View Vacancy - Vice Consul / Head of Consular Section
The British Embassy in Algiers is seeking an individual for the position of Vice Consul Grade B3 (L).
The job holder is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Consular Section in the British Embassy Algiers. The Consular Section’s district covers all of Algeria. The job holder leads the delivery of modern and efficient consular assistance and fee-bearing services to British nationals as well as leading on consular elements of emergency planning and response.
Duties and responsibilities:
Management:
- Performance management of Algiers’s consular section (one full-time A2L Pro Consul) and ensuring that staff receive developmental opportunities in good time
- Managing the daily workload of the consular section, streamlining processes where possible to deliver an effective, efficient service
- Monitoring and reacting to trends in Management Information, assistance casework and fee-bearing services. Ensuring that Consular Business Targets and team and individual objectives are met
- Administering and profiling a local budget
- Liaison with the North West Africa teams and other consular staff on operational and policy issues, including involvement in regional Working Groups.
Assistance:
- Providing the lead on consular assistance casework in Algeria, making sure that cases are being handled in line with consular guidance and the Consular Strategy 2016-2020
- Case management of complex assistance cases and advising the section’s Pro Consul where necessary on routine cases, ensuring all assistance cases are entered promptly into our database
- Develop working-level contacts with local authorities and other diplomatic missions. To also build contacts with external stakeholders such as airlines, tour operators, welfare authorities, local charities, and British community groups. Carry out social media campaigns and organise receptions
- Ensuring the British Consul and Consular Regional Operations Manager are briefed on significant consular cases or trends
- Keeping track of new policy on assistance work and Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs)
- Approving ETD applications, managing the ETD stock and the registers
- Handling correspondence, telephone and counter enquiries.
Crisis:
- Working on crisis planning, and developing working-level contacts in Algeria, other diplomatic missions and the travel industry
- Preparing for and responding appropriately to large-scale events, responding to mass casualty incidents or crises
- Ensuring that Consular elements of the Crisis Management Plan are in place and functional
- Carrying out the role of Consular Manager in response to any crisis.
Notarial work and documentary services:
- Providing the lead on Notarial and Documentary services. Ensuring all applications are dealt with in a timely manner and according to our Public Service Agreement targets
- Overseeing fee taking in the Consular Section and ensuring that the Consular Certificate is completed correctly.
Key Competencies:
- Changing and Improving - People who are effective in this area are responsive, innovative and seek out opportunities to create effective change. For all staff, it’s about learning from what has worked well and what has not, being open to change, suggesting ideas for improvements to the way things are done, and working in ’smarter’, more focused ways.
- Collaborating and Partnering – People skilled in this area are team players who 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 valuing and modelling professional excellence and expertise to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements.
- 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.
- 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; to learn from what has not worked as well as what has; and to bounce back from crises and setbacks in these contexts.
- Making Effective Decisions - Effectiveness in this area is about using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to arrive at accurate, expert and professional decisions and advice.
- Customer service: proven experience in a customer facing role meeting the needs of a wide range of customer needs
- Personal Resilience: Ability to work along for long periods without close supervision, and the flexibility and patience to deal with difficult situations and the ability to sometimes work unsocial hours in an emergency or crisis
- Network skills: Proven track record of developing and maintaining a range of external contacts
- IT skills: able to effectively use Microsoft Office package, and other equivalent software
- Local knowledge: general knowledge of the Algerian administrative systems, including the justice system, laws and regulations and social services
- Travel Industry knowledge: experience or knowledge of working with travel companies or other organisations supporting tourists
- Experience in a similar role with another Embassy, NGO or an international organisation
- A professional background in social work and/or providing support to vulnerable people
The Embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package for the role, including: net salary of 91,443.18 DZD per month including 15,000 DZD allowances; 25 days paid leave annually along with up to 14 days paid public holidays.
Conditioned working hours are 37.5 hours per week. Normal working hours are 08:00 – 15:30 Sunday to Thursday.
The successful candidate will receive 25 days paid annual leave and up to 14 days paid public holidays.
Application Process
The closing date for applications will be Wednesday 18th October 2017 by 23:55 (Local Time). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The successful candidate will need to commence security clearance procedures through the Embassy as soon as possible. Employment offers are subject to successful pre-employment checks and security clearance.
Interested candidates must attach the following documents when applying online. Late applications will not be considered.
1. An updated Curriculum Vitae.
2. Please provide examples of performance in each competency on the motivation section of the online application form or cover letter.
The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures.
(Your application must include examples in your cover letter of when you have demonstrated the competencies outlined above. Applications that do not include this information will be rejected).
The British Embassy Algiers is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
