View Vacancy - UK Visas - Executive Support Officer

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.
Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration)

Main Purpose of Job:

The British Government’s Consulate in New York has an exciting opportunity for a driven person to join the UK Visas & Immigration team as an Executive Support Officer. This opportunity is a rewarding role which supports and further develops the special relationship between the UK and the US, supporting work at the forefront of international diplomacy in order to make a real difference globally.

The US Network offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme.  It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to better maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance approach that encompasses hybrid working, including working from home and flexible hours, where possible.  In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment to support UK diplomats, armed forces personnel and other country based staff operating across the British Government’s network of Consulates and Government Offices in the United States. This network provides a platform for approximately 30 Government departments and agencies to conduct their work in the United States and is made up of over 900 staff with a rich and diverse background, skill sets, and experiences.

The role will support delivery of world-class service to UKVI customers, by UKVI and our service partners.

The jobholder will support the Head of Outreach in promoting awareness and understanding of the UK’s visa offer; delivering regionally tailored customer and stakeholder comms, working with HMG partners (including FCDO, DBT, Visit Britain and the British Council) to increase understanding of visits, study and investment offers.

The role also involves quality assurance of the customer experience in Visa Application Centers and Secure English Language Testing Centers (where applicable) through visits to designated locations and engagement with stakeholders as well as participating in an agreed programme of formal audits, where confirmed, by the Head of Outreach.

Focussed on customers, the jobholder will be responsible for collecting & reporting market insight and customer intelligence in an identified market or geographical sector, through the Outreach Manager to Visa teams in the UK. Driving continuous improvement of the visa service and our customer offer.

Supporting Visa processing teams, with responsibility for promoting streamlined processing schemes with allocated HMG partners and stakeholders including liaison with commercial and other external partners.

The jobholder can expect to be involved in activities that span the remit of UKVI work within region, working to support Outreach, Integrity and Assurance activities across the region. There will be a medium / high requirement for travel within the region.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Support the Head of Outreach in representing UK Visas in key regional markets, acting as point of contact on visa issues for HMG partners, where required
  • Deputize for HEO Line Manager as required at meetings with HMG partners and other Home Office teams in region to deliver wider Home Office priorities
  • Support high profile events and high value applications for your allocated markets, liaising with visa decision making centers
  • Build and develop a network of key HMG, travel & industry stakeholders for your allocated geographical area. Supporting the Head of Outreach in delivery of a communications & engagement plan. Record details of engagement in the annual log.
  • Support delivery (or take responsibility for delivery) of quarterly upskilling sessions for HMG Partners in your geographical area.
  • Support work with key communications stakeholders in distributing regionally tailored communications assets.
  • Participate in formal audits of Visa Application Centers and Secure English Language Testing Centers to ensure compliance in line with programme agreed in the yearly Integrity Plan.
  • Gather local insight and intelligence from customers through ad hoc visits, escalating issues to the Head of Outreach.
  • Support the Head of Outreach in providing on the ground market insight data to the UK.
  • Manage Firecrest equipment - and liaise with ITSO at post to address technical issues, raise requests etc. as required. Ensure CP maintains regular updates on FC equipment in their use. Responsible for maintaining a log of regional FC equipment including vignette printers. Assists in troubleshooting / set-up etc, at CP locations where necessary.
  • Overseas Territories visas – oversight of the OT process and administering wet stamping of passports for approved OT applications.
  • Other tasks – as delegated by management inc. cover / support for other EO colleagues when required.
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision
  • Confident to travel within your region and to the UK
  • Ability to work collaboratively with a team based across multiple locations
  • Good communication skills – written and oral
  • Experience of engaging with stakeholders and delivering presentations, or the willingness to learn
  • Ability to prioritize effectively and maintain quality while meeting challenging deadlines
  • Ability & willingness to travel both regionally & internationally
  • Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. • A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas
  • Experience working in immigration/visas
  • Experience in reputation management;
  • Experience in customer insight
  • Project Management
Communicating and Influencing, Developing Self and Others, Leadership, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together
29 October 2023
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
New York
British Consulate
1
USD
$62,800
yearly
11 December 2023

Learning and Development Opportunities:

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

Working Pattern:

Requires standard working pattern of 40 hours

Able to accommodate a varied working pattern. Flexible working available

The British Embassy and its US Network embraces hybrid working, allowing its staff to typically work from home 2 or 3 times a week.  We are an organization that also recognises the critical value of team work and we embrace and endorse collaboration by ensuring that all staff attend the office flexibly yet regularly. 

Given the level of interaction with colleagues across the globe, some early starts / late finishes will be a reality of the role, with the jobholder best managing that within the work week.

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6-12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount. Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed. The British Embassy is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.

To be eligible for this role and in line with security clearance requirements to SC(O) level, candidates will need to hold one of the following nationalities:

  • UK
  • US
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • New Zealand
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.