Executive Assistant to the Consul General, Boston

Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Residence and Support Staff)

Job Subcategory

Private Office

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities) 

Main purpose of job:

The British Consulate General in Boston invites applications from outstanding individuals for the position of Executive Assistant to the Consul General.

The Executive Assistant provides a critical interface between the Consul General, the wider Consulate team and senior interlocutors across New England, at the British Embassy in Washington and in London. The successful applicant will exercise strategic oversight of the Consul General’s diary, ensuring that his time and energy are focused in supporting the priorities of the Consulate and the British Government, as well as helping to coordinate the various teams in the Consulate.  The Executive Assistant will have a central role in helping to plan and execute senior visits as well as helping ensure that the Consul General’s Residence on Beacon Hill is used to good effect.  The Executive Assistant also performs critical secretarial and administrative tasks and reports directly to the Consul General.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Management of all aspects of the CG's calendar including forward programming, regular events, use of the Residence for events and day to day diary and scheduling.
• Arrange detailed outward travel itineraries for the CG within New England (as well as visits to Washington and the UK), including scheduling appointments with high-level contacts, as well as making hotel, car and flight bookings.
• Provide support to the other Consulate teams on incoming visit programmes, helping to manage logistics, coordinate input from internal and external stakeholders and producing briefing materials.
• Support events at the Residence, working with other teams at the Consulate and liaising with the spouse of the Consul General.  Attend evening and early morning events, including helping to staff events: help with event set up, greeting and circulating guests, closing down etc., in collaboration with event lead.
• Perform some Social Secretary responsibilities at the office (staff farewells, official entertaining - if no obvious event lead elsewhere): issue invitations, book in visitors, coordinate RSVPs, help make name badges, set up, budgeting and monitoring expenditure for external events.
• Coordinate weekly Senior Management Team meetings, monthly All Staff meetings and other meetings (eg team briefings with visitors): confirming attendance, room bookings, participating, taking notes and circulating action points.
• Provide secretarial support to the regular Crisis and Honours meetings.
• Handle incoming mail and other correspondence for the CG and telephone enquiries; draft acknowledgements and other routine letters (thank you, welcome / farewell letter); Update and maintain Consulate contact database and other records, particularly around crisis preparedness.
• Prepare and reconcile monthly corporate credit card account and expenses processing for CG, accurately and submitted for approval on time.
• Contribute to the Consulate’s annual, quarterly and monthly budgeting in line with audit requirements (working with
• Corporate Services Manager); co-ordinating input to the quarterly reports, and special projects as they arise.
• Participate in crisis training and exercise and be part of the Consulate-wide team response in the event of a crisis.

Resources managed: 

The Executive Assistant will be expected to seek good value for money and comply with all other relevant financial guidelines, working with the Corporate Services Manager to ensure that expenditure is within budget. 

This position does not have any line management responsibilities.  However, it is possible that the Executive Assistant may manage an intern from time to time. 

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

Essential on arrival:  

• Strong written and oral communications skills, including the ability to communicate with all levels of society, both internally and externally.  Good grammar and spelling essential.
• Strong ability to prioritise, organise and multitask.  Time-management skills and the ability to remain calm and professional under pressure are essential.
• Superior problem solving skills, common sense, and able to exercise good judgement at pace and in the face of competing priorities.
• Strong team player who enjoys working with others and is able to integrate fully into a wider Network-based team.
• Initiative, determination and responsibility.
• Flexible with working occasional long hours, including at weekends.
• Advanced proficiency in using the Microsoft Office suite, as well as various platforms for remote/video conferencing, such as Zoom and Webex (as well as Microsoft Teams).
• At least 2-3 years relevant administrative experience in a fast-paced multi-faceted team environment

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. • A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas   

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 

Desirable: 

• An understanding of the challenges and sensitivities of working in the world of Government, politics and the media.
• An interest in and appreciation for the UK, particularly the UK’s relationship with the United States and our broader foreign policy priorities.

Required behaviours 

Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together

Application deadline 

29 November 2023

Grade 

Executive Officer (EO)

Type of Position 

Full-time, Permanent

Working hours per week 

40

Region 

Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories

Country/Territory 

United States

Location (City) 

Boston

Type of Post 

British Consulate General

Number of vacancies 

1

Salary Currency 

USD

Salary 

$63,180

Start Date 

22 January 2024

Other benefits and conditions of employment 

Working patterns:

The Consulate supports flexible working arrangements and will discuss any requirements with the successful applicant. The Consulate expects staff to be working from the office for a minimum of three days per week on the basis that we are a people-oriented organisation that believes we do our best work when we are physically co-located.   We nevertheless have a robust flexible working policy that offers our staff the ability to work where and when is most effective. 

Learning and development opportunities:

The British Consulate in Boston, in line with the UK’s network of diplomatic missions around the world, takes individual learning and development seriously. In addition to on-the-job learning (such as the opportunity to travel and exposure to senior and influential figures in business, politics and the media) and mentoring and coaching opportunities, formal and informal training in a wide range of different skills is available to all staff.  The successful applicant for this role will have the opportunity to shadow Executive Assistants in other Consulates across the US and spend some time at the Embassy in Washington.  A visit to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London is also a possibility. 

Additional information 

The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance.  Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.

The British Consulate is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.

All staff are required to be accredited with the State Department’s Office of Foreign Missions. Local staff are accredited to ensure their employment complies with the Foreign Agent Registration Act of 1938. This accreditation comes with a requirement that staff live within a certain area of the foreign mission to which they are accredited to.  Staff must live within a commutable distance generally defined as within 70 miles of the office.

Only successful candidates will be contacted. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed.

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. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount. Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position. Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls. Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed. The British Embassy is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.