View Vacancy – Community Liaison Officer

Main purpose of job:

To work closely with HR and the Corporate Services team to support the well-being of all staff at Post, the primary function is to be an advocate for UK-based staff and families (FCDO and PAGs) and to provide support on family and community issues; principally in the areas of communication, information gathering and welfare on arrival, during and departing post.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

• Communicating effectively across Post to all staff and receive notification of staff arrivals/departures. To initiate contact with new officers and families once  Posting Notification is received, from  pre arrival to arrival, during the posting and departure. Informing officers and families of DSFA news particularly career support services and courses to eligible UK-Based spouses/partners at Post.
• Information gathering for UK-Based officers and their spouses/partners and families on flexible deployment (including for those not yet at Post).  To include information primarily on spouse/partner employment at Post; children’s education (through completion of separate HR School and Nursery Information Sheets of authorised schools at Post); a comprehensive information pack on childcare at post, feedback on adult education; career and training opportunities; single officer and foreign born spouse/partner issues; recreational facilities; social matters; the Cost of Living Allowance survey and completion of DSFA Spouse and Partner Annual Employment Report.
• Welfare at Post: welcoming all staff on posting/temporary duty/flexible deployment and accompanying families to ensure as smooth an integration as possible into the life of the Post community; following up to check that the settling in process is working; being a source of referral and support where questions, problems and difficulties arise; providing short Post community induction. CLOs are not expected to be medically trained and have no medical responsibility. 
• Advocate for UK-based staff and families in addressing issues of importance with Corporate Services, including acting as their representative on Post Accommodation Housing committees, and as the chief link between Post and DSFA in London. CLO is expected to be a  member of the British Embassy Support Association (BESA) committee ensuring that FCO/PAG families are informed of events, courses etc. 
• Information management of Post Welcome Pack, CLO Teams site, input to update and review of Post Report and Fact Sheet. CLOs should be accessible and able to provide information in areas including pre-Posting information, spouse/partner employment at Post; child and adult education, childcare, recreation facilities and training opportunities. 
• Events: arrange and manage various events (both large and small) throughout the calendar year and ensure that all FCDO/PAGs are involved working closely with the Embassy Social Committee.
• Emergency Planning: the CLO must be aware of and involved in any Post contingency and evacuation plans. All CLOs should complete the Crisis Preparedness Management eLearning on GLO.  

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to be professional, confident, courteous, and deal with interlocutors at senior level.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to multi-task and strong problem solving skills.
• Excellent customer service skills, with proven ability to take responsibility and exercise considerable discretion.
• Understanding of FCDO policies.
• Current valid driving licence.
• Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. *A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.