View Vacancy - Visits, Immersion Programme and Support officer , New Delhi, B3
Main purpose of job:
This role is at the heart of the political section and High Commission, working to plan and deliver high quality VIP and senior visits that further UK / High Comission objectives and meet customer expectations. The Delhi visits schedule is one of the most varied and high profile in our overseas network - calmness under pressure, creativity, confidence in dealing with senior stakeholders and decision-making skills are crucial. In return you will get a high level of exposure to senior leadership and witness diplomacy in action.
You will also be responsible for managing a refresh of our approach to immersion programme for senior staff, working with our network of DHC teams to put in place relationships to ensure a sustainable approach to immersion programmes. You will work as part of a small team supporting visits, events and business management for the political team and will line manage a finance and support officer.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Visits, Events and projects
- Work with the Head of the Visits and Business Planning unit and across the Mission to plan and deliver VIP visit programmes that support wider High Commission objectives, including through innovative visit events and site visits.
- Provide on the ground support and act as visit lead during VIP visits when necessary, managing logistics and programme.
- Commission briefing for visits and quality control the standard of briefings from across the mission.
- Provide administrative support (e.g. write official correspondence, book travel, process payments) for Ministerial and other official VIP visits and events.
Immersion Programme
- Coordinate high quality cross-India immersion programmes for UK-based diplomats joining the India network.
- Review and design new immersion guidance and processes, by developing sustainable relationships and partnerships with external contacts and providers (e.g. language schools and voluntary schemes) ensuring that these meet procurement guidelines and demonstrate value for money.
- Quality control: monitor and ensure a high standard of programme content and logistics.
- Liaise directly with senior incoming staff and the immersion coordinator in London.
- Manage a budget of INR 1,300,000 per year and provide regular reporting on immersion spend accounting for value for money
Financial and Office Management
- Manage a Band A Finance and Office Management Officer
- Manage the political team’s budget – tracking spend against forecast and regularly reporting to team heads
- Process payments for the Political Team.
- Maintain the team’s IT filing system and ensure folders are correctly set up, labelled and archived as required.
- Update and maintain database of political contacts.
- Assist the Political Team with other ad-hoc administrative tasks such as scanning, travel/transport bookings etc.
- Flexible support to the Department on priority projects/goals.
Essential on arrival: Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint experience.
Previous office skills – including experience of working in a busy office environment and team working.
Experience of prioritising and using own initiative to deliver work in an office environment.
Experience managing budgets and processing payments.
SALARY PACKAGE
For British High Commission (BHC) candidates, the Local Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.
Salary will be Rs 53,358 per month together with 80% Security Allowance and an additional allowance of 18% in lieu of Provident Fund and Special Allowance/Superannuation Fund
For British High Commission (BHC) candidates, the Local Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.
Notional tax will be deducted if you are not liable to pay local tax.
The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent.We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays,leave provision; a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance.
Around half of our work force is women. We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment.
This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCO has anywhere across the globe. We are aiming to make it the best.
To Apply:
- Complete the Online Job Application Form
- Attach a detailed CV
- While applying for this position, upload the appraisal forms for the previous 2 years (if applicable).
- Complete this duly filled Pre Employment Questionnaire
Please Note:
- Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and no telephone enquires will be dealt with.
- The appointment will be subject to Police Verification and other checks including references.
The role will involve access to and handling of classified or sensitive commercial information therefore, Applicant must already hold a minimum of the UK’s SC level of clearance or be able to achieve it. Because of the security clearance requirement only nationals of the following countries are eligible to apply:
UK ,Canada, Australia, USA, New Zealand. British citizens must have been resident in the UK for at least two of the previous 10 years.
However, applications will be considered from candidates working overseas for HM Government in the past ten years or who already hold adequate security clearance.
Applicants who do not meet this criterion will not be considered.
Employment will be offered only after appropriate level of UK standard security clearance is received.No relocation, housing or any other related costs or assistance will be provided
What we do:
This position will provide the successful candidate with excellent experience in a pivotal role in the Political team, one of the busiest teams in the mission. A large number of VIP and official visits are managed by the Political Team each year, as well as regular high profile events and ongoing bilateral projects and programmes.
What we want from you:
This is a fascinating role working at the heart of the British High Commission. The successful candidate will work on a range of high profile tasks, including delivering creative visits, immersion programmes and supporting the political team delivering across a range of interesting objectives. There will be opportunities for the job holder to develop their own and use their initiative and creativity to meet their goals.
The successful candidate will be a key part in a large team, and must establish relationships with colleagues in both the High Commission and the network across India, as well as external contacts. Therefore strong interpersonal skills are essential. This will be especially important in managing the Immersion Programme where the candidate will be required to use their own initiative in setting up interesting and useful programme elements for new UK staff with a range of external organisations and contacts.
The candidate will need to manage administrative, budgetary and logistics processes to the highest possible standard. The successful candidate will need to be systematic and thorough in their approach to tasks, have strong initiative and excellent attention to detail, a ‘can do’ attitude and resilience under pressure. They should have a strong focus on achieving value for money and efficiency.
Strong IT skills will be essential for the candidate to perform their role effectively as well as supporting other members of the team.
The successful candidate will also be fully involved in many of our high profile VIP visits, providing crucial admin and budget management support, as well as being involved in delivering various elements of the visit programme. The successful candidate will need to have strong problem solving skills and be able to deliver at pace to provide effective on the ground support to VIP visits.
We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, a good team-player, a self-starter who is keen to use their initiative, deliver quickly and efficiently, and can produce a high quality immersion programme.
Working at the heart of the British High Commission, the job will particularly suit someone with a strong interest in politics, international affairs and the UK.
The British High Commission offers an excellent package of structured training, mentoring, job-shadowing and supports staff to have a good work/life balance.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
