View Vacancy - British Army Staff Team Support Officer - BDSUS

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)
MOD (Ministry of Defence)

Main purpose of job:

The British Government’s Embassy in DC has an exciting opportunity for a methodical and enthusiastic person to join the British Army Staff Team as a Support Officer. This opportunity is a rewarding role which supports the cooperation of the British and US Armies, working towards the strategic partnership of the two nations.

Your daily duties will be varied and include executive assistance to the Military Attaché, liaison with internal and external stakeholders, general administrative duties, and logistical support to enable the smooth running of the team.

The ideal candidate will be a team player, proactive and methodical with exceptional organisational skills.

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 alongside, armed forces personnel, UK Diplomats 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. 

Roles and responsibilities:

Team effectiveness: 

  • Managing diaries for the principal and central team, anticipating requirements as well as identifying and seeking to resolve conflicts in advance.
  • Liaison with other defence departments within the embassy for coordination and deconfliction, assist with project coordination when required.
  • Booking rooms, arranging IT facilities, and setting-up presentations or other media for meetings as required, ensuring the relevant data protection and security protocols are followed.
  • Assisting in the organisation of the team’s official functions, including large scale annual defence engagement events. This will include assisting in preparing business cases, arranging suitable venues and catering, maintaining guest data, managing invitations, and meeting/greeting guests.
  • Maintain historic records of events, speakers and gifts.
  • Be a point of contact for external visitors into the Embassy including arranging access and providing an escort if required.
  • Research and arrange accommodation, travel and transport for the principal and team members in support of team activities adhering to spending guidelines and limits. 

Administrative Support: 

  • Support the team in a variety of administration duties, which includes the controlling, filling, and recording of information (emails, electronic documents, paper documents) onto the MOD computer systems.
  • Attend meetings, produce agendas and record information to produce draft minutes of meetings or records of decisions.
  • Be prepared to provide administrative support to wider defence projects / teams as capacity allows.
  • Maintain competence in data protection policies and be the focal point for data protection issues in regards to team output.


Relationship Management:

  • Maintaining desk-level contacts in key Government Departments, Congressional, Department of Defence, the Washington Association of Military Attaches executive committee and foreign embassy offices in support of the team’s objectives.

Budget Management:

  • Control and track authorised expenditure on behalf of the team principals to ensure timely completion of annual budget requests and quarterly returns. Assist with yearly financial planning, in year financial tracking, and raise business cases throughout the year as required.
  • Keep up to date with monthly Electronic Procurement Card (ePC) form submissions. As well as assisting with reclaiming processes.

Resources managed:

  • May be required to hold and run a Government Procurement card.

Essential on arrival:

  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications including Microsoft Outlook.    
  • Strong interpersonal skills; including the ability to be professional, confident, and to work with interlocutors at a senior level.
  • Strong independent judgement with a proven ability to problem solve.
  • An ability to multi-task and use judgement to prioritise effectively.
  • An ability to be discreet with the ability to handle sensitive material appropriately.  Accordingly, the job holder must be able to attain the required security clearance.

Language requirements: 

Language: English
Level of language required: Fluent


Please note: 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 Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas. 

Desirable:

  • Experience with budget management skills.
  • Understanding of UK defence and UK government.
  • Previous history of working in a support role.
Seeing the Big Picture, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Working Together
11 June 2023
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
$22.69
31 July 2023

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.

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.).

The successful applicant will need to complete a number of Defence mandated training online modules.

Working patterns: 

This role is 40 hours a week but does not require set working hours each day, albeit working patterns will need to work with the wider team. 

The role is primarily office based due to the nature of the role requiring regular engagement and close working with the wider team, often at pace. However, some home working can be supported subject to discussion and agreement. 

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’.  If during the reserve period of 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.              

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.