View Vacancy - Senior Executive Assistant to the Deputy Head of Mission

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)
Private Office

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy is looking to recruit a Senior Executive Assistant (SEA) to provide administrative, organisational and diary support to the Deputy Head of Mission (DHM).

The DHM plays a key role in oversight and delivery of the US Network’s policy and corporate objectives and supports the Ambassador across the whole range of the Embassy’s activities, including acting as Chargé d’Affaires in the absence of the Ambassador. The Senior Executive Assistant (SEA) plays a key role supporting the DHM across a wide and varied workload.

This is a busy and interesting Senior Executive Assistant position, working with a wide variety of stakeholders: including the Ambassador’s Private Office, colleagues across departments within the Embassy, Consul Generals (CGs) (and their teams) and Honorary Consuls across the US Network, the Residence staff at the DHM’s residence and the offices of external contacts of the DHM’s for example at State Dept, NSC, Think Tanks and other embassies in Washington DC. The SEA also acts as Secretariat to the weekly meeting of US Network leadership and to the less frequent (roughly quarterly) meetings of the Washington Management Board. The ideal candidate for this position will be a reliable self-starter with strong organisational skills and who takes a pro-active and flexible approach. Tact, good judgement, and discretion are essential to the role.

Roles and responsibilities:

  • Manage DHM’s diary and Forward Programme and ensure all relevant briefing is provided in advance of engagements. Liaise with internal colleagues and external contacts/ their offices to arrange meetings (virtual and in-person), for example officials at the White House, State Department, NSC, think tanks, Congressional and other Embassy’s deputies as well as FCDO senior officials in London. Prioritise diary requests and advise Embassy colleagues on processes for use of the DHM’s Residence (post-refurbishment) and DHM’s engagement.  
  • Weekly CGs call secretariat: draft and circulate agenda and actions for weekly call with CGs and liaise with speakers. Act as point of contact for agenda suggestions from CGs and attendees. Manage the CGs DL and CGs Teams channel to ensure both are kept up-to-date with relevant colleagues included.
  • Quarterly Washington Management Board meetings secretariat: draft and circulate agenda and actions, liaise with speakers, act as point of contact for agenda suggestions and list of attendees. Manage the Washi Board DL and Teams channel to ensure both are kept up-to-date with relevant colleagues included.
  • Provide administrative support to the DHM, including, but not limited to: drafting/formatting letters, scanning documents, booking rooms, processing expense claims on PRISM, arranging transport, drafting internal comms, planning all-staff meetings etc.
  • Travel (Covid permitting): prepare travel itineraries both domestic and international, book hotels and transport, liaise closely with London and CGs for coordinating DHM’s visit programmes.
  • Organise and manage the annual Consuls General and Honorary Consuls conferences as well as ad hoc visits by individual CGs or Hon Cons.
  • Organise official entertainment (breakfasts, coffees, lunches, dinners) for DHM with external contacts and book venues/ restaurants accordingly.
  • Minimum of 2-3 years’ experience in relevant positions. 
  • Excellent organisational skills and a keen eye for detail. 
  • Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to multi-task, grip complex and evolving situations and think creatively to find solutions, remain task-focussed at all times, demonstrate flexibility when plans change at the last minute, and work as a team player. 
  • Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite. 
  • 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.
  •  Due to the security of this position you must hold a passport from at least one of the following countries: UK, US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.
  • Must have 5 years of checkable employment and background history.
  • 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/experience of international affairs.
18 April 2021
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
$26.35
31 May 2021

Learning and development opportunities:

  • Complete compulsory FCDO courses (eg GPDR, Responsible for Information, Counter Fraud, Bribery & Corruption).
  • Attend Sidekicks annual conference.
  • Full access to L&D Masterclasses organised by the embassy and US Network.
  • Courses run by Diplomatic Academy Regional Training centre.

The SEA is part of the Embassy leadership’s Executive Office, operating at the heart of one of the UK’s busiest and most important Embassies.  The work is exciting, demanding and rewarding and will provide rich insights into diplomacy and the conduct of international affairs.

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, 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.