Vice Consul, EO (British Embassy)

You will provide a full range of consular services to British nationals in northern Vietnam. Working under the supervision of the Vice Consul, Ho Chi Minh City, to lead on complex and sensitive casework and ensure that all assistance is provided in accordance with the FCDO Consular Guidance and Customer Charter.  This covers a broad range of issues, including the issuing of emergency travel documents to allow someone to return to the UK, providing advice and support to British nationals facing immigration removal, those who have been arrested, hospitalised, or may have been a victim of a crime.

You will be working in a fast-paced and complex environment where the ability to work under pressure and provide leadership is vital, as well as achieving and driving high standards of service delivery. The team are high-performing and have high expectations of their leaders; you will need to provide excellent leadership, motivation, strategic direction, and oversight of the day-to-day work.

The team works within a supportive Asia Pacific Consular region (under the leadership of the Vice Consul, Ho Chi Minh City, and supported by Consular Regional Operations Manager for South East Asia, based in Kuala Lumpur) to provide wellbeing and resilience to all consular staff.

Roles and responsibilities 

As part of the team, you will support the colleagues to ensure delivery of a high quality consular notarial and assistance service, sharing responsibility to achieve operational performance targets in line with Consular guidance, local procedures and targets, with resources used efficiently and workload allocated equitably. You will also ensure we maintain timely and accurate records using the FCDO’s consular casework system.  You will manage a small team of Pro Consuls and at times you may have temporary responsibility for more of the Consular operation and resources, this includes the consular team in Ho Chi Minh City.

• is positive and inclusive
• focuses on staff wellbeing.
• encourages change and innovation;
• recognises and rewards work
• is comfortable giving and receiving feedback

In delivering our consular service, you may be required to work outside of normal working hours and/or travel within Vietnam when it may be necessary and appropriate to do so.

The role will involve direct contact with British people in distress, which may involve those suffering mental health or addiction issues, and/or financial difficulties.

All members of the consular team have prevention objectives and use up to 20% of their time to focus on these. You will contribute to and lead project groups to deliver prevention projects in line with the business plan and the consular strategy. You will also support our work to build and maintain networks of a range of key stakeholders, authorities and partner organisations such as the police and local hospitals.

You will contribute to the development of our L&D programme as well as benefitting from our commitment to develop all our staff. Together with Vice Consul, you will also provide additional guidance and support where needed for Country Based Staff working with London teams.

In crisis /emergency situations you will need to work as required to support the Embassy response (sometimes on a shift pattern working unsociable hours). In times of peak operational demand, you may need to work flexibly within the section.

All staff will be expected to make a corporate contribution to the smooth running of the British Embassy either through committee membership or another voluntary role to support the vision and values of the Embassy, as outlined below.

2 x Pro-Consuls

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Previous experience in consular services or in another support-providing organisation.
• Proven ability to lead a multi-skilled team providing motivation, support and development.
• Proven ability to provide timely, direct and appropriate feedback to colleagues on work and behaviour
• Sound judgement and an analytical approach in decision making.
• Ability to drive high quality service standards and plan and prioritise for a busy team using sound judgement, critical thinking and problem solving skills, applying procedures and guidance.
• Considerable experience of working in a customer-facing environment including the ability to support clients and team members in traumatic or difficult circumstances.
• Good self-management and organisational skills
• A high degree of resilience and flexibility, including working unsocial hours in an emergency.
• Proven experience of managing sensitive personal information.
• Proven ability to manage internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• Experience in producing timely and accurate written information in English.
• IT proficiency – Using MS Office, Outlook and ability to learn FCDO systems.
• Ability to travel within Vietnam and Asia as required, sometimes outside of normal work hours.

Language requirements

Level of language required:   Excellent written and spoken English. For candidates with English as a second language, certification at IELTS level 7.5 or higher (or equivalent) within the last 2 years is required. All skill areas (writing, speaking, listening and reading) must be IELTS 7 or higher (or equivalent).

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 

• Experience of living in, or understanding of the United Kingdom, British people and British culture;
• Experience of living in or understanding of Vietnamese people and their culture.

Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing

• Application deadline: 5 October 2023
• Grade: Executive Officer (EO)
• Type of Position: Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
• Working hours per week: 39.5 gross per week
• Region: Asia Pacific
• Country/Territory: Vietnam
• Location (City): Hanoi
• Type of Post: British Embassy
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Salary Currency: VND
• Salary: VND 36,350,886
• Start Date: 20 November 2023

Other benefits and conditions of employment

This vacancy is advertised as a full-time, fixed term role of 12 months with possibility of renewal to be based in Hanoi.

We encourage all staff to develop their capabilities, through both formal training courses and informal opportunities such as job-shadowing, coaching and on-the-job training. All staff are encouraged to share their skills and experience with colleagues, through informal training sessions or coaching/mentoring. We have an active L&D committee who organise a varied programme of learning for all staff.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to developing its staff. There will be opportunities for formal training alongside collaborating with a wide range of colleagues delivering on-the-job learning.

• Working in a diplomatic mission
• International policy skills course
• UK Diplomatic Academy foundation learning
• Regional and London-based formal learning opportunities

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment and security checks. Staff who are locally recruited by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law.

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.

Working patterns

As an inclusive employer we are happy to discuss alternative working patterns at interivew or at the point of any job offer.

Additional information

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, 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.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’.  If during the reserve period of 6 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.