View Vacancy - Vice- Consul (ESP21.169)

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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Consular Roles)
Consular

Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign. We are working hard to minimise any disruption. You may find more information in the Additional Information section below.


The British Embassy in Spain is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is looking to recruit a Vice Consul for the British Consulate in Barcelona.


The main purpose of this role is to manage and inspire the Consular team to deliver first class customer service, consular assistance and support to resident and visiting British Nationals.  Ensure an effective Consular response to any major incident or crisis.  To build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders in local authorities and the resident British community.  To be a fully engaged and proactive member of the Spain Consular team and Europe South Network, ensuring implementation of Consular strategy and European business plan.


Main duties and responsibilities:


Assistance: To ensure Consular officers handle assistance cases in line with guidance, maintaining an overview of live cases and system usage as well as providing support and advice where necessary.  Lead on high profile cases and incidents liaising with key stakeholders including London based colleagues.  Carry out Notarial and Documentary services. Respond to letters from members of the public.


Line Management: performance management of the Barcelona Consular section. Includes regular meetings, appraisal reviews, facilitating learning and development, coaching and mentoring. Policy & Change management: to keep abreast of evolving consular policy, ensuring implementation and liaison with appropriate town halls, Regional and National Governments. Develop and nurture relationships with travel and tourism industry contacts, local media, British community groups and voluntary organisations. Contribute to regional work streams, projects and sharing of best practice.  Lead on the implementation of change management projects aimed at providing more efficient, effective and better quality services.


Policy & Change management: to keep abreast of evolving consular policy, ensuring implementation and liaison with appropriate town halls, Regional and National Governments. Develop and nurture relationships with travel and tourism industry contacts, local media, British community groups and voluntary organisations. Contribute to regional work streams, projects and sharing of best practice.  Lead on the implementation of change management projects aimed at providing more efficient, effective and better quality services.


Crisis/Corporate, Prevention and Communications:  Respond to crises. Test local crisis plans ensuring staff fully trained.  Contingency plan for large-scale events including preparation of digital advice. Work with London colleagues and news desk to update on incidents and Travel Advice. Ensure delivery of Consular Prevention plan. Update digital gov.uk consular content. Overall responsibility for the management of the office. Budget profiling and monitoring, ETD bulk custodian.


  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills enabling effective communication in English (minimum C1 level *);
  • Good verbal and written communication skills enabling effective communication in Spanish ( minimum B2 level*);
  • Experience managing a team (min 2 years);

  • Experience dealing with the public;

  • High level communication skills both oral and written;

  • IT literate, able to adapt to various programmes/systems;

  • Good team player;

  • Competent decision maker;

  • Resilient.


  • Basic user of Catalan ( A2 level*);
  • Previous Consular experience;

  • Knowledge of Spanish and Andorran government structures and processes.


21 May 2021
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Temporary
37.5
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Spain
Barcelona
British Consulate
1
EUR
44,076.38
6 July 2021

This is a full-time and maternity cover contract, under B3(ES) grade. Normal working hours are 37.5 per week.

The successful candidate is subject to a confirmation of a background check, security clearance and the successful completion of a probationary period.

The successful candidate will be enrolled in the Spanish Social Security Scheme and will therefore not be entitled to any gratuity from the Embassy based on gross annual salary.

The Embassy is a Diplomatic Mission with tax exempt status and does not collect taxes for other States. Employees are fully responsible for payment of income tax at the legally required rate. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Spain are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Spanish employment law.

Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Spain and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.

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.

FCDO does not pay for travel related expense incurred in interviews (including Security Check) or accept any financial risk, including cancelation or reschedule costs. The FCDO will not meet the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

Please be advised that Consular positions at the FCDO entail dealing with casework in situations that may involve death, detention, rape, assault, post-mortems, prison visits and highly distressed customers.

*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.

Additional Information (due to Covid-19):

  • You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption;

  • Interviews will be done remotely if the existing situation determines this to be the right course of action;

  • Starting date may be delayed depending on circumstances at the time and it will be agreed with the selected candidate.

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.