View Vacancy - Consular Officer

Main purpose of job

As part of the Americas Consular Team, the Consular Officer will be expected to deliver a high quality consular service to British nationals in Chile and to provide effective support to ensure the smooth running of the Consular Section according to best practice. The Consular Officer will be responsible for dealing professionally with consular assistance cases and all consular fee-related matters. The job holder will also assist the Head of Section with Prevention projects and consular elements of crisis management.

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

• Consular Assistance: Providing consular assistance to British & other entitled nationals within current guidelines. This could include visiting British nationals in hospital, or in jail, and providing support to family members following bereavement, dealing with funeral directors and Legal Medical Service, a child abduction or custody matter, and providing advice and assistance following a rape or sexual assault. Creating and updating case files on the corporate database and managing cases to a satisfactory conclusion. Keeping the Vice Consul informed of developments in cases. Informing the CROM/CRD of high profile/complex cases. Ensure that Consular Business Targets (CBT’s) for all cases are met. Exceptionally, participating in call out arrangements for emergency cases out of hours when our Global Response Centre in London requests local support. Processing Emergency Travel Documents and providing notarial and other documentary services. Arranging ceremonies for same sex marriages and British Citizenship. Responding to customers enquiries, written and face to face customer enquiries. Arranging appointments and managing the electronic appointments calendar.
• Consular Prevention: Assist the Head of Section in the delivery of the prevention programme in Santiago. To advise and inform internal and external stakeholders on our wider consular priorities. Managing updating the consular database of contacts in Santiago and the Regions, as well as identifying new contacts and stakeholders.
• Consular Crisis: Working with the Head of Section on the consular elements of Post’s Consular Management Plan, to ensure effective preparation, response and recovery in the event of a crisis.
• Regional Responsibilities: The Consular team in Chile is part of the Americas Consular Network; as such there is the opportunity to provide regional resilience in Posts within the Network.
• Training and Corporate Activities: Participating in training courses and regional conferences, e-learning, and self-development. Represent consular section at Embassy meetings and attendance at other corporate activities is required.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure)

Consular fees, imprests.

• The successful candidate must have 1+ years of relevant work experience (to include working with the public). A relevant Bachelor's Degree, or equivalent experience in a relevant field, is required.

• Proven track record of excellent communication skills, both oral and written.

• Must have good organisational skills and the ability to work efficiently and accurately under pressure.

• Ability to handle personal issues/information and deal with staff and clients in a friendly and sensitive manner.

• The successful candidate must have a high degree of personal resilience and empathy.

• A good knowledge of multi-cultural Britain, its language, and geography.

• Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite.

• The successful candidate must also be available to attend a 1 week training course in the UK within the first 3 months of employment.

Level of language required: Excellent English and Spanish