View Vacancy – Business and Policy Support Officer (FRA21.358)

The British Embassy in Paris is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. It is also part of the UK’s France Network (including offices in Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille and representation to international organisations in Paris (OECD and UNESCO) and Strasbourg (CoE)) and is now looking for a Business and Policy Support Officer. 

The Europe and Global Issues team (EGIS) is in the political section of the Embassy, and covers a wide range of policy issues including European affairs, economics, social affairs, innovation, energy and climate change. The current Business and Policy Support Officer reports to a member of the Economic and Social Affairs team within EGIS, working on Covid-19.

The primary role of the successful candidate is to ensure that the section is run effectively, coordinating cross-section activities and events and providing efficient administrative support. The post holder will work closely with the Executive Assistant to the head of EGIS with whom responsibilities will occasionally be shared (such as support with delivering visits, and organising events).

The role will also include some policy work. The current job holder has lead on specific aspects of Covid-19 policy, including engaging with policy leads within the French system, and reporting developments to the UK.

The successful candidate will need to be a collaborative team player, able to juggle different types of work and reprioritise at short notice, deliver projects on time and to a high standard, and be at ease dealing with budgets and corporate requirements. A flexible mind-set is important due to the evolving nature of the section’s workload.

Situated in the heart of Paris, the British Embassy is a dynamic and fun place to work and we encourage all our staff to get involved in the wider work and community life of the Embassy.

We recognise the value a diverse workforce brings to our work, and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We are looking for a willingness to learn, passion for finding creative solutions, and a collaborative approach. We actively encourage flexible working practices, so please feel free to discuss different working patterns with the recruiting line manager.

Roles and responsibilities

Section Coordination

• Manage the section budget and conduct quarterly reviews of financial expenditure.
• Act as central point of contact for corporate issues and internal communication.
• Promote good Knowledge Management practice, maintain contacts database and ensure records are filed correctly.
• Coordinate section administration e.g. annual leave, and act as secretariat for fortnightly section meetings.

Executive Support

• Provide ad-hoc executive and logistical support to individual teams within EGIS, for example when a large meeting or ministerial visit programme needs organising or due to exceptional work pressures.
• The jobholder may also be required to fill in for the executive assistant to the Head of EGIS during absence periods.

Policy Support

• There will also be opportunities to become involved in policy support for the section, e.g. press monitoring, conducting research and summarising information.
• For example, the current post holder has supported the Covid-19 Team’s policy work, by leading on cross-cutting requests from the UK (e.g. a weekly questionnaire). This entails conducting research and updating colleagues (in the FCDO, Cabinet Office and Department for Health and Social Care) through clear and concise reporting.
• There may also be opportunities to lead on specific policy areas. The current job holder has lead on the Test and Trace portfolio within the Covid-19 team, which has involved external engagement with French government contacts.
• Coordinate external policy events, liaising with the Residence Hospitality Team.

• Fluent French and English (both written and spoken, C1 level for CEFR framework);
• Highly organised, able to manage a varied workload and competing priorities;
• Ability to deliver on time;
• Enthusiastic team player with the ability to work flexibly with a wide range of colleagues;
• Ability to make connections and take the initiative to anticipate the section’s requirements and propose solutions;
• Effective and accurate management of budgets and other corporate duties;
• Ability to communicate effectively in English and French, and establish good relationships with contacts outside the Embassy;
• Ability to grasp and distil policy issues;
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel and able to learn new IT skills, as required.