Consular Officer (Pro-Consul) in Antalya

British Consulate General İstanbul

The British Vice Consulate in Antalya is seeking a Consular Officer with prior experience in customer service. The jobholder will play a key role in providing modern and efficient consular assistance and services to British nationals. The role will include a regional remit, with remote working to help support the wider Turkish Consular Network of our six other posts and on occasion other posts within the Europe South Consular Network.

The role will consist of 9 months of Consular duties and a further three month’s work in February, March and April for the Justice and Home Affairs UK government department assisting in the delivery of their Joint Overseas Protect and Prepare (JOPP) programme.

Responsibilities:

Assistance

• Providing a high level of consular assistance and support to British nationals in a wide range of circumstances including hospitalisations, death, arrest, rape and sexual assault, missing persons, child custody and financial difficulties;
• Carrying out vulnerability assessments and providing corresponding assistance to vulnerable British nationals;
• Liaison with local contacts such as hospitals, law enforcement authorities; courts, prisons, tour operators as well as other key stakeholders, such as charities and support organisations, in order to provide assistance to British nationals;
• Handling correspondence, telephonic enquiries, and counter appointments;
• Managing expectations of British nationals as to what assistance they can expect according to circumstances; signposting of British nationals to the relevant information sources and creating awareness of their own responsibility; 
• Some travel may be required within the province of Antalya;
• Some out-of-hours work may be required to assist extremely vulnerable British nationals.
  

Administration       

• Managing Consular fees and undertaking basic financial activities;
• Managing the online appointments booking system;
• Printing and issuing Emergency Travel Documents, including stock responsibilities;
• Provide a range of notarial and documentary services for British nationals in Turkey;
• Updating and maintaining the consular content on GOV.UK, in regards to service provider lists (lawyers, translators, funeral directors etc.);
• Performing other administrative duties as required.

Outreach and Prevention

• To develop and maintain a network of contacts with relevance for consular assistance and crisis related work, e.g. local authorities, British community groups and other stakeholders where necessary;
• To help organise outreach events and participate at other stakeholder events;
• To assist the consular network with the Prevention and Partnerships plan;
• To help identify and implement network/country specific prevention campaigns to change British behaviour abroad.

Crisis

• Take part in Turkey wide crisis preparedness efforts and activities, e.g. table tops & semi live exercises, crisis hub training and crisis meetings;
• Deploying to support British nationals who have been involved in a large-scale incident or crisis;
• Assisting in preparation and response to large-scale events.

Corporate

• Participate in relevant corporate structures 1) as part of corporate responsibilities and 2) as part of personal development;
• To undertake other duties that may be reasonably required and which are in accordance with the grading and core competencies of the job;
• Having a sound awareness of the Consular Strategy and work in accordance with the principles set out within the strategy;
• Expectation to contribute to working and best practice groups.

Joint Overseas Protect and Prepare (JOPP) Programme

• Develop presentational skills and contextual counter-terrorism knowledge;
• Establish relationships with hotels and resorts to secure counter-terrorism awareness (CTA) training;
• Deliver counter-terrorism awareness (CTA) training to frontline staff in hotels and resorts;
• Maintain relationships with all relevant JOPP stakeholders;
• On an adhoc basis, assist the JOPP and Counter- Terrorism Pursue fund (CTPf) team with the delivery of training. 

Essential qualifications, skills and experience:

• High-level of written and spoken proficiency in both English and Turkish at a minimum of C1 level 

• Previous experience in a customer facing role

• Good communication, interpersonal and team working skills

• Adaptability and a positive mind-set towards change and working as part of a wider team

• Self-motivated and able to work effectively and proactively without close supervision

• Flexibility, resilience, patience and the ability to confidently deal with difficult situations, including out of hours and in an emergency or crisis

• High level of discretion and responsibility

• Excellent organisational and time management skills

• Excellent telephone manner and communication skills

• Proficient IT skills, particularly in MS Office 365 applications

It will be a plus:

• Experience in a similar role;
• Knowledge of the Turkish administrative, justice, legal systems and social services.
  

Required behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Working Together

Application deadline: 1 April 2024

Grade: Administrative Officer (AO)

Type of Position : Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal

Salary: 1,750 USD gross

Start Date: 1 May 2024

• The role will consist of 9 months of Consular duties and 3 month’s work in February, March and April for the Justice and Home Affairs UK government department assisting in the delivery of their Joint Overseas Protect and Prepare (JOPP) programme.
  
• Please note that staff members are responsible for paying any income tax required by local law.
• All applicants should have the right to live and work in Turkiye. The British Vice Consulate Antalya does not sponsor for work permits.
• The successful candidate will be subject to professional background check, security clearance and a probation period of 2 months.
• Staff recruited locally by the British Vice Consulate in Antalya are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Turkish employment law.

Learning and development opportunities:

Consular Pathway – (Consular Mandatory Training Modules) - Full suite of Consular training courses 

Specific local Post requirement:

It is important to note that the consular role is very demanding and will entail dealing with casework in situations that may involve hospitalisation, death, detention, rape and sexual assault and prison visits. You will be required to deal face to face with highly distressed British nationals who may be in shock, grieving and in a crisis situation. Candidates should therefore have a high level of resilience to trauma.