Foreign Embassy | Foreign Consular Offices | Vice Consul
Apr 23,2014
Vice Consul
Position: Vice Consul – Consular Team
Grade: Band 15
Location: Dubai
Reporting to: Head of Consular Operations Band 16
Contract: 12 months fixed term renewable
Refernce number: CON/DB/012/4/2014
Number of Positions: 2
The Role
The British Embassy in Dubai has vacancy for two Vice Consuls. The main purpose of this role is to ensure British nationals in Dubai and the Northern Emirates receive a professional service that is effective, timely, consistent and in line with Foreign and Commonwealth Office guidance. The new FCO Consular Strategy (2013 – 2016) is resulting in a number of significant changes to the way we operate. The Vice Consuls in Dubai will play a key role in implementing those changes working closely with the Dubai based Consul, the Head of Consular Operations UAE, and colleagues in Abu Dhabi, across the MENA region and globally.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Work with the UAE Consular Management Team to ensure country and post specific delivery of the MENA consular business plan and post business plan.
• To manage the caseload of the Dubai Team allocating and monitoring work across the Team. To provide advice and guidance to Consular Officers including agreeing handling strategies for cases.
• To manage, motivate and develop four members of the consular team. Providing effective leadership, support and guidance through a period of significant change.
• Monitoring changes in local procedures and practices ensuring that our information and guidance for British nationals reflects any changes and is up to date.
• Managing emergency travel document processing, birth and death registrations and the notarial/legalisation operation ensuring consistent customer service to British nationals and ensuring FCO finance procedures are followed according to guidance.
• Birth and death registration authorisation. Authorising and Conducting marriages
• Key role in Post Emergency response to crises including planning and exercising.
• Network building and liaison with useful contacts, wardens, other Embassies, local authorities.
• Participation in Team’s Prevention and Communication Work including planning and delivering Outreach Activity in support of the Consular Strategy
• To provide direct consular assistance to distressed British nationals on a range of issues including, but not limited to arrests, child custody, forced marriage, missing persons, rape, sexual assault, deaths, hospitalisations, mental illness and victims of crime. This can be face to face, by telephone or email.
As part of Consular Management Team:
• Identifying areas of potential high level interest and briefing seniors and others accordingly.
• Preparing written briefing and updates on cases and issues
• Manage section cover and other operational issues
• Responding to e-mail, telephone and face to face enquiries including complaints.
• To be prepared to work out of hours, occasionally anti-social hours, as required.
• To be prepared to deploy on a short term basis to another post in the region as part of a regional resilience response to a crisis or other emergency scenario(desirable).
• Take part in the Embassy emergency planning and any response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.
Competencies:
• Managing and developing staff
• Delivering Results
• Customer Focus
• Problem Solving and Judgment
Knowledge & Skills:
• Essential – excellent oral and written English language skills
• Experienced at managing a team, particularly managing teams through periods of change.
• Excellent customer care skills, possessing good interpersonal skills, with the ability to respond to a range of customer needs.
• IT literacy in MS Office packages and accurate typing skills
• A team player capable of working on own initiative, adapt to changing priorities. Able to work and act without close supervision.
• Ability to cultivate and maintain a range of contacts at all levels. Ability to talk to large groups of people.
• Knowledge and understanding of local administration and legal procedures an advantage. Experience of Consular work desirable
• Able to travel to the UK and Gulf Region for training and support purposes.
Working Hours and Remuneration
The Embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including: salary of AED 14,957 per month, inclusive of all allowances, Band 15; five weeks holiday each year; free on-site parking and free access to on-site swimming pool, gymnasium and sports facilities.
Conditioned working hours are 38 hours per week. Standard working hours are from 07.30 am until 2.30 pm on Sunday to Thursday. Position holder should be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs.
Potential candidates will be invited to take a short written assessment, only those who pass the assessment will be invited back for an interview.
To Apply
All applicants should submit the following:
(a) A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1 page of A4) setting out why you are the suitable person for this role. Your statement should include clear examples of how you meet the key competences.
(b) A typed CV of no more than three pages.
The above should be submitted in a doc (word) file format, MS Office 1997 – 2003.
Please note in the subject line of your email Ref: CON/DB/012/4/2014
Applicants should send applications to:
dubaivacancies@fco.gov.uk.
External Applicants should apply via Bayt and Expat Woman.
Closing date for applications is 7th May 2014
Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.
The successful candidates will be required to undergo security vetting procedures.
The British Embassy Dubai is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to a diverse workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of race, colour, gender, disability, religion, belief, marital status, creed or age.
