View Vacancy - Diversity Internship – multiple positions within the Three Missions’ Internship Programme (BEL21.199)

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.
UK Mission
Public Diplomacy

Note: Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign. We are working hard to minimise any disruption. You may find more information in the Additional Information section below.

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, 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.

This internship scheme is to recruit several interns for 3 to 6 months to join the UK’s three Missions in Brussels: our Mission to the European Union (UKMis), our Embassy to Belgium or our Delegation to NATO. As an intern, you would be working in one of these Missions, depending on your preference and skills set. We will support you throughout your time in the UK Missions with training and mentoring, taking into account your future ambitions and aiming to provide relevant exposure to the areas that interest you. Unless specified below as an essential requirement, all training is possible on the job.

This is an opportunity to find out what it is like to work in a diplomatic mission. We would particularly welcome applications from those with diverse backgrounds, for example, if you are a person of colour, have an ethnic minority background or if you consider yourself disabled. Candidates from these backgrounds are too often under-represented in public institutions and in our missions.  As such, it is also an opportunity for you to influence and shape the future of our mission’s diversity and inclusion efforts by sharing your thoughts and experience on how we can progress further. We welcome fresh and dynamic views, so experience in similar roles and/or completed university degree are not a requirement.

The British Embassy represents the UK’s political, economic and consular interests with Belgium.

The Political and Public Diplomacy Team sits at the heart of the British Embassy to Belgium. The team engages the Government of Belgium and provides reporting, analysis and external communications to support a range of UK interests in Belgium, including foreign policy, climate change, economic and security.

You will support the Political and Public Diplomacy Team, supporting them with research such as on Covid 19, Belgian politics and campaigns such as climate in the run up to and after the UK’s hosting of COP26. A bespoke project you will lead during your internship in the Embassy will be to map UK-Belgium people to people links. You will participate in Embassy outreach, supporting events and meetings. You will also offer general administrative support including arranging meetings and maintaining databases

The job of an Embassy is to understand the country it operates in. We encourage our staff to share their expertise and insight on life in Belgium, particularly across the areas on which the Embassy focusses, in order to deepen our understanding and promote a culture of debate.

Duration: 3 to 6 months

The UK Mission to the EU represents the interests of the UK towards the European Union, particularly in relation to our Trade and Partnership Agreement with the EU.

The jobholders will be expected to support and lead on tasks that help the teams and the organisation function, making sure everyone is supported and organised to do their job effectively. This will involve being flexible, willing and able to help out with a wide variety of tasks.

Your contribution in our Mission will also involve attending external events, assisting in delivering events and campaigns and contributing to our diversity committee. Interest in media, event organisation and diversity in the workplace will be an asset. Please indicate in your application if you have a specific interest in an EU policy area or speciality (media, events, research etc.).

Duration: 3 to 6 months

The UK Joint Delegation to NATO is the vital link between the UK Government and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Its principal roles are to promote British interests in NATO and to keep UK Ministers and Government Departments informed about NATO discussions.

You will have an excellent opportunity to gain political-military experience by providing support to UK Delegation to NATO’s (UKDEL) Operations team, working closely with their Crisis and Exercises lead and gain a unique insight into NATO’s annual Crisis Management Exercise (CMX) in March 2022. NATO is the bedrock of the UK’s defence and security. The UK plays a highly respected leadership role in the Alliance. The growing threat to the international order, and NATO’s increasing political weight and breadth of engagement, is also strengthening the Alliance’s importance to the UK’s foreign policy.

Duration: 6 months

The internship contract starting date can be discussed between the parties.

If you are selected for interview, we will ask about your preference of Mission and duration of traineeship. You do not have to specify this in your application, unless you wish to do so.

  • Excellent written and spoken English (minimum C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages*);
  • Excellent written and spoken French or Dutch (minimum C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages*) is a requirement only for the interns selected for the internship at the British Embassy ;
  • Have a strong motivation to make an impact on diversity and inclusion in society and the workplace, and relevant personal or professional experience;
  • Be interested in working in a public organisation;
  • Have good communications skills and welcome the opportunity to establish trusting relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences;
  • Have the ability to coordinate and organise activities;
  • Be proactive, have good organisation skills and look for opportunities to learn;
  • Enjoy working in a team;
  • Be familiar with MS Office tools.
20 June 2021
Internship
Part-Time, Full-time, Intern
36. 25 (requests for part-time working will be considered)
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Belgium
Brussels
British Government Office
8
EUR
€1.300
6 September 2021

These are full-time professional immersion traineeships with a duration of 3 to 6 months, 36.25 hours net for 5 working days a week, requests for part-time working will be considered.

The professional immersion indemnity for this position is €1.300 (pro-rated in case of a part time schedule). Additional benefits including allowances for public transport and daily subsistence costs of €7 per work day are also provided

Interns have access to 1 day of paid annual leave and 1 day of unpaid leave per month of internship.

Please note that Belgian nationals will be paid their salary gross and are expected to comply with their tax obligations through completion of a tax return to the Belgian authorities. Non-Belgian nationals will receive their salary net, minus the deduction of an equivalent level of Belgian tax retained at source. Further information on this will be given to candidates during the recruitment process.

Please be advised that the British Diplomatic Missions will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered an internship offer.

Professional Immersion Traineeship Requirements:

  • Be a minimum of 18 years old;
  • Proof of valid medical coverage for the period of the internship (European Health Insurance Card);
  • The successful candidates will be subject to professional background checks and security clearance;

Staff recruited locally by the British Diplomatic Missions in Belgium are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Belgian employment law.

Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Belgium and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.

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.

Information due to COVID-19:

  • You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption;
  • Interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action;
  • Starting date may be delayed depending on circumstances at the time and it will be agreed with the selected candidate.

*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment  levels  please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is 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.