Protocol, Visits and Events Officer at British High Commission

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)  

Main purpose of job:

The Corporate Services Assistant will be an integral part of the Protocol team as well as working on a regular basis with other Corporate Services Departments.  Working closely with colleagues to deliver a pro-active, customer focused, service in South Africa. 

The Corporate Services Protocol Officer will report to the Corporate Services Transport and Protocol Manager.  The successful candidate will have overall responsibility to manage the relationship on behalf of the British High Commission and its officers with Department for International Relations Cooperation and the South Africa Licensing department.

This position requires accuracy and attention to details, excellent communication skills (verbal and written), problem solving, a keen sense of pro-activeness and excellent administrative skills to ensure that applications are submitted clear of potential rejections. 

Roles and responsibilities:

The below roles and responsibilities are general guidelines. They are not limited to the detail below and are subject to change from time to time with prior consultation.

• Provide a quality customer service. Duties will include managing the South Africa Travel and Movement mailbox, responding to all queries within 24 hours and providing a pro-active quality response, daily walk-in customer service, communicating and working in partnership with all relevant departments such as transport, security and estates with regards to all relevant enquires received, etc.
• Familiarise, understand and apply best practice with regards to the Corporate Service Charter. This documentation outlines the service level agreement between Corporate Services and Partners across Government and will assist you to manage the relationship with your customers.
• Manage a quality, pro-active and consistent customer service for new arrivals. This will include duties such as providing welcome packs, post information (i.e. Corporate Services Charter), arrangements around heavy baggage /unaccompanied airfreight (UAF), Certificate A’s, continues and consistent customer engagement, bank letters, meet and greet on arrival date, etc.
• Familiarise, understand and apply best practice with regards to the Department for International Relations (DIRCO) standard operating procedures and service level agreements for new arrivals. These duties include the process of announcing new arriving UK Bases staff member, the accreditation process of compiling and submitting supporting documentation (passport copies, note verbal’s, accreditation forms, etc), obtaining diplomatic identity documentation and residency permits, short term postings, new born, extending postings, etc.
• Familiarise, understand and apply best practice with regards to DIRCO’s standard operating procedures and service level agreements for vehicle registrations, de-registrations and VAT claims. These duties will include assisting the customer to prepare the required forms and supporting documentations for instance permission to purchase/sell, Certificate A’s, submitting applications to the South African Review Services (SARS), imports, working in partnership with the SA Licensing Department, etc.
• Manage a quality, pro-active and consistent customer service for current posted customers. This will include duties such as creating note verbal’s to fellow embassies to assist with visa applications, general enquiries, etc.
• Manage a quality, pro-active and consistent customer service for customers departing post. This will include familiarising, understanding and applying best practice with regards to DIRCO’s standard operating procedures and service level agreements for departures (i.e. collecting diplomatic identity cards, vehicle de-registrations, etc), assist with heavy baggage / unaccompanied airfreight UAF, etc.
• Other administrative duties. These duties includes creating and recording note verbal’s, maintaining the staff establishment lists, file and maintain staff records and securing personal information at all times (i.e. locking away all documentation daily before leaving for home), Prism Requisitioning, Hotel bookings, etc.
• Conduct inductions to new arriving staff members
• Ensuring all paperwork is in order for UK based staff before their departures (ID return, diplomatic plates return and VAT claims finalised).
• Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
• Corporate Credit Card

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• 3-5 Years administration officer experience
• Good communication skills are essential (verbal and written)
• Computer literacy a must
• Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  
• 3-5 Years Protocol Officer experience / working in a diplomatic environment

Required behaviours  

Seeing the Big Picture, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others