Summary
Date Posted: Monday, July 26, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
View Vacancy - Executive Assistant to the Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission B3 (18/21 NR)

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.

Main purpose of job:
To provide administrative and logistical support to the Ambassador (HMA) and Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) and office support functions to the wider mission (including for official visits and events) at the British Embassy in Mogadishu (BEM), working remotely from Nairobi but with regular visits to Mogadishu. To help coordinate the Chevening Somalia/Somaliland programme and marketing/arranging interviews; maintaining alumni network etc.

Roles and responsibilities
HMA and DHM support:
• Provide administrative support to HMA and DHM across the full range of PA functions e.g. managing diaries; booking internal and external appointments and logistical arrangements (e.g. rooms; transport; move forms; refreshments; setting up teleconferences and VTCs); drafting and responding to correspondence and invitations and ensuring clear and accessible filing/ records; maintaining up-to-date contact lists e.g. for the diplomatic community;
• Arrange logistics for HMA and DHM when travelling in and out of Mogadishu e.g. booking flights/hotels and transport;
• Provide an interface between HMA and the rest of the Embassy e.g. highlighting diary opportunities; ensuring that briefing is in hand in advance of meetings; communicating HMA travel arrangements to staff.

Events and visits support:
• Maintain up-to-date contacts lists and coordinate guest lists for official events at BEM e.g. QBP; Remembrance Day; Chevening receptions;
• Coordinate the annual QBP Committee and event (diary appointments; minutes of meetings; ordering kit etc.);
• Work with the Corporate Services Team to ensure sufficient and suitable entertainment kit to support official representational events, including through purchasing approved items using the Government Procurement Card (GPC);
• Work with the BEM life support contractor to support the organisation of large formal events e.g. Ministerial dinners (layout; menus etc.)
• Work with visits leads across Government Departments to help plan and prepare for official visits.
Chevening:
• Work with colleagues leading on Communications in Nairobi, BEM and Addis/Hargeisa to ensure sufficient Chevening outreach;
• Help to maintain and manage the alumni network including up-to-date contacts lists;
• Help to coordinate and conduct Chevening interviews and liaise with scholars/the Chevening Secretariat.

Resource Management:
• Advise Corporate Services colleagues on the entertainment budget element of the local budget and support them on accurate forecasting of entertainment spend for official events hosted by HMA/ DHM;
• Ensure official entertainment supplies are available for representational events hosted by HMA/ DHM;
• Make official purchases using the Government Procurement Card (GPC) and ensure all expenditure accounted for in line with guidelines.

Line Management:
• Manage the Locally Employed (LE) driver based in Nairobi, ensuring that TOIL/ Overtime is kept to a minimum and health and safety standards are fully respected eg with regard to number of driving hours. Manage the driver’s programme, prioritising and de conflicting where necessary. Ensure that the driver’s training and mandatory medical checks are up to date.
Corporate:
• Act as an interface for BEM staff travelling through BHC Nairobi e.g. helping set up meetings/ arranging transport; arranging induction meetings including security briefings;
• Helping to coordinate and support Somalia Network Away Days and other events/meetings;
• Contribute to updates of the Somalia Network Welcome Pack, BEM Post Report and ‘know before you go guide’;
• Contribute to the corporate agenda at British Embassy Mogadishu/ British High Commission Nairobi e.g. by supporting the annual People Survey, participating in committees;
• Maintain and update the official Gift Register 2 x a year in line with audit requirements/circulate reminder notifications for Activity Recording to all staff/ act as the point of contact for the BEM Nairobi and CSSF Call Tree.
Other:
• With Mogadishu-based colleagues operating on a breather break system, team members are expected to be able to provide wider cover across the section as necessary, allowing for further development opportunities.
Resources managed:
1 X LE driver
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
• Excellent organisational and IT skills (including working knowledge of MS office packages excel; word, powerpoint etc);
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong team player;
• Strong experience/knowledge of the UK and its institutions;
• Event delivery/management experience;
• The ability to respond flexibly to competing demands, often at short notice (including visits to Mogadishu);
• The ability to rigorously prioritise and identify and apply new systems as required, including to ensure smarter ways of working for the mission;
• Experience of working in a fast paced high pressure environment;
• Discretion and confidentiality;
• A good eye for detail (events planning; guest lists etc);
• Willingness to attend SAFE+ course to enable travel to Mogadishu.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
• Resource management experience;
• Line Management experience.

Required competencies
Making Effective Decisions, Collaborating and Partnering, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace

Other benefits and conditions of employment
Learning and development opportunities:
The Somalia Network is committed to supporting everyone’s learning and development (L&D). Our dedicated L&D Champions - with the full support of senior management - aim to create opportunities at post to enhance both job-specific expertise and wider career development. BHC Nairobi is a regional hub for many training courses.

Working Patterns:
It is possible for the individual to work from home. Travel to Mogadishu will be required. A willingness to work flexibly to support BEM working hours is also required.
Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):
This is a busy but unique, fascinating and dynamic role which sits at the forefront of much of the Embassy’s work. The individual will be based in the British High Commission in Nairobi, a large and vibrant mission which houses staff from across HMG working on Kenya, Somalia and the region.
The job holder will need to make frequent (often short notice) visits to Mogadishu which houses one of the FCDO’s more recent Embassies (opened in 2013), made up of containerised 6m x 2m ‘pods’ based at Mogadishu International Airport (MIA). All staff and visitors are subject to SAFE/ SAFE Plus training and medical checks. The job and environment requires the individual to be adaptable and resilient, as well as open to different ways of working due to the high turnover of staff (staff in Mogadishu are deployed for one year plus up to one year). It also requires the individual to help set up systems and structures to ensure institutional memory is built and that staff can hit the ground running on arrival e.g. clear induction procedures.
Flexibility and out of hours working will be required, which would be eligible for TOIL as agreed by their Line Manager.

Additional information
• Applicants should hold UK, USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand citizenship and HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK IN KENYA. HE/She cannot be a dual Kenyan national. The applicant has to be able to acquire and maintain a SC clearance. Any previous security clearances from the above mentioned five countries are an advantage.
• Due to COVID 19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign. We are working hard to minimize any disruption.
• 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 Nairobi are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Kenya.
• It is essential that the applicants already have the right to live and work in Kenya 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 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework  Please note: Job grade 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

Education Requirement: No Requirements

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

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