Main purpose of job  

Roles and responsibilities:

The role is an excellent opportunity for you to develop your competences and build a network within the British High Commission, South Africa.  As a key member of the BHC’s Executive Office, you will make decisions about where the High Commissioner can add value and make meaningful interventions, as well as liaising with all those who carry out work on his behalf.

• You will monitor and organise the High Commissioner’s workflow, filtering and prioritising demands on his time and attention, ensuring important/urgent work is actioned or delegated appropriately (including in his absence). You will ensure deadlines are kept, commissioning briefing/papers for meetings and booking travel. You will ensure the efficient running of his office, working closely with senior management and the residence manager in Cape Town and Pretoria, respectively.  You will oversee key products to enable the Mission to operate more effectively, including a Forward Look of forthcoming UKinSA activity.
• You will manage the AO Executive Assistant to the Deputy High Commissioner, ensuring they provide effective support to the Deputy High Commissioner and to the High Commissioner in instances where cover is needed.
• This is a challenging but rewarding role at the centre of a high profile office, and is an ideal place in which to hone a wide range of skills across the competences of Grade EO.  You will have excellent communication and people skills, which will allow you to develop close working relationships within the High Commission, OGDs, other Missions, international organisations and a range of senior external stakeholders. You will demonstrate your Leading and Communicating Skills as a crucial part of a small team within the High Commissioner’s office, including through daily interactions with the High Commissioner.  Through your interactions with all you will be a champion of our values of kindness and respect as a mission (our values statement: “we are a diverse and inclusive workplace where all are respected, trusted, appreciated and empowered”).
• You will be enthusiastic, resilient and flexible with an ability to prioritise tasks and manage the High Commissioner’s diary with a proactive ‘hands on’ approach.  This busy, interesting and challenging role will require strong organisational skills and an ability to think ahead and use your initiative.  Key to this is Delivering at Pace and Making Effective Decisions.
• The job will include occasional travel to Cape Town to help with major events the High Commissioner hosts there.
• Some occasional out of office hours work (eg attending events at the Residence) will be required and TOIL can be claimed for this.
• The FCDO operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require.

• 1 member of staff -1 x AO