View Vacancy - Personal Assistant to His Majesty’s Ambassador (03/23 JUB)

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 (Operations and Corporate Services)
Development and Humanitarian

Main purpose of job:

You will be responsible for providing administrative, organisational and diary support to Her Majesty’s Ambassador to South Sudan, as well as support on the co-ordination of high-level visits.  You will also help lead on the co-ordination and management of internal and external events for the Ambassador and British Embassy, including important representational events at the Ambassador’s official Residence. You will be involved in planning and supporting the UK National Day (aka HM The King’s Birthday Party) and Remembrance Day, as well as large staff events.  This will necessitate out of hours work, including occasionally at weekends.

Role and Responsibilities:

  • Personal Assistant to His Majesty’s Ambassador (HMA), helping prioritise his/her time and commitments. Leading on diary and inbox management for HMA including communicating with wider British Embassy team to ensure they know how best to work with and support HMA.    Assist with arranging programmes for HMA for travel in South Sudan and overseas.
  • You will coordinate with the PA to the Development Director (DD) to ensure coordination of HMA and DD diaries where required and you will provide leave cover for the Personal Assistant to the DD.  They will provide leave cover for you in return.
  • Build relationships with other assistants and chiefs of staff in the offices of the embassy’s key stakeholders to facilitate diplomatic engagement with the Government, ministries and international partners. You will need to ensure you have good working relationships with key members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and develop your understanding of diplomatic processes and procedures e.g. Notes Verbale, in order to help the embassy run smoothly.
  • Support delivery of British Embassy events including the King’s Birthday Party and events held at the Ambassador’s residence. Work with colleagues across the Embassy to identify guests, issue invitations and support on all logistical aspects of the event management including guest lists, receiving guests and catering.  You will also have oversight of budget management for events at the Ambassador’s Residence, including advising on spending trends, reconciling expenditure and facilitating accurate forecasting (to include ensuring compliant use of FCDO Accounting systems).  You will need to manage logistics at the Ambassador’s Residence which may require out of hours work on occasions.
  • Respond and draft replies to routine enquiries and correspondence.  
  • Ensure up to date management of the Embassy’s contacts database, and ensure all electronic and paper files are up-to-date with any outstanding actions followed up.
  • Assistance with the planning and delivery of high-profile UK visitors to South Sudan such as UK Ministers or the UK Special Envoy to South Sudan. This will include liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, managing logistics including travel, and ensuring visits run smoothly.
  • Assist with other corporate activities and provide ad-hoc administrative support to the political team, including regular updates to the team on HMA engagements; drafting of minutes of internal team meetings and supporting in-country travel planning for the team.  

Resources managed:

  • No formal line management responsibility but you will work closely with the other PA and other corporate services staff. Responsibility for value for money in procuring catering and management of drinks inventory.  
  • Previous experience working as an PA, Executive Assistant or Private Secretary
  • Experience working in an international organisation, Embassy or UN or similar skill sets from private sector
  • Excellent organisational skills and a keen eye for detail
  • Excellent written and verbal communications skills in English
  • Strong numeracy and budget management
  • Communication and influencing skills, including experience of drafting records of meetings
  • Ability to multi-task and work as a team player  
  • Strong self-organisation, the ability to be flexible and resilient
  • Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Teams, Excel)
  • Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to be professional, courteous and discreet and deal directly with key players at a senior level inside and outside the Embassy  
  • The ability to maintain key contacts with UK Government departments. Embassy staff, members of other diplomatic missions as well as members of the public

Language requirements: 

Language: English 

Level of language required: Excellent  

  • Event management
  • Private sector experience
  • Knowledge/experience of international affairs
Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Working Together
1 June 2023
Executive Officer (EO)
Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
Africa
South Sudan
Juba
British Embassy
USD 2,154.42
1 July 2023

Learning and development opportunities:

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has a range of L&D opportunities to help develop the right candidate in the role and provide wider learning of FCDO.

  • Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
  • Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
  • The British Embassy will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
  • Employees recruited locally by the British Embassy in Juba are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Sudan. 
  • All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.
  • The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to:
    Obtain the relevant permit
    Pay fees for the permit
    Make arrangements to relocate
    Meet the costs to relocate
  • The British Embassy does not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
  • Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
  • Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. Please note:  AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • 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.
     
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.