Osaka, Tokyo
tendersglobal.net
View Vacancy – JPN – British Embassy Japan Returnship (Return-to-Work)
/*generated inline style */
Department for Business and Trade roles (DBT)
/*generated inline style */
Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
/*generated inline style */
Main Purpose of Job:
The British Embassy Japan Network supports people returning to work after any type of career break (referred to as ‘returners’) and promotes Returnship opportunities with the aim of building strong links between the UK and Japan. We encourage talented individuals who have had a break from the workforce for childcare, family care, health, relocation or other reasons, to gain work experience and expand their employability for future careers linked to the UK-Japan relationship.
Successful completion of the Returnship programme will give you the option of joining our interim personnel pool for future fixed term job opportunities and will give you the experience to support strong applications for future permanent roles in the British Embassy Tokyo or Consulate General Osaka.
What the Jobholder will be Expected to Achieve:
This Returnship programme would particularly suit someone with strong links to either the UK or to Japan and is considering pursuing a career in international relations, trade and investment, or similar fields in the future.
Successful candidates will gain an understanding of the mission of the British Embassy and its Consulate through training and work assigned by the key teams of Japan Network. You will be deployed to a team based on your interests, specialities, skills, and experience. In any team, you are expected to bring in your experience, new ideas, approaches, a willingness to challenge entrenched working practices, and help us boost our capacity.
Your host team will provide you with a range of opportunities to familiarise you with our way of working and our current policy focus areas and will agree with you a full programme to cover the term of the Returnship that reflects your interests and learning objectives. The Returnship can last up to a maximum of 6 months, but it is possible that we can accommodate shorter periods and reduced working hours following consultation at the interview.
Our Returnship programme offers a unique work experience with a focus on two streams:
Trade and Investment
- Shadowing and providing support in various activities to promote UK exports to Japan and inward investment from Japan to the UK and/or devolved administrations – Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Events Coordination
- Support preparations for a variety of political, economic, and cultural events such as EXPO 2025, which may include, but not limited to, support for media, communications and marketing.
The exact work streams are to be confirmed.
Resources Managed (Staff and Expenditure): None
/*generated inline style */
- Desire to advance skills and knowledge
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Japanese and English
- Proficient computer skills
- Resilient in a constantly evolving environment
- Strong team player and self-starter with positive, dedicated and open attitude
Language Requirements:
This role requires written and spoken proficiency in both English and Japanese. Fluency (minimum of C2 level for CEFR framework*) in one language and business level (minimum of high B2) in the other.
*Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages sets the following mastery or proficiency levels:
- C2: Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express themself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
- B2: Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
/*generated inline style */
A background in or understanding of specialised areas such as international relations, economics, global challenges, science, trade or marketing
/*generated inline style */
Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together
/*generated inline style */
26 January 2025
/*generated inline style */
Internship
/*generated inline style */
Fixed Term
/*generated inline style */
20 to 37.5 hours
/*generated inline style */
6 months
/*generated inline style */
Asia Pacific
/*generated inline style */
Japan
/*generated inline style */
Osaka, Tokyo
/*generated inline style */
British Embassy
/*generated inline style */
1
/*generated inline style */
JPY
/*generated inline style */
JPY 1,163 per hour and Commuting allowance up to JPY 35,000 per month (payable on an actual cost basis)
/*generated inline style */
hourly
/*generated inline style */
1 April 2025
/*generated inline style */
This Returnship (Return-to-Work) Programme is advertised as a 6-month fixed term contract.
- Working hours per week: 20 to 37.5 hours (full-time option is available)
- Working days per week: 3 to 5 days
- Commuting allowance of up to JPY35,000 per month (paid on an actual cost basis)
- Social insurance available if not a daytime student
- 12.5 days paid annual leave (calculated pro rata)
Working Patterns: Our standard working hours is Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:30 (core hours: 10:00 to 16:00). You may discuss the number of working hours and days within the above range.
The British Embassy Japan Network supports and promotes flexible working. This role allows for flexibility in start and end times, subject to the needs of the team and agreement with your line manager. We also value your school life and focus time for your study and may adjust work schedule when necessary.
This role will be offered pending successful reference and security checks and is subject to the appropriate permissions to work.
Contract End Benefits: After the programme, those whose performance met the required standard can opt in the personnel pool of the British Embassy in Japan. You will be invited to apply for short-term job assignments (usually a maximum of 3 months) when the needs arise.
The FCDO also operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require.
Learning and Development Opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The British Embassy Japan Network offers comprehensive learning and development opportunities which will be fully available to the jobholder. We regularly run both work area specific training and more general skills development in project management, finance, and leadership.
For those on an internship or returnship programme, we offer training to help understand competences and improve interview skills for future career opportunities.
/*generated inline style */
Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.
Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.
To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate these behaviours, including through your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides detailed guidance on how the behaviours are defined.
Applicants are encouraged to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format to prepare specific examples of when they have demonstrated these behaviours in their application. Using the STAR format to provide evidence of your skills and experience in your application and at interview helps to give a structure. You briefly describe the situation in which you showed the behaviour, and then explain your task in addressing the situation, what action you took and the result of this.
For inclusivity and diversity, please remove the following personal information when uploading your CV: name, address, email address, age, date of birth, gender and nationality.
The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.
/*generated inline style */
/*generated inline style */
/*generated inline style */
Japan
To apply please copy and paste this link: https://fco.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/1/adv/
To help us track our recruitment effort, please specify on the application form/indicate in your cover letter where (tendersglobal.net) you saw this job posting.