experience of displaying a high level of discretion and responsibility.
- Ability to liaise with and manage external stakeholder relationships.
- Experience in completing timely and accurate written information in English.
- IT proficiency – Using MS Office, Outlook and ability to learn FCO systems.
- Ability to travel within Malaysia and further afield if required.
- Experience of living in or understanding of the United Kingdom, British people and culture.
- Previous experience in consular services, or in another support-providing organisation would be an advantage.
- Ability to write and speak Bahasa Malayu
The British High Commission offers a competitive remuneration package, benefits, leave entitlement of 20 days per annum (calculated on pro rata basis) and works hard to provide L&D opportunities to staff. There are a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job-shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the Diplomatic Academy and Civil Service Learning. The jobholder will be required to take some specific training courses related to their role. All new staff undertake a workplace induction and there are a number of mandatory e-learning courses covering areas such as diversity, health and safety, and information management.
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, keeping in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Consular Strategy, consular guidance and Customer Charter, business targets and local procedures
Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre- employment and security checks. Staff who are locally recruited by the British High Commission are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law
No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. You must have or be able to obtain a valid work permit.
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The successful candidate must also be available to attend a 1 week training course in the UK within the first 3-6 months of employment.
Working patterns:
This is a full time customer facing role where team members need to be available to deliver services required by customers.
Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.
Indicated start date is provisional and subject to successful completion of reference and security checks.
Kindly check your application centre or email regularly for any update on the status of your application.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
