View Vacancy - Pro Consul

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 Muscat is looking for a dynamic team player to take up the position of Pro Consul, job grade Administrative Officer (AO).

The successful candidate will support British people living, travelling and working in our region by: providing high quality, accessible consular services, focused on those most in need; responding rapidly to all crises, leading cross-government action; and reducing preventable incidents affecting British people through collaboration with partners and governments.

Reporting to the Vice Consul, the main purpose of the role is to ensure that British Nationals receive a professional, high-quality service and that advice provided is accurate, timely, and consistent, and offered in a sensitive manner and in line with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) guidance. This will include developing and maintaining contacts with local authorities and in the community, providing notarial and documentary services, and taking part in our communications and prevention work.

In response to local or regional crisis, the jobholder will play a key role in the section’s response and deployment.

The successful candidate will need to be a self-starter, highly motivated, and have excellent interpersonal and office management skills.

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 Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Consular Strategy, consular guidance and Customer Charter, business targets and local procedures.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Provide professional and efficient Consular service
  • Provide accurate advice and assistance in a sensitive manner to British Nationals (BNs) and their families via face-to-face, telephone, or email on a range of issues such as: arrests/ detention, hospitalisations, supporting bereaved families, mental health, child custody issues, debt and employment issues, and other sensitive cases such as sexual assault or forced marriage.
  • Maintain accurate and concise case records of services provided on consular databases.
  • Ensure all customer correspondence are replied to in a timely and efficient way, providing consistent, accurate information in accordance with FCDO guidelines.
  • Be prepared to work out of hours, occasionally anti-social hours, as required.
  • Take part in the Embassy emergency planning and any response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.
  • Administering the appointment system.
  • Provide counter services including notarial work and Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs), ensuring consistent customer service to BNs.
  • Collecting fees, cashing up, and other financial requirement.
  • Ensure deadlines for Returns and Management Information are met.
  • Prevention Communications and Outreach
  • Working to help to deliver high quality local prevention and communications work, working closely with the Embassy’s Press/ Communications Team and other senior stakeholders. Producing materials, using social media and attending events.
  • Monitor changes in local procedures and practices, ensuring that all information and guidance for BNs reflects changes and is up to date, e.g. service providers, lawyers list, travel advice, web pages.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required.

Key Behaviours:

The candidate will need to demonstrate the following competencies and the values of who we are during the interview:

  • Delivering at Pace - Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
  • Making Effective Decisions - Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
  • Managing a Quality Service - Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
  • Changing and Improving - Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.

Our Values:

Wherever we work in the world, we share a set of values that guides our decision-making, sets standards for our behaviour and helps us deliver the UK's national interest internationally.

These values are underpinned by the UK Civil Service values (Integrity, Honesty, Objectivity, Impartiality) and complemented by values all One HMG colleagues bring from their own department, service or administration.

  • Fluent in English both written and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
  • A minimum of one (1) year experience in a customer facing role, with excellent customer care skills and the ability to respond to a range of customers’ needs.
  • Flexibility and patience to deal with often difficult and demanding situations, including the ability to sometimes work unsocial hours in a consular emergency or crisis.
  • Excellent interpersonal and active listening skills, with the ability to cultivate and maintain a range of contacts at all levels.
  • A team player who is capable of working on their initiative and who is adaptable to changing priorities. Must be able to work and act without close supervision.
  • IT literate and well versed in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and with accurate typing skills.
  • Arabic language skills, both written and spoken, is desirable but not required.
  • Professional background in social work and/ or providing support to vulnerable people would be an advantage.
  • Previous Consular or related experience/ training, or experience of working in an operational delivery or customer service role with another embassy/ foreign diplomatic mission, NGO, or an international organisation.
  • General knowledge of the Oman administrative systems, including the justice system, laws and regulations, and social services.
  • Previous experience of creating engaging outreach content, use of social media and other platforms.
Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace
4 December 2022
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
35
Middle East & North Africa
Oman
Muscat
British Embassy
1
OMR
818.4
1 February 2023

Eligibility:

  1. The successful candidate must hold or must be able to secure a local work permit in Muscat.
  2. The British Embassy provides Visa Sponsorship. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy's sponsorship.

Working Conditions and Remuneration:

The Embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package for the role, including a non-negotiable salary of 818.4 Omani Riyals per month inclusive of all allowances; and use of on-site recreational facilities including a swimming pool and social club.

This position is for a full-time employment, on a permanent basis subject to 3-month probationary period.

Conditioned working hours are 35 hours per week. Standard working hours are 0730 to 1430 Sunday to Thursday. However, the successful candidate may sometimes be required to work outside normal working hours. 

Holiday entitlement is 30 days per year (pro-rated) following successful completion of a 3-month probation period. Holidays that have already been booked will be honoured. There are also national holidays determined annually by the Embassy, which usually total 14 days per year.

The successful candidate will have a full training provided which can include training in the UK and other posts within the MENASA region. Mandatory consular training to be completed before access to systems.

Employment in the advertised position is dependent on the potential employee having or acquiring valid UK security clearance. Security clearances can take several weeks to process. Inability to obtain a clearance will preclude employment. Loss of a security clearance at any time will lead to termination of employment.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must include 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2) a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and 3) examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.

Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.

Closing date of receiving applications is on 04 December 2022 by 23:55 (local time).

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered. Telephone applications and enquiries will not be accepted.

Process:

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two months.

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 and reference checks. 

The successful applicant's employment will only be confirmed after the completion of any security clearance/checks. The checks can take several weeks to complete and the applicant will only be employed if the UK security clearance is granted.

 

The British Embassy Muscat is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.  Staffs recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Muscat Employment Law.

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.