The British Embassy Abu Dhabi has a vacancy for a Regional Secretariat under UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This is for a fixed-term contract of two (2) years.

The Secretariat role is an important role in UKVI\'s Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, Pakistan, and Turkey (MENACAPT) region, drafting submissions/ briefings, leading on ad hoc commissions, whilst also providing support to the Senior Management Team and working closely with the Regional Business Manager & Private Offices in the UK. Given the nature of the role, it requires a self-starter with an ability to write effectively and deliver at pace.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Co-ordinating urgent submissions/ advice on behalf of the Director/ Regional Managers/ Regional Business Manager;
• Responding to requests for briefing/ commissions, including liaising with operational areas and overseas posts where necessary;
• Building knowledge of specific areas within UKVI, being the first point of contact for both the Director/ Regional Managers/ Regional Business Manager and business areas on these;
• Understanding the Regional Director/ Regional Manager/ Regional Business Manager priorities in these areas and ensuring progress is driven and monitored in line with these;
• Developing and maintaining core briefings and documentation for your portfolio area;
• Being a central point of contact for V&C for colleagues within UKVI, across other Home Office commands, (e.g., Immigration Enforcement International and Border Force), corporate areas, and Other Government Departments;
• Providing Secretariat support to the UKVI Regional Management Team (RMT) and related meetings, including, but not limited to, statistical reporting, minutes, decisions, tracking of progress;
• Corporate responsibilities such as the UKVI Business Continuity Plan and Regional Risk Register;
• Management of the Secretariat mailbox and any requests directed to this mailbox;
• Management of the Secretariat/ BSU inbox;
• Provide ad hoc cover for the Office manager for any leave periods.
• Resources managed: Line management of three (3) staff members at Administrative Office (AO) grade.

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 response to a crisis.

Key behaviours required:

• 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.
• Working Together: Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support
• Managing a Quality Service: Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
• Delivering at Pace - Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be able to obtain the appropriate level of UK Security Clearance and be able to obtain a valid UAE police clearance certificate.
• Applications will only be considered from those who are currently residing in the UAE and with a current and valid UAE resident visa.
• Applicants must be available in a full time capacity to work on site at the British Embassy Abu Dhabi - these are not part time positions or available for remote working.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Ability to assimilate information from a range of sources and to see the bigger picture when considering individual issues. Good awareness of political sensitivities.
• Strong drafting skills, able to produce concise briefings and details background documents.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written. Ability to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, able to tailor approach to different audiences comfortable working directly with senior colleagues.
• Strong IT skills and well versed in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams). Proficiency in using Power Automate and Power apps.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to multi-task, manage a varied workload, prioritise effectively and react quickly and calmly to changing circumstances.
• Ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision, identifying key issues and taking action quickly.
• Strong interpersonal, time management and problem solving skills.
• Comfortable with collaborating and coordinating with different teams and grades to drive required decisions.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Previous experience of working within an Embassy or Consulate, ideally within the last 12 months.
• Previous experience within UKVI or other immigration-related experience is advantageous.

Required behaviours

Seeing the Big Picture, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Working Together

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

6 August 2023

Grade

Executive Officer (EO)

Type of Position

Fixed Term, Full-time

Working hours per week

35

Duration of Post

24 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

17 September 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 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

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

Closing date for applications is at 23:55 UAE local time 06 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