View Vacancy – Vice Consul (POL21.108)

Due to COVID-19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

The British Embassy in Poland is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is now looking to recruit a Vice Consul to manage and inspire the Consular team to deliver first class customer service, consular assistance and support to resident and visiting British Nationals. The successful jobholder will ensure an effective Consular response to any major incident or crisis; build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders in local authorities and the resident British community; and be a fully engaged and proactive member of Warsaw Consular team and Europe Asia Network, ensuring implementation of Consular strategy and regional business plan.

Main responsibilities will include:

Assistance

• Lead on consular assistance to distressed  British Nationals including visiting detainees and cases of hospitalisations, dealing with bereaved families, child custody issues, mental health, emergency travel documents, victims of crime and sexual violence, financial assistance and welfare in accordance with Consular guidance and, when required, with the advice of the wider Consular network;
• Alerting the Regional CROM (Consular Regional Operations Manager) and Embassy senior management to any cases which may attract high level or media attention;
• Handle enquiries and correspondence from consular customers;
• Follow up enquiries and cases by phone, email or in person and ensuring all engagement is properly recorded in line with the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulations, including unofficial translation work when required;
• Assist in the monitoring and updating of digital customer information such as travel advice, social media and websites in support of other Embassy colleagues;
• Monitoring changes in local procedures and practices and ensuring that our information and guidance for British nationals reflects any changes and is up to date;
• Provide resilience and support with case handling to colleagues in the Euro Asia Consular region; cover remotely for other posts on a daily basis to cover absences, and possibly deploying to provide physical services if agreed with the Consular Regional Operations Manager.

Partnering & Lobbying

• Lead in preparing and delivering projects;
• Lead in the building of relationships with local partners and helping in prevention campaigns to give advice to British Nationals travelling to and living in Poland;
• Make recommendations to senior colleagues for innovative ways to deliver professional and targeted consular service to residents and visitors in Poland.

Notarial work

• Prepare paperwork for fee-bearing services.

Crisis

• Prepare self and post for any possible large scale event affecting British Nationals;
• Take part in Embassy crisis preparedness activity and local liaison, working with the Regional Crisis Adviser and CROM  as needed;
• Proactively work as part of the Warsaw consular team in any crisis situation and update the consular elements of the Crisis Management Plan.

Management

• Submission of accurate Management Information data;
• Contribute to Europe Asia Network regional work;
• Budget monitoring and cashier duties;
• Abroad range of section administration, including filing/weeding, submission of returns to London responding to London requests for information and control of working stocks.

• Fluency in Polish and English (both oral and written, minimum C1 level*);
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications;
• Excellent communicator, strong outreach and networking skills;
• Excellent time management and organisational skills; the ability to work without close supervision;
• Willingness and ability to travel occasionally within the wider Euro Asia consular regional network and to work out of hours at short notice if required;
• Previous experience in a customer facing role and ability to respond to a wide range of customer needs;
• Resilience and resistance to trauma; ability to cope with the challenging nature of consular work.