View Vacancy - Pro Consul (2 vacancies)

The British Embassy in Rabat invites applications for the position of Pro Consul, Grade A2 (L).

Main purpose of the job: 

The Consular Section’s district covers all of Morocco and Mauritania. The jobholder will report to the Vice Consul in Rabat and work as part of a two-person Pro Consul team at the British Embassy in Rabat delivering high-quality consular services to British Nationals and their next of kin mainly in the north of Morocco (from Casablanca to Tangier). 

The applicant will provide consular assistance to British Nationals in need; build partnerships with the British community, Moroccan authorities and other stakeholders; and work to maintain high levels of consular and crisis preparedness. 

Main duties and responsibilities:

Consular Assistance (50%):

• Provision of consular assistance to distressed or vulnerable British nationals and their families in the north of Morocco (from Casablanca to Tangier) and (rarely) in Mauritania. This will include: 

1. Advising and assisting families following the hospitalisation or bereavement of British Nationals by liaising with local police, hospitals, funeral directors, courts, insurance companies and other local authorities and offering help where required.
2. Assisting British Nationals (and their families) detained following their arrest and detention by liaising with courts, prisons, lawyers and other local authorities. Periodic prison visits.
3. Advising and assisting British Nationals and families in distress, including procedures for dealing with missing persons. 

• Provide consular assistance by telephone, e-mail, in person or by visiting customers – sometimes (though very rarely) out-of-hours if there is an emergency which requires local action
• Support the consular team in Marrakech providing assistance to British nationals in the south
• Provide timely and accurate written records of case actions taken; and written and verbal updates to senior embassy and London staff
• Administrative work, such as filing, completing consular returns and updating consular information.

Consular Services (25%):

• Process requests for notarial services (e.g. marriage documentation)
• Process requests for Emergency Travel Documents and Emergency Passports

Partnership and Communication (15%):

• Cultivate key external strategic partners in the north of Morocco
• Assist in producing and developing preventative campaigns that reduce the demand for Consular Services where applicable
• Work closely, collaboratively and productively with consular colleagues in Rabat and with the three Honorary Consuls in Morocco
• Organise and take part in activities to increase the British community’s understanding and awareness of the role of the consular section

Crisis Planning and Response (10%):

• Contribute to crisis planning work within Morocco, including helping to maintain parts of the Crisis Management Plan
• Maintain readiness to respond to a declared crisis
• Provide prompt and professional assistance to British nationals caught up in the situation, including working outside of office hours and deploying to the scene of the incident where appropriate.
• On an optional basis, provide regional consular cover to staff in the North Africa Region (Marrakech, Algiers and Tunis) and, during crises, to staff in the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa regions.

Key Competences:

• Collaborating and Partnering: People skilled in this area create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the Civil Service to help get business done.
• Managing a Quality Service: Effectiveness in 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.
• Demonstrating Resilience: This is about helping our people to build resilience in international roles, supporting their ability to adapt to working in difficult and varied international environments and to bounce back from crises and setbacks in these contexts.
• Leading and Communicating: Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. It’s about supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.

• Languages: High standard of English (IELTS score of at least 7 or equivalent) and fluent level of spoken and written French and Arabic (Classical and Darija).
• Customer service: proven experience in a customer-facing role meeting the needs of a wide range of customer needs
• Personal Resilience: Flexibility and patience to deal with difficult situations, including the ability to sometimes work unsocial hours in a consular emergency or crisis
• Networking skills: proven track record of developing and maintaining a range of external contacts
• IT skills: able to effectively use Microsoft Office package, and other common IT software, to improve team communication and delivery
• Mobility: must be willing and able to travel in the north of Morocco, sometimes at short notice, in response to operational needs. (Full costs and expenses will be paid)