Personal Assistant to the Defence Attaché

Application closing date: 14 February 2014

The British Embassy in Hanoi is part of a world-wide network of 230 posts, representing British political, defence, economic, trade, and consular interests around the world.  We are currently looking to recruit a Personal Assistant to the Defence Attaché.  This is an interesting role in a new and developing area of increased engagement for the UK in Vietnam.  The Personal Assistant will be one of four initial posts comprising the small and tight-knit Defence Section, working alongside other teams in the British Embassy.

Primary Roles

• The standing requirements of a Personal Assistant, including management of the Defence Attaché’s diary and all travel requirements, among other daily office duties.
• Acting as the Defence Attaché’s personal translator, including consecutive translation at formal and informal meetings and engagements, as well as written translation of official and other documents.
• Support to the Defence Attaché and the Defence Section in all routine business and occasional projects.

Main Functions

• Contributing to all aspects of the development and sustainment of the newly created Defence Section into an effective element of the British Embassy in Vietnam.
• Organisation of meetings and engagements in Hanoi and across Vietnam for the Defence Attaché, along with all necessary associated secretarial work.
• Drafting of diplomatic and other correspondence for the Defence Attaché.
• Completion of diplomatic paperwork for over flight and transit of British military aircraft and naval vessels.
• All office management functions required to support the Defence Section team.

Requirements

• Advanced oral and written skills in both English and Vietnamese.
• Familiarity and proven capability in using IT systems, including Microsoft Office (notably Word, Outlook, Excel, and Powerpoint), with effective associated typing skills.
• Capable of managing multiple concurrent tasks.
• Capable of prioritising tasks effectively to meet deadlines.
• Able to work as part of a small and close team while working independently with minimal supervision.
• Able to operate with discretion in a complex environment.
• Capable of high work rate while maintaining a high level of attention to detail.
• Appropriate manner when dealing with senior personnel on a routine or occasional basis.

Significant weight may be given to applicants who can demonstrate practical working knowledge of the organisations and/or senior leadership of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, or who have experience working in this environment.

The British Embassy offers a competitive remuneration package, including salary, benefits, a leave entitlement and training package.  Specific training and mentoring for the role will be provided for the successful candidate. This may include training in the region. The successful candidate will need to commence security clearance procedures through the Embassy as soon as possible.. Further details of benefits are available on request.

How To Apply

Please send your CV and the completed application form, which can be downloaded from our website at https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-hanoi/... by 14 February 2014 to [email protected]

We regret to advise that we will only be contacting shortlisted candidates. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 31st March.

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks.

The British Embassy is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation.