British High Commission

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.

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Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Residence and Support Staff)

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Job Subcategory

Private Office

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Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job

Support the High Commissioner across the full range of his policy and corporate responsibilities, including through efficient running of his office, diary and travel management, and helping to co-ordinate key activities across the British High Commission.

Roles and responsibilities:

The role is an excellent opportunity for you to develop your competences and build a network within the British High Commission, South Africa. As a key member of the BHC’s Executive Office, you will make decisions about where the High Commissioner can add value and make meaningful interventions, as well as liaising with all those who carry out work on his behalf.

You will monitor and organise the High Commissioner’s workflow, filtering and prioritising demands on his time and attention, ensuring important/urgent work is actioned or delegated appropriately (including in his absence). You will ensure deadlines are kept, commissioning briefing/papers for meetings and booking travel. You will ensure the efficient running of his office, working closely with senior management and the residence manager in Cape Town and Pretoria, respectively. You will oversee key products to enable the Mission to operate more effectively, including a Forward Look of forthcoming UKinSA activity.
You will manage the AO Executive Assistant to the Deputy High Commissioner, ensuring they provide effective support to the Deputy High Commissioner and to the High Commissioner in instances where cover is needed.
This is a challenging but rewarding role at the centre of a high profile office, and is an ideal place in which to hone a wide range of skills across the competences of Grade EO. You will have excellent communication and people skills, which will allow you to develop close working relationships within the High Commission, OGDs, other Missions, international organisations and a range of senior external stakeholders. You will demonstrate your Leading and Communicating Skills as a crucial part of a small team within the High Commissioner’s office, including through daily interactions with the High Commissioner. Through your interactions with all you will be a champion of our values of kindness and respect as a mission (our values statement: “we are a diverse and inclusive workplace where all are respected, trusted, appreciated and empowered”).
You will be enthusiastic, resilient and flexible with an ability to prioritise tasks and manage the High Commissioner’s diary with a proactive ‘hands on’ approach. This busy, interesting and challenging role will require strong organisational skills and an ability to think ahead and use your initiative. Key to this is Delivering at Pace and Making Effective Decisions.
The job will include occasional travel to Cape Town to help with major events the High Commissioner hosts there.
Some occasional out of office hours work (eg attending events at the Residence) will be required and TOIL can be claimed for this.
The FCDO operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

1 member of staff -1 x AO

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Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Diary management
Computer skills (Microsoft office)
Typing and time management skills
Experience providing those skills in a high profile setting or to senior individuals and working across a range of senior opposite numbers
Excellent oral and verbal communications skills

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Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Experience working in an overseas mission and knowledge of how the FCDO works

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Required behaviours

Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together

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Application deadline

14 August 2024

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Grade

Executive Officer (EO)

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Type of Position

Permanent

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Working hours per week

36.5 hours

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Region

Africa

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Country/Territory

South Africa

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Location (City)

Pretoria

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Type of Post

British High Commission

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Number of vacancies

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Salary

R 380,918.20 (per annum)

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Start Date

5 September 2024

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Other benefits and conditions of employment

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

The High Commission has a strong developmental culture, including an active Learning and Development (L&D) programme. Senior management lead by example by delivering regular L&D sessions and taking time out for their own formal L&D. You will be encouraged to contribute and take part. The High Commission fully supports Diplomatic Academy completion.

Working patterns:

Flexible Work with minimum three days in the office.

The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.

Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
Working hours per week of 36.5 hours

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Additional information

UK Overseas Security Clearance (SCO) clearance is preferred for this role. SCO is likely only to be granted if you are a national of UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand who have resided within these countries in the last five years.
Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
It is essential that the applicants already have the right to live and work in South Africa without the need to apply for a work permit.
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.
Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. Please note: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
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”.

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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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To apply please copy and paste this link: https://fco.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/1/adv/
To help us track our recruitment effort, please specify on the application form/indicate in your cover letter where (globalvacancies.org) you saw this job posting.

View Vacancy – Executive Assistant to the High Commissioner EO – (35/24 PTA)

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