Vice Consul, EO (British Embassy)

View Vacancy - VNM (Hanoi) - Vice Consul, EO

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.

Job Category: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Consular Roles)
Job Subcategory: Consular

Main purpose of job

The British Embassy Hanoi is a diplomatic mission of around 60 staff, delivering a dynamic and rapidly expanding programme of activity in support of the UK’s objectives including on prosperity, trade, security, open societies, consular services and law enforcement. The Embassy is a modern, diverse and inclusive employer.

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 also lead in delivering consular prevention outreach activities in northern Vietnam, and support more country-wide activity, in engaging with British travellers and local authorities. You will manage the consular team in Hanoi and provide support to the team in Ho Chi Minh City to ensure a network approach. The role also involves supporting the Vietnam network’s crisis preparedness and being an integral part of its response to major incidents involving British nationals.

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 role involves the direct line management of other team members, and a responsibility to ensure that consular services in Vietnam are delivered in line with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Consular Strategy, consular guidance, and our Consular Charter and Guide. The levels of responsibility for our successes are significant, as are the rewards.

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

Leadership and Management

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.

You will also contribute to the team’s on-going work to create a culture that:

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.

In the event of a death of a British person, to assist the family and/or next of kin by explaining local procedures, liaising with international undertakers and relevant local authorities; ensuring that any burial, cremation or repatriation is timely and dignified. For those who have been a victim of a crime, including of serious assaults or sexual violence, providing information about local procedures, medical and legal service providers. In the event of a detention or arrest, provide information on local procedures and legal service providers; undertake regular visits to monitor their welfare and liaise with the authorities on any welfare or health concerns in line with the international standards.

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.

Prevention

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.

Learning

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.

Business Continuity and Resilience

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.

Other

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.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

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

Language: English

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.

Required behaviours

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.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed)

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.

All staff are eligible for 5 Learning and Development days a year.

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.

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Visa sponsorship may be possible for non-Vietnamese nationals if meet local requirements.

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.

Disabled and ethnic minority applicants will be invited to interviews if meeting the minimum requirement of the job.

Working patterns

Full time - 39 hours per week with one hour lunch. Mon-Thursday 08:30–16:45, Friday 08:30–15:00 The Embassy has a smarter working policy and is committed to offering flexible working patterns balanced with the operational requirements of the role. In crisis/emergency situations you may need to work as required to support the Embassy response, sometimes on a shift pattern working which may result in unsociable hours and/or weekend working.

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

Additional information

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

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.

All applications must be received before 23:55 (Local Vietnam Time) on the day of the deadline indicated above.

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

All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

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 check the application centre regularly for any update on your application.

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.

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