The British Embassy Amman has a vacancy for Office Manager for the Defence Section, job grade Executive Officer (EO). This is for a fixed term contract for two (2) years, with a possibility of renewal/ extension.

This is a high-profile position working for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) within the British Embassy. The Office Manager is responsible for: the management and administration of the Defence Section office, is the focal point for all British Embassy Amman administration and conduit into the Defence Section; all Defence related visits; planning and running all Defence Engagement ceremonial and social events. The role also includes the opportunity to support the wider British Embassy platform as appropriate.

This is an excellent opportunity to work as part of a close-knit and dedicated team delivering UK Defence Engagement activity and supporting wider UK interests in Jordan. The Office Manager will work directly to the Defence Attaché (DA) and, as a core member of the Defence Section team, will be at the forefront of Defence Engagement activity.

The role suits a calm, experienced, and pragmatic individual. The jobholder will be comfortable working at pace in a busy and, at times, pressured environment and with dealing with the highest level of UK Jordanian military and senior officials and the wider international defence community. They will have excellent communication and organisational skills and will be a self-starter, able to regularly produce accurate and timely work under pressure and with little supervision.  

Duties and responsibilities:

– Management of the Defence Section Jordan Office

• Manage the Defence Attaché’s (DA) schedule and provide administrative and programming support and advice as required.
• Manage the Air & Naval Attaché’s (ANA) schedule and provide administrative and programming support and advice as required.
• Line manage and task the Defence Section Driver and complete associated appraisals and reports.

– Coordination and management of Defence Section activity

• Maintain the Defence Section’s forecast, planner, calendar, and group mailbox.
• Maintain the Defence Section Activity Spreadsheet, Contacts Database, and the DA/ ANA Military Influence Lists.
• Coordinate and support Defence Section social media output.

– Event organisation and management

• Under guidance from the DA/ ANA, arrange and coordinate the programmes of senior British officers visiting Jordan.
• Support and facilitate visits for senior JAF officials to the UK.
• Plan and arrange Defence Engagement events on behalf of the Defence Section.
• Coordinate the Defence Section input to Embassy sponsored events and visits as required.

– Supporting wider Defence outputs

• Maintain, manage, and coordinate the English Language Training and Testing budget and requests.
• Maintain and manage the HR support relationships with other UK Defence equities in Jordan and the region.
• Deputise for other members of the Defence Section where appropriate.
• Assist in the coordination of wider Embassy visits and activities as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future and this would be at the discretion of the line manager/ senior management and agreed with the jobholder. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. The jobholder may also take on other ad hoc tasks as required.

Key behaviours required:

• Delivering at Pace – Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
• Managing a Quality Service – Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
• Working Together – Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.
• Seeing the Big Picture – Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.

In addition, we are looking for someone who can demonstrate the Civil Service values of:

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Objectivity
• Impartiality

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as long as:

• You have the right to live and work in Jordan; and
• You receive the appropriate level of security clearance.

• Background in and experience of working in a key administrative role. Previous successful team co-ordination and office management experience.
• Experience of having managed visits and/ or events.
• Excellent organisational ability with proven ability to manage, plan, and prioritise task and workload to meet deadlines whilst maintaining attention to detail and without compromising the quality of the work.
• Proven ability to work autonomously as well as being a team player, supporting others to deliver results.
• Demonstrates proactive approach to problem solving and working under pressure. Ability to understand competing priorities and make judgement calls on when to use own initiative to deal directly with enquiries and when to consult before taking decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and collaborative approach to colleagues and stakeholder partnerships. Able to maintain a range of contacts to build and maintain effective working relationships, and work closely with senior staff and their contacts.
• Demonstrates courtesy and consideration in dealing with stakeholders. Able to show discretion in handling any sensitive matters, with the trust of all involved.
• Excellent communication skills in English both verbal and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly, concisely, and confidently, both orally and in written communication.
• Very good level of IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).