View Vacancy - Pro Consul

The successful candidate will have the ability to deliver a professional and efficient Consular service to British Nationals in the Sultanate of Oman.

The main purpose of the role, reporting to the Vice Consul, is to ensure that British Nationals receive a professional high quality service and advice provided is accurate, timely and consistent, and offered in a sensitive manner in line with FCO 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.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide accurate advice and assistance in a sensitive manner to British Nationals and their families via face to face (pre-arranged meetings/walk-ins), telephone or email on a range of issues such as:

Ø  Detainees, including visiting police stations and prisons

Ø  Hospitalisations

Ø  Dealing with bereaved families

Ø  Child custody issues

Ø  Missing Persons

Ø  Mental Health

Ø  Other sensitive cases such as rape, child abduction, forced marriage.

• Maintain accurate and concise case records of services provided (CASEBOOK/BRIDGE)
• Ensure all customer correspondence are replied to in a timely and efficient way, providing consistent, accurate information in accordance with FCO guidelines.
• Be prepared to work out of hours, and occasionally anti-social hours, as required.
• Take part in the Embassy emergency planning committee and any response to a Crisis affecting UK citizens.  
• Administering the appointment system
• Providing a range of 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
• Issuing Consular notices and newsletters and maintaining a wardens network in Oman

Prevention Communications and Outreach

• Working with the Vice Consul to help deliver high quality local prevention and communications work, working closely with the post 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.

General

• Carry out other reasonable ad-hoc duties in support of the Consular function.
• Cover for the Vice Consul during leave
• Participate in other Embassy committees and support corporate activities as appropriate

Competencies:

The candidate will need to demonstrate the following competencies during the interview:

• Delivering at Pace: Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. For all staff, it’s about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way.
• Making Effective Decisions: Effectiveness in this area is about being objective; using sound judgment, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice. It means showing clarity of thought, setting priorities, analysing and using evidence to evaluate options before arriving at well-reasoned justifiable decisions.
• Managing a Quality Service: This area is about being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. People who are effective plan, organise and manage their time and activities to deliver a high quality and efficient service, applying programme and project management approaches to support service delivery. 
• Changing and Improving: People who are effective in this area are responsive, innovative and seek out opportunities to create effective change. It’s about being open to change, suggesting ideas for improvements to the way things are done, and working in ‘smarter’, more focused ways.

• Excellent IT skills including knowledge and experience of all Microsoft office applications.  
• Accurate and speedy typing skills;
• Excellent written and spoken English
• A team player who is capable of working on his or her own initiative and is adaptable to changing priorities. Must be able to work and act without close supervision;
• Excellent customer care skills and the ability to respond to a range of customers needs;
• Good interpersonal skills;
• Travel within the Gulf region (and possibly further afield) maybe required for training and logistical purposes; and
• Consular work can sometimes be stressful and of a sensitive nature. The successful applicant will therefore be expected to maintain absolute consular confidentiality and impartiality and have a resilient approach.
• Good understanding of local laws and culture.