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executive assistant

Job Description

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job:

The British Consulate General in Vancouver is recruiting for an Executive Assistant & Events Lead. The position is vital to the smooth running of the Consulate General, the UK Government’s office in British Columbia, which also covers Yukon and the Northwest Territories. It is offered on a full-time, permanent basis starting as soon as possible, subject to successful security clearance.

This is a varied and interesting role. You will use your excellent administrative and customer service skills to manage a small, bustling diplomatic office that operates as part of the UK’s wider network of offices in Canada. In this position, you will also be working to support a busy engagement diary, with numerous opportunities to influence and manage the British Government’s presence in Vancouver via senior stakeholder management and soft power initiatives. In addition, you will need to draw on your creativity and organisation skills to deliver varied and impactful events and visits. Through supporting the Consul General and the wider team, you will contribute to the UK’s work on investment and trade; science and innovation; and political and public affairs.

Roles and responsibilities:

1. Support to the Consul General, enabling them to carry out their duties effectively: advising on prioritisation, diary management, scheduling in-person and virtual meetings, maintaining contacts databases, drafting official correspondence, preparing expense reports, arranging travel and other bookings, preparing background material for meetings with input from others, facilitating maintenance of the Consul General’s Residence, welcoming visitors and offering hospitality, ad hoc administrative support.

2. Office Manager, ensuring the smooth functioning of the Consulate General in conjunction with an Ottawa-based team: liaising with suppliers and vendors, organising office maintenance, décor changes and/or security upgrades, answering general enquiries, handling visitors at front door, managing office supplies, arranging mail services, overseeing official vehicle maintenance, acting as local lead on IT and information management, overseeing office health and safety, assisting with crisis preparedness, completing financial processes as required.

3. Events and visits lead: For events, this includes working with colleagues across the Consulate General to maintain a healthy pipeline of events and hospitality that deliver on the UK’s policy priorities; leading on event planning and delivery, including contributing creative ideas; managing invitations and RSVPs; visiting and liaising with venues and caterers; contract negotiation; and “front of house” duties at smaller Consulate-hosted events. For visits, this includes leading preparations for visits from UK VIPs; overseeing logistics; coordinating programmes and collating briefing.

Due to the varied nature of our work, you may also be asked to support other projects, for example assisting with research or helping to cover for absences.

Resources managed:

• Monitoring of Consulate General’s budget

• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to react quickly and effectively to unexpected obstacles.
• A positive and flexible collaborator, willing to help others and take on new tasks as well as to motivate and inspire others.
• Attention to detail whilst grasping the bigger picture.
• A professional demeanour, remaining calm dealing with difficult customers and confident greeting senior stakeholders.
• Ability to ensure value for money in dealings with vendors and suppliers.
• Strong IT skills.
• Must have the legal status to live and work in Canada in your own right, from time of application.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

• Familiarity with or knowledge of British Columbia and the UK.
• Previous executive assistance, event management and/or office management experience.
• Driver’s license.

Learning and development opportunities:

The UK Government actively promotes learning and development for all staff. There will be ample opportunities for you to develop, both within the areas directly relevant to your role, and more widely in a number of areas that may be of interest to you. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has a dedicated learning and development team, as well as a Diplomatic Academy which leads on developing and organising dedicated training in policy areas. The FCDO ring-fences an annual allocation of five days that officers can devote to learning activities and provides an annual learning budget to which all staff can apply.

The British Embassy Network offers a strong benefits package. This package includes generous vacation and leave time, flexible working patterns, and enriching learning and development opportunities.

Working patterns:

The Consulate General is currently working 2-3 days per week in the office with the remainder working from home and expects this pattern to remain for the foreseeable future. There is some flexibility about which days are spent in the office, but there may also be specific periods when more consistent office working is required. The office is open 5 days per week for those who prefer office working. There will be potential travel opportunities in this role.

The FCDO prizes wellbeing and work-life balance. You will be supported in finding a working pattern that suits you as well as meeting the needs of the role. Some elements of the role are office-based and require regular contact time with the Consul General and other staff.

Please note: you must have the legal status to live and work in Canada.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6-12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

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