View Vacancy - Vice Consul

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 (Consular Roles)
Consular

The British Embassy, Kuwait has a vacancy for the post of a Local Staff Vice Consul.


Purpose of the job:

This is a varied and interesting job within a small Consular Team at the British Embassy, Kuwait.

The successful candidate will ensure British nationals in Kuwait receive a professional service that is effective, timely, consistent and in line with Foreign and Commonwealth Office guidance.  They will be required to provide direct advice and support to distressed British nationals including leading on certain high level and sensitive assistance cases.

The successful candidate will also play an important regional role providing Vice Consul support remotely to other small teams in the region as needed and providing regional resilience across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) network. They will be required to travel, sometimes at short notice, to provide resilience at posts across the MENASA network for periods of two-three weeks at a time.

The job holder will work to the Dubai based Consular Regional Operations Manager but will enjoy a high degree of autonomy and the authority to manage the Kuwait operation on a day to day basis. The job holder will need to be a self-starter and highly motivated, with excellent interpersonal skills.

The job holder will lead on the local delivery of the Consular Regional Business Plan and global consular initiatives as well as the consular elements of the Country Business Plan.  They will be required to lead, motivate and encourage the Kuwait Consular Team to participate in global, regional consular activities and proactively deliver consular prevention and outreach work.

In response to a local or regional crisis, the job holder will play a key role in managerial responsibility for the Section’s response and deployment. 


Duties and responsibilities:

 

  • To lead, motivate and develop the Consular Team with direct line management of one Pro Consul. 
  • Manage the Team’s provision of Consular Assistance to distressed British nationals, including providing guidance and support in difficult cases: Proactively plan and deliver high quality local prevention  and outreach activities in support of the Consular Strategy
    • Ø  Detainees, including visiting police stations and prisons
    • Ø  Hospitalisations
    • Ø  Dealing with bereaved families
    • Ø  Child custody issues
    • Ø  Other sensitive cases such as rape, child abduction, forced marriage.
    • Ø  Notarial and documentary services
  • Ownership of formal response to public correspondence.  Ownership of returns and forms that are required by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) London.
  • Identifying areas of potential high level interest and briefing seniors and others accordingly. Preparing written briefing and updates on cases and issues
  • Monitoring changes in local procedures and practices and ensuring that our information and guidance for British nationals reflects any changes and is up to date.
  • Monitoring changes in consular processes and FCO corporate issues and keeping team updated
  • Managing emergency travel document processing, and the notarial/ legalisation operation ensuring consistent customer service to British nationals.
  • Key role in Post Emergency response to crises including planning, exercising and any response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.
  • Participation in formulating Embassy management policies. Representing section at Embassy and corporate events
  • Identify training and developmental opportunities. Manage section cover and other operational issues
  • Manage Team budget
  • To be prepared to work out of hours, occasionally anti-social hours, as required.

 

Regional

  • To be prepared to provide at short notice resilience at other posts across MENASA for periods of up to two-three weeks at a time - around 12 weeks in a 12 month period.
  • To be prepared to deploy on a short term basis another post in the region as part of a regional resilience response for a crisis or other emergency scenario. Travel to the UK will be required for training purposes.
  • A team player who is capable of working on their own initiative and who is adaptable to changing priorities.  Must be able to work and act without close supervision.
  • Experience of managing a team.
  • Good interpersonal skills and an ability to cultivate and maintain a range of contacts at all levels.
  • Experience of working strategically and of project development and management
  • Ability to bring a flexible and creative approach to your work. 
  • Ability to talk to large groups of people as part of our Prevention and Communication work
  • Excellent customer care skills and the ability to respond to a range of customers needs.
  • Excellent oral and written using English language.
6 May 2017
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Permanent
Middle East & North Africa
Kuwait
Kuwait
British Embassy
1
KD 687
15 June 2017

The Embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package for the role, including salary of KD 687 per month inclusive of all allowances. The successful candidate will be expected to start work as soon as possible.

Normal working hours are 07:30 – 15:30 Sunday to Wednesday and 07:30 - 13:30 on Thursday. Position holder should be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and may involve working out of hours.

Travel to the UK and within the MENASA region (and possibly further afield) will be required for training and logistical purposes.

Consular work can sometimes be stressful, distressing and of a sensitive nature. The successful applicant will therefore be expected to demonstrate high levels of personal resilience and maintain absolute consular confidentiality and impartiality.

Key Competences Required for the Job:

  • Engaging People: Leading and Communicating: Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm.
  • Delivering Results: Managing a Quality Service: Effectiveness in this area is about being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements.
  • Delivering Results: Delivering at Pace: Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes.
  • Setting Direction: Making Effective Decisions: Effectiveness in this area is about being objective; using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice.  

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as along as you:

  • Are legally resident in Kuwait;
  • Complete local security checks.

Application Process:

Interested candidates must attach the following documents when applying online.

  1. An updated Curriculum Vitae
  2. Please provide examples of performance in each competency on the motivation section of the online application form.
  3. A covering letter stating why you feel you have the necessary skills to perform well in the above role.

(Your application must include examples in your cover letter of when you have demonstrated the competencies outlined above. Applications that do not include this information will be rejected).

The above should be submitted in a doc (word) file format, MS Office 1997 – 2003.

The closing date for applications is 6 May 2017.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Due to the large amount of applications we receive only those shortlisted for assessment will be contacted.

The successful applicant's employment will only be confirmed after the completion of any security clearance/checks.  The appointment will also only be confirmed after a successful 3-month probation period.

 

The British Embassy Kuwait is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.  Staffs recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Kuwaiti employment 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.