View Vacancy – Seasonal Entry Clearance Assistants, Istanbul(TUR24.488)

An overview:

The British Consulate General in Istanbul is part of a world-wide network representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. It is part of a Turkey-wide His Majesty’s Government (HMG) network, which also includes the British Embassy in Ankara and coastal posts. The Consulate General is led by our dynamic Head of Mission, who has a dual role as HM Consul General in Turkey, and Trade Commissioner for the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, encompassing trade offices in 14 countries.

Who we are looking for:

We are now seeking to recruit for 12 positions of Seasonal Entry Clearance Assistants(SECA) who will be part of the Data Entry and Visa Writers’ Team for a period of 6 months.

The role of a SECA entails juggling between the 2:

A) The Data Entry Team is responsible for a variety of support functions, which assist the wider visa section in the efficient processing of visa applications. This includes data entry, general administrative support, and assisting with the allocation of work. Streaming is the routing of work based on the wider operation and is critical to the efficiency of the operation. It is imperative the post holder sends the information to the correct place. A standard Operating Mandate is in place which the post-holder will be required to follow when undertaking the activities described below.

Typical tasks include:

• Accurately entering data, including the amendment of biographical data as necessary.
• Linking and directing applications according to operational data. 
• The post-holder will make decisions on what information they input into the system. They are also responsible for error identification and correction.
• Contacting applicants when additional evidence is needed in order to complete processing.
• Assisting the management team and the wider Decision-Making Centre as required.
• Monitoring and reporting the operational position.

B) The Visa Writers are responsible for the printing and dispatch of visas.

Typical tasks include:

• Checking computer records to ensure accuracy before printing, e.g. checking the quality of endorsement codes and vignettes.
• Printing and dispatch of vignettes.
• The post-holder will be responsible for prioritising their workflow based on operational priorities.
• Liaising with colleagues and management upon identifying any problems.
• Supporting management and other teams as required.
• Problem solving any hardware errors they encounter.

Our ideal candidate will be:

• Proficient in written and spoken English (Minimum of C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages*);
• A good communicator; 
• An excellent team player; 
• Able to work under pressure as part of a large team and complete tasks to an agreed standard;
• Able to remain customer focused, polite and courteous under pressure; 
• Able to manage own work with minimal supervision;
• Experienced in Microsoft Office applications, in particular Word and Excel; 
• Adaptable and flexible with a positive attitude to change;
• Capable of displaying the proven ability to work quickly and accurately in a target driven environment, prioritising key tasks as necessary;
• Demonstrating evidence of using initiative for problem solving.