View Vacancy - PA to Defence Attaché - Mogadishu B3 (17/18 NR)
Main purpose of job:
To provide administrative and logistical support to the Defence Attache (DA) and Defence Section at the British Embassy in Mogadishu (BEM), working remotely from Nairobi but with visits to Mogadishu. To work with the ADA to co-ordinate and assist with Military Diplomatic and Flight clearances.
Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:
Diary Management and correspondence:
- Provide administrative support to the DA across the full range of PA functions e.g. managing diaries; booking internal and external appointments and logistical arrangements (e.g. rooms; transport arrangements, refreshments; setting up teleconferences and VTCs); drafting and responding to correspondence and invitations and ensuring a clear and accessible filing system for the Defence Section e.g. for Note Verbales; for Military Dip Clearances, maintaining up to date contact lists e.g. for the military community in Nairobi and Mogadishu;
- Arrange logistics for DA and ADA when travelling in and out of Mogadishu e.g. booking flights/ hotels and transport;
- Provide an interface between DA and the rest of the Embassy e.g. highlighting diary opportunities; ensuring that briefing is in hand in advance of meetings; communicating DA travel arrangements.
Events and visits support:
- Maintain up to date contacts lists and coordinate guest lists for official events at BEM e.g. QBP; Remembrance;
- Work with the Corporate Services Team regarding support to official Defence events and HMA’s EA regarding cross mission events e.g. layout; menus, staff supervision etc;
- Work with visits leads across Government Departments to help plan and prepare for official Defence visits;
CSSF:
- Assist Defence Section in drafting business cases, MOUs, and proposals for CSSF activity.
- Interface with Nairobi CSSF for routine understanding of CSSF business that affects the Defence Section.
Resource Management:
- Support the Defence Section regulatory and compliance checklist;
- Manage the prism interface and accounting with the Nairobi BHC Defence Section.
Line Management:
Programme the DA’s use of the LE driver.
Corporate:
- Contribute to the corporate agenda at British Embassy Mogadishu/ BHC Nairobi eg by participating in committees.
- Maintain and update Gift Register for Defence Section.
- Co-ordinate new staff induction programme and flights/hotels – pre arrival documentation; liaison with DALSC to ensure recces to Post are factored in and all pre deployment training is notified
- Advise Defence Section on allowances and activity through liaison with DE STRAT and GAU
- Keep up to date with DE STRAT Defence Instructions and Notices; and new publications that affect Defence Section Mogadishu
- Liaison with Nairobi OSM/Security/Visitors
- Information sharing between Defence Section Mogadishu and the East Africa Defence Sections.
- Where possible provide limited leave cover for HMA’s PA.
- Business cards for Defence Section.
- Experience of working in a fast paced high pressure environment;
- Excellent organisational and IT skills (including working knowledge of MS office packages (excel; word, powerpoint etc);
- Excellent interpersonal skills and strong team player;
- The ability to respond flexibly to competing demands, often at short notice;
- The ability to rigorously prioritise and identify and apply new systems as required, including to ensure smarter ways of working for the Defence Section;
- Discretion and confidentiality;
- A good eye for detail (events planning; guest lists).
Leave:
Members of staff are entitled to paid annual leave, which is earned, from the day they commence employment. Entitlements are as follows:
- Grades B3 (L) and above- 30 days
In addition to annual leave, the BHC normally observes no fewer than 9 and no more than 14 Kenyan and British public and religious holidays in a year. These vary from year to year and are at the discretion of the High Commissioner. A list of holidays is published each year.
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The individual will agree a targeted Personal Development Plan with their Line Manager.
Working patterns:
Monday to Thursday: 0715 - 1600
• Friday: 0745 - 1300.
It is possible for the individual to work from home. Travel to Mogadishu will be required. A willingness to work flexibility to support BEM working hours is also required. Contact with Defence Section will be remotely and in order to balance visits into Mogadishu.
Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):
It is a busy role that has to juggle multiple competing demands. The individual will be based in Nairobi, with frequent (often short notice) visits to Mogadishu, as agreed by Post and subject to SAFE/ SAFE Plus training. This requires the individual to be adaptable and resilient, as well as open to different ways of working. It also requires the individual to help set up systems and structures to ensure institutional memory is built and that the Defence Section can concentrate on engagement with Somalis, African Union and international community.
Flexibility and out of hours working will be required, which would be eligible for TOIL as agreed by their Line Manager. The applicant must be cleared to LE Official Sensitive (restricted) level.
- Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
- Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
- The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
- Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Nairobi are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Kenya.
- It is essential that the applicants already have the right to live and work in Kenya without the need to apply for a work permit
- Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
- Information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework Please note: Job grade AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
- Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
This opportunity is closed to applications.