View Vacancy - Assistant to the Defence Attache (AUT22.581)

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Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
MOD (Ministry of Defence)

The British Embassy in Vienna is part of a worldwide network, representing British political, economic, commercial and consular interests overseas. We are currently looking for a Assistant to the Defence Attaché.

Operating within the British Embassy Vienna, the Assistant to the Defence Attaché (ADA) working directly to and in support of the resident Defence Attaché:

  • supports the DA in monitoring and analysing emerging Austrian defence policy, both in Brussels (as an EU member or as a NATO Partner) and in Austria. This analysis is then reported to MOD and FCDO in order to assist influence over both the development and implementation of Austrian policies on security and defence matters of key concern to the UK, in particular within the framework of NATO and the EU;
  • assists in the delivery of Defence Engagement within Austria;
  • assists with the delivery of Austrian support to UK Defence activity;
  • is responsible for the overall administrative management of the Defence Section.

External contact is a major component of the position requiring a high level of interaction at a senior level demanding clear and concise communication skills linked to an ability to understand and deliver against MOD/FCDO regional Defence/Security objectives. The post requires the ADA to be able to work autonomously set against broad but well defined boundaries and be comfortable with acting on personal initiative and analysis, where decision making is routine. This includes the compilation of briefing material and draft submissions for MOD desk officers (Colonel and above) and visiting senior delegations. The job also involves the handling of sensitive information; this requires a high level of discretion and diplomacy.

Main roles and responsibilities:

  • Analysis: Using own and Embassy/DA network, ensure MOD/FCDO are completely current on developments in Austrian Defence and what the implications may be for UK. This demands reading reports in German/English, talking to others and offering considered opinion, as guided by colleagues and the DA.
  • Administrative Management: Ensure general and financial management practices are exemplary and comply with MOD policies and procedures to attain an ‘excellent’ assessment from the annual MOD DALS in-country inspection.
  • Interpersonal Skills:  Persuade, prioritise and negotiate to build cooperation and consensus within the British Embassy Vienna, and externally with Austrian MOD and the UK MOD.  Represent the DA on a variety of subjects; serve on various committees; brief HMA and attend meetings in the DA’s absence.
  • Knowledge:  Apply substantive knowledge in order to assist and represent the DA thoroughly in the scope, diversity, and complexity of all programme operations and organisational commitments.
    Problem Solving:  Anticipate and negotiate solutions for potential problems that could impact the DA and the scope of internal and external responsibilities/activities
  • Planning and Organising:  Use judgment and independence to make changes to schedules for the DA to prevent conflicts in scheduling. Track and monitor pending issues for follow-up and independently develop agenda for future meetings.  Organise and assimilate documents for scheduled meetings or presentations.  Produce, in consultation with the DA, a forward visit schedule for the next financial year, including all regional travel requirements, by 1 May each year
  • Support to UK Defence activities in Austria: The ADA will lead on assisting the execution of all UK Defence activities in, across or over Austria, whether operational or training, ranging from convoys requiring host nation support to 5000 pax conducting winter sports.
  • International Defence Trg (IDT):
  1. The ADA has delegated responsibility for the overall promotion & management of UK IDT within Austria.
  2. The ADA is to act as the focal point for all UK IDT in Austria and actively engage with the senior training officers within the Austrian MOD and UK single Service IDT Directorates to deliver growth in Austrian military personnel trained by the UK military and civilian defence institutions.
  • Defence Engagement: Recognise and develop opportunities for bilateral activity in support of the UK regional Defence/Security objectives. To allow the Defence Section to deliver against this, the ADA is to:
  1. In consultation with the DA, develop and maintain an engagement database of opportunities for communication and building relationships with both internal and external agencies for each financial year that is to be refreshed annually and incorporated within the overall Defence Section Engagement Plan by 1 Apr for the subsequent period.
  2. Construct and maintain a forward plan of social engagements for the DA with targeted areas of interest set against the DRE allocation; this is to be provisionally agreed with the DA on a 4 month rotational basis.
  3. Maintain an appropriate file structure in the Defence shared area on the FCDO IT system.
  4. Monitor Austrian media links.
  5. Assist FCDO colleagues with the writing and translation of articles for the Austrian/British Embassy web page (and the upkeep of social media) related to defence and facilitate media presence at the Defence Section events.
  6. Plan and coordinate the Remembrance Sunday service and conduct the Poppy appeal in the Austria.
  7. Draft the monthly country report for UK MOD on behalf DA
  • Proficient level C in English and German according to the CEFR for languages framework
  • Discretion, experience in producing reports and budget management,  excellent communications skills, experience in data analysis
  • Good administration/IT skills, including iPhone, Microsoft Office (notably Outlook and Excel)
  • Ability and willingness to work within a dispersed team (with fellow ADA's in Slovenia and Switzerland) covering for each other as necessary remotely from Vienna.
  • Successful completion of vetting/security process to SC level.
  • Project management experience (no qualification needed)
  • Driving licence (group B)
Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace
6 December 2022
Executive Officer (EO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
35
12 months
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Austria
Vienna
British Embassy
1
EUR
€ 3987 (gross monthly)
3 April 2023

This is a country based staff position in the British Embassy in Vienna; it is not a diplomatic designated position. The position is subject to the terms and conditions of British Embassy employees.

This is a full-time (35 hours per week) fixed-term contract. Working hours are 5 days a week working from 09:00 to 17:00 and staff are entitled to time-off-in-lieu for extra hours worked.

The annual leave entitlement is 25 days per year pro rata and the Embassy also enjoys 14 Austrian / UK public holidays per year and we are committed to ensuring a work / life balance.

The successful candidate will be subject to confirmation of a background check and security clearance. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they are legally able to work in Austria. The Embassy is not able to assist with any visa or sponsorship arrangements.

The monthly salary will be € 3,987 gross, payable 14 times a year. Please note that UK nationals will receive their salary net, minus the deduction of an equivalent level of Austrian (UK) tax retained at source. Further information on this will be given to candidates during the recruitment process. All other nationals will receive paid their salary minus social insurance deductions and are expected to comply with Austrian tax obligations through completion of a tax return to the Austrian authorities.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to terms and conditions service according to Austrian employment law.

Visa / Passport requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Austria and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Additional requirements may become necessary pending EU Exit. If requirements change additional eligibility, information will be shared during the recruitment process.

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 advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

*Please note Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment  indicates Level C as Mastery or proficiency Level which comprehends that a person can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read; can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation; can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations. For more information please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.

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.