Vice - Consul at British High Commission Nairobi

Main purpose of job:

• To provide professional consular support to British nationals in Somalia. You will deal with difficult and complex consular cases that occur in an exceptionally challenging enviroment; develop strong relationships with key figures in the Somali authorities and maintain good working relationships with consular colleagues in other embassies; invest time in prevention work to help improve our understanding of the Somali context and processes; and help make sure we have good contingency plans to deal with major incidents and crises affecting British nationals.
• You will be based at the British High Commission in Nairobi, but will also work closely with colleagues at the British Embassy in Mogadishu. Given the security situation, consular support to British nationals in Somalia is provided remotely by consular staff at the British High Commission in Nairobi; however, you can expect to travel to the British Embassy in Mogadishu 2-3 times per year.  
• You will be expected to work flexibly and collaboratively with other team members, sometimes taking on work that is outside your normal remit, for example when other colleagues are on leave or under particular pressure. This will include supporting on consular work in Kenya and South Sudan.
• On taking up this position, you will be provided with a strong training package to give you the knowledge and the specific consular skills you will need to be effective in this role.
• For more information on the type of assistance we provide, please read our public guide "Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide”.

Roles and responsibilities

Consular assistance: leading on complex casework

• You will be expected to provide empathetic consular assistance to British nationals, providing support and advice on issues such as forced marriage, domestic abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM) and death
• You will be expected to prioritise casework based on the individual’s vulnerability and to tailor your support accordingly, doing more for those less able to help themselves.
• You will be required to meet consular business targets and to ensure that our case management system is updated promptly.
• To support casework, you will need to develop excellent relationships with other colleagues in the British High Commission in Nairobi and the British Embassy in Mogadishu, and to work collaboratively with them to make progress on complex cases. You may also be required to lead on lobbying the Federal Government of Somalia on complex cases.

24/7 consular services:

• You will need to ensure that British people can contact us when they need to, and access information as easily as possible. This will include researching and writing online guides on issues such as bereavement, arrest and rape/sexual assault.
• You will need to maintain up-to-date databases of local service providers, such as lawyers, translators and medical facilities.
• You will be required to assist with issuing Emergency Travel Documents to British nationals and you may be required to host Citizenship Ceremonies for people who are becoming British citizens.
• You will be required to provide a high standard of customer service, and to meet customer service targets.

Prevention

• You will manage the relationship and contract with our consular-funded safe house in Mogadishu, ensuring that activity and financial reports are submitted on time, and that our parternship continues to meet the evolving needs of British nationals.
• You will be required to develop a network of external contacts to support the resolution of consular casework. This will include – for example – developing effective working relationships with elements of the Somali authorities, such as immigration officials.
• You will be expected to identify issues where we can be proactive in helping reduce risks to British nationals and to deliver small projects, aimed at reducing the impact of issues facing British nationals in Somalia.
• You may be required to review and update travel advice for British nationals in Somalia as risks evolve.

Crisis

• You will be expected to play a role in any crisis response delivered by the British High Commission in Nairobi or the British Embassy in Mogadishu
• You may also be asked to support crisis responses in other countries through our “regional resilience” arrangements.
• Crisis work may involve working outside your contracted hours or travelling at short notice

We are a team of five, providing consular assistance to British nationals in Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan. As one of three Vice-Consuls, you will be expected to work flexibly and collaboratively with other team members, sometimes taking on work that is outside your normal remit, for example when other colleagues are on leave or under particular pressure.

You should be aware that consular work involves handling difficult conversations with distressed individuals and may require visiting challenging environments, so emotional intelligence and personal resilience are essential.

You can expect to travel a few weeks per year, to Somalia, to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and possibly to the UK.   

Resources managed:

• Line manager to 1 x Consular Assistant.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Excellent communication skills (to manage customer expectations, deliver difficult messages and communicate effectively with other colleagues in the British High Commission Nairobi and British Embassy Mogadishu)
• Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure (including when dealing with potentially emotive subjects and distressed people)
• Ability to prioritise effectively
• Collaborative approach
• Ability to travel internationally

Language requirements:

• This is a customer-facing role, with the primary audience being British nationals, so excellent written and spoken English is essential.
• Given the focus of the role on Somalia, excellent spoken Somali is also a requirement.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Experience working in a customer-facing role
• Experience working in an international organisation