Main purpose of job:

The Corporate Services Officer (Protocol & Administration) provides essential protocol, administrative and operational support at the British High Commission Bridgetown. The role liaises closes with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinate arrivals and departures of officers and their families, support official visitors, and provide flexible administrative, IT and reception cover as required. Working closely with colleagues across Corporate Services and engaging confidently with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, the role offers responsibility, variety and exposure. It is well suited to a highly organised, proactive individual who enjoys working at pace, juggling multiple priorities, and delivering a professional, customer‑focused service in a dynamic international environment.

Roles and responsibilities:

PROTOCOL 

• Ensuring diplomatic MFA administration of all UK based protocol issues, including Partners Across Government (PAGs), preparing diplomatic notes for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and responding to ad hoc protocol requests as needed.
• Liaising with the MFA regarding timelines, processes and documentation on protocol issues. (e.g. coordinating accreditation, visas, applications and renewals for work permits, access passes and driving licences)
• Liaising with customs brokers regarding clearance of vehicles, heavy baggage & freight issues.
• Making recommending for escalation and/or process improvements as needed
• Updating and maintaining the Post protocol guide
• Maintaining an accurate protocol spreadsheet, ensuring effective tracking and reminders for renewals, integrating into Outlook, Lists and/or other systems as agreed.
• Identifying key contacts for relationship management, making recommendations as needed for stakeholder engagement.

ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES 

• Maintaining and ensuring the Arrivals and Departures management systems are up to date and accurate and notifying relevant colleagues/teams of any changes to officers’ arrival/departure dates.
• Facilitating effective and efficient integration of UKB diplomats to Post from the pre-posting stage, through to arrival and then departure. This includes but is not limited to:
  • being clear on FCDO policies, the realities and nuances of life at Post.
  • delivering protocol documentation, coordinating the customs forms process, understanding and communicating the timelines for submission for applications.
  • understanding the needs of the officer and/or their family and providing appropriate guidance and options, facilitating contact with colleagues or stakeholders and/or providing guidance for self-service where relevant, following up as needed.
• Coordinating purchase and placement of initial food parcels and household provisions for incoming arrivals where required, working with Estates to do so.
• Undertaking appropriate training and stakeholder engagement to ensure understanding of various roles involved to support effective onboarding/ departure.
• Ensure incoming UKB and families are including in coordination of Post Phone tree & hurricane contact list

 CHANCERY when covering for PA/HC 

•    Providing diary Management for the High Commissioner, Deputy High Commissioner and Head of Development. 
 

ADMINISTRATION 

• Coordinating the incoming and outgoing diplomatic mail.
• Working with CSA Finance to ensure the completion of the education Return and Spouse Employment Return in line with FCDO policy.
• Coordinating and managing the staff incentive scheme including the communications of updates and new benefits, access to incentives, sourcing and agreeing new incentives in liaison with the HR/People Manager and HCS.
• Ensuring timely filing of protocol and other paperwork as well as regular shredding of files in line with FCDO retention schedules.

DEPUTY ITSO 

• Fulfil the role of back up IT Support Officer in the absence of the CSO Estates & IT, including both computer and phone technology management.

ESTATES and RECEPTION 

Providing temporary administrative support to cover CSA Reception and the Estates and IT team during periods of absence or peak time in those teams.

• Within Estates, this could include acting as a point of contact in the absence of the Estates Officer, coordinating maintenance requests and allocation of tasks, ensuring completion of planned preventative maintenance, monitoring satisfactory completion of work requests, liaising with external contractors or landlords as necessary and giving updates to the manager to take forward
• Within Reception, this could include ensuring security requirements are met for incoming visitors, switchboard management and general e-box management and making public announcements as required.

PROCUREMENT  

• Purchasing goods/services while ensuring compliance with FCDO policies and maintaining the Corporate Services asset registry by accurately recording items purchased.

OTHER

• Undertaking the necessary crisis training to effectively deliver your assigned role in crisis readiness, as part of a whole-of-mission approach to crisis preparedness.
• Delivering other admin tasks that support the role’s objectives and may be assigned by your line manager or HCS.

Some duties occur routinely and others are cyclical or on an ad-hoc basis only. Workload management should be routinely discussed and agreed with the head of your team.

Budget Management:

Group Procurement Card with maximum of £20,000.00.

Language requirement:

Proficient in English

Essential on arrival:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and attention to detail
• The ability to manage multiple tasks and projects effectively and at pace
• 3 yrs administrative experience
• 5 GCSEs including Maths & English
• Advanced IT skills including MS Office (Word, Excel and Powerpoint)