View Vacancy - BDSUS Visits and Events 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.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)
Protocol, Visits and Events

Main purpose of job:

As a Support Visits and Events Officer:

  1. Work with assigned desk officers to curate and execute a comprehensive visit programme for senior military and defence visitors to the DMV region
  2. Plan and execute a variety of large and small events to support defence engagement objectives.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

  • Main point of contact for inward visitors and their meeting requests, ensuring clarity on their objectives and our deliverables.
  • Liaise with stakeholders to produce a draft visit programme and circulate this and any subsequent updates. This will result in producing a visits booklet for visitor’s party and Embassy staff involved.
  • Greet VIPs airside at DMV airhead and produce documentation for clearances to do so.
  • Ensure that all security clearance details are submitted for the visiting party + accompanying embassy staff.
  • In conjunction with the Embassy Transport Team organise transport and produce a transport schedule.
  • Maintain a central record of all visit programmes, briefing packs, and records for wider BDS awareness and to inform future visits.
  • Maintain the post visit questionnaire to collate and distribute post visit reports.
  • Lead in event planning logistics at major events for BDSUS as well as smaller receptions and intimate dinners. Tasks will include, but are not limited to, designing and sending invitations, tracking RSVPs and responding to enquiries.
  • Lead in delivering a successful and safe event or function by managing the event on the day, ensuring all requirements are delivered.
  • Liaise with assigned desk officer to write business case for each event. Ensuring the event meets objectives, is deliverable, and cost effective. Obtain a range of quotes from suppliers to ensure business case is accurate.
  • Coordinate with suppliers for delivery of equipment, catering and supplies needed for an event. Maintain these relationships to curate reliable working partnerships with suppliers who can deliver the standard expected. Negotiate value for money rates in accordance with BDS financial protocols.
  • Ensure financial propriety and resolve payment pre and post event.
  • Liaise with Embassy security to ensure event can be safely staffed, appropriate security is in place and all contractors working at the event are screened.
  • Conduct post event wash up with key stakeholders after every event.
  • Perform other duties as requested, supporting the Head of Visits and Events.
  • Be expected to travel to locations to assist in recces and programs if required.
  • Weekend working and unsociable hours are a requirement of this post. Working hours will be compensated either through time off in lieu or overtime payment as agreed with line management.
  • Homeworking for at least one day per week is permitted.
  • High degree of knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint. 
  • Ability to work flexible hours due to the requirement to work on occasional evenings and weekends in support of visit programmes and events.
  • Must hold a valid and current US driving licence.
  • 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.
  • Knowledge of event and senior visit management is desirable.
Changing and Improving
23 May 2022
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
$21.36
5 July 2022

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.

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.

Learning and development opportunities:

On taking up post you will have to complete Data Protection training which is mandated for this post as well as in house training on defence computer systems.  The learning and development opportunities, including through formal training courses, are excellent. The job provides scope to broaden knowledge and experience through getting involved in the breadth of UK/US Defence Engagement.

Working patterns: 

You will be required on occasion to work weekends and evenings in support of programmes and you will need to be flexible in your working hours which will be affected by the requirements of the visit programmes.

Home working at least one day per week is encouraged although special allowances to work from home temporarily during the pandemic period in line with CDC and UK Government regulations.

The post holder must be able to start work immediately once relevant clearances have been obtained.

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.