View Vacancy - Personal Assistant to the Deputy Permanent Representative and Political Counsellor (BEL631)

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.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
UKDEL (UK Delegation to NATO)

The United Kingdom’s Joint Delegation to NATO (UKDel 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, to uphold the Alliance in its common purpose and values and to involve UK Ministers and government in NATO. The delegation is now looking for a Personal Assistant to the Deputy Permanent Representative and Defence Counsellor.

The main responsibilities are managing the offices of the UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative and the Defence Counsellor, two senior members of the UK’s delegation to NATO and providing support to the delegation and its leadership as a whole. NATO and the national delegations move into a brand new Headquarters building in April-June 2018; the successful candidate will help to develop new ways of working to get the most benefit out of the new environment. There are regular Ministerial meetings, notably the NATO Summit involving Heads of Government in July 2018, which the jobholder will be involved in supporting.

NATO is transforming as an Alliance to meet new and more assertive threats in an increasingly complex and uncertain world; for the UK and other Allies it is the bedrock of our defence and security, and an organisation in which the UK is a leading player. The delegation is a busy team operating at a high tempo in a challenging multilateral environment but also a supportive and happy workplace, with a strong focus on learning and development and upholding values of respect, integrity, fairness and inclusivity.

Main responsibilities will include:

  • Managing the diaries of the DPR and Defence Counsellor, including handling visitors, arranging travel, visit programmes, organising meetings and hospitality;

  • Dealing with written and telephone enquiries, managing correspondence, e-mail traffic, budgets and general administration for the two principals. Commissioning briefing and ensuring the right information is retrieved and papers available ahead of appointments;

  • Administering the transfer of information for the delegation between various separate IT systems. Ensuring the secure handling and distribution of papers (this task is shared with all support staff in the delegation);

  • Supporting the overall management and wellbeing of the delegation, through involvement in planning meetings, organising social and team development events, initiatives for improving ways of working, managing business plan documentation, and providing a link between the priorities of the senior leadership, the delegation, government departments in London and NATO as a whole.

  • Proven previous experience in administrative/office management skills, preferably at a senior level;
  • Strong IT skills, esp. Microsoft Office (no requirement for technical secretarial skills);
  • Outstanding communication skills in English, both oral and written;
  • Ability to deliver results quickly, coping with multiple simultaneous tasks in a senior and complex working environment. Strong time management and prioritisation skills. Deadlines for actions are frequently short and pressure on colleagues is high;
  • High standards of efficiency, self-motivation and resilience, with the ability to think ahead and act on one’s own initiative; 
  • Team-working ability, flexibility, discretion and good judgement;
  • Quick to learn and manage within complex, new organisational cultures.
  • Experience of dealing with senior management and high-profile visitors;

  • Some knowledge of government (especially UK government) and large/international organisations;

  • Basic French is occasionally useful but not an essential requirement.

21 January 2018
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Belgium
UK Joint Delegation to NATO, Brussels
International Organisation Delegation
EUR
3,024.50
1 May 2018

This is a permanent full-time contract for 5 working days (36.25 hours net) per week.

The monthly gross salary for this position is € 3,024.50 A2 (L) level (The British Diplomatic Missions in Belgium salaries are not subject to annual indexation).

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.

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.

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.

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 a job.

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.