The British Embassy Abu Dhabi has a vacancy for an Office Manager for the Defence Section on a fixed-term contract for three (3) years.

The jobholder will manage the Defence Section office and provide full administrative support to the Defence Attach\xc3\xa9, Air Attach\xc3\xa9, Assistant to Defence Attach\xc3\xa9, and the wider UAE UK Defence Community, including, but not limited to:

• Management of the Defence Section Office;
• Coordinating programs for military visits (incoming and outgoing), meetings, and conferences in the UAE;
• Line manage the Defence Section Driver;
• Manage non-military affairs for all UK Military personnel based within the UAE.

Whilst this role concentrates on support for the Embassy\'s Defence Section, the jobholder is also expected to work closely with a wide spectrum of other Partners Across Government (PAG) both within the Embassy and externally, including the UK-based Government departments and commercial companies operating within the UAE and other GCC nations.

Duties and responsibilities:

- Management of Defence Section Office (~45%)

• Support UK military personnel based in the British Embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the other various locations within the UAE, with day-to-day administration;
• Manage the Defence Section Office including prioritising and attending to all incoming and outgoing correspondence, emails, and requests;
• Management of non-military affairs and administrative support of UK Military personnel based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai;
• Maintain diaries, organise meetings, and facilitate travel arrangements;
• Manage and update the Teams filing system;
• Corporate objective - to support the Embassy to facilitate management processes and Post One HMG delivered events.

- Coordinate incoming visits (~35%)

• Liaise with UAE authorities (Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs [MOFA], and Ministry of Presidential Affairs [MOPA]) to facilitate visits and meetings in the UAE;
• Coordinate programs for military visits and meetings in the UAE;
• Receive and host visitors, including senior visitors and VIPs both in and outside the Embassy;
• Arrange programmes, logistics plans, accommodation, and transport.

- Coordinate outgoing visits (~10%)

• Coordinate Emirati military visits to the UK;
• Liaise with UK authorities to facilitate visas for Emirati military;
• Coordinate outward visits and travel of UK Defence Staff and ensuring value for money.

- Day-to-day line management of the Defence Section Driver (~5%)

- Events management (~5%): Organise social events both in the Embassy and at the Defence Attach\xc3\xa9\'s Residence which currently includes, but is not limited to, the King\'s Birthday Party, Remembrance Day Service, and Annual Drinks Reception at the Defence Attach\xc3\xa9\'s Residence, ensuring value for money for events.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy\'s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.

Eligibility:

The successful applicant will be required to obtain and maintain the necessary level of UK Security Clearance. Higher clearances can be granted only to certain nationalities. For this reason, candidates must be of British, American, Australian, Canadian, or New Zealand nationality in order to gain and maintain the level of clearance required.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Demonstrates advanced ability to communicate fluently and effectively in English, both orally and in writing. Able to write clear, concise, and accurate documents and letters on behalf of the Defence Attach\xc3\xa9, Air Attach\xc3\xa9, and Assistant to Defence Attach\xc3\xa9.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Able to maintain a range of contacts to build effective working relationships, and work closely with senior staff and their contacts.
• Proven record of organisational ability. Ability to prioritise and organise own workload and meet deadlines, while maintaining attention to detail and without compromising the quality of the work.
• 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 team player with the ability to take a wider perspective and think outside the box.
• Initiative, adaptability and the ability to work flexibly both in a small team and individually with autonomy.
• Excellent customer service skills. Demonstrates courtesy and consideration in dealing with telephone callers and other stakeholders.
• Very good level of IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (MS Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Experience working with/in the UK military or UK Civil Service.
• Experience working with Government and Military officials, Ministries, and Institutions, either in the UK or the UAE.
• Experience of working in a similar role either the public or the private sector in the UK or the UAE.
• Arabic language skills.
• Previous commercial experience, ideally in the UAE or in the Middle East.

Required behaviours

Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together

Application deadline Application deadline - day Application deadline - month Application deadline - year

10 August 2023

Grade

Executive Officer (EO)

Type of Position

Fixed Term, Full-time

Working hours per week

35

Duration of Post

36 months

Region

Middle East & North Africa

Country/Territory

United Arab Emirates

Location (City)

Abu Dhabi

Type of Post

British Embassy

Number of vacancies

1

Salary Currency

AED

Salary

14,520

Start Date Start Date - day Start Date - month Start Date - year

2 October 2023

Other benefits and conditions of employment

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, which includes 25 days of leave per annum (calculated pro-rata).

Salary is at AED 14,520 per month.

There are no other allowances payable as part of this package. No accommodation nor relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

The Embassy is open from Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 18:00. Normal weekly working hours are thirty-five (35) hours per week, net of breaks.

The jobholder should be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and may involve working out of hours, especially during events and visits. Flexible working arrangements may be considered based on operational requirements and agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Embassy policies.

The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy\'s sponsorship.

Additional information

How to apply:

Interested candidates must attach the following in their online application form:

• an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role
• specific examples in the relevant sections of the online application form of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.

Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is at 23:55 UAE local time on 10 August 2023.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Process:

Due to the large number of applications, we receive, only those shortlisted for the next step of the recruitment process will be contacted.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful at interview may be placed on a \'reserve list\'. If during the reserve period of six (6) months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

The start date mentioned in the 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 and reference checks.

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around 2-3 months. The security clearance process includes checks available in country and in the UK, dependant on the security level required for the role and the candidates profile and UK footprint. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

The British Embassy Abu Dhabi is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

HM Government