The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office pursues our national interests and projects the UKs role in the world.
We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK's security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners.
We are looking to recruit talented and enthusiastic individuals to join Parliamentary and Central Services department (PMCS). PMCS works closely with Private Offices and FCDO Directorates to ensure that the FCDO meets its obligations to Parliament.
Our role is to coordinate and advise on Parliamentary activity across the FCDO, including ministerial correspondence. We also support Directorates to answer Information Rights requests and project-manage complex briefing packs for the Foreign Secretary.
The positions are in different roles across PMCS Parliamentary Unit, Ministerial and Treat Official Correspondence Team, Information Rights Unit, Governance and Resource Unit and Directors Office. These roles directly contribute to the FCDOs departmental strategic objectives. Roles may be in any area of PMCS and applicants will need to be flexible and adaptable.
Job Description
Roles and Responsibilities
PMCS will configure the roles to meet specific business need but they will include:
- Policy Roles: You may lead on Parliamentary engagement including Parliamentary questions and MPs correspondence and members of the public; lead on producing briefings for the Foreign Secretary and other FCDO Ministers. Responding to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), and the Data Protection Act (DPA), ensuring that the FCDO meets its legal obligations.
- Corporate Administration/EA Support: Creating and maintaining electronic management systems; databases and distribution lists; managing correspondence; organising meetings/events and taking notes in meetings; providing logistical and administrative support to enable effective working across the office, providing effective and timely briefing and advice.
- Budget Management: Budget monitoring, requisitioning, and raising purchase orders, and manipulation of data using spreadsheets; assisting with budget forecasting; understanding commercial and procurement policies.
Person specification
You must be a British Citizen at the time of application and, if invited to interview, you will need to bring your British Passport with you.
As these roles require you to attain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance, you will need to be at least 18 years of age at the time of your interview. The successful candidates will be able to start with SC security clearance but must be willing to obtain and maintain DV security clearance after starting in FCDO. The Contract will be subject to this requirement. Please note that obtaining DV clearance can take approximately five months depending on your individual circumstances.
For more information about this process, click here . Attaining DV will require you to have been resident in the UK for five of the last ten years. At least one year of this must have been a consecutive twelve-month period. Serving overseas with HM Forces, in some other official capacity as a representative of Her Majestys Government, or having lived overseas as a result of your parents or partners Government employment counts as UK residency for the purposes of security clearances.
It is essential in your application that you provide evidence and proven examples in each of the following Minimum Criteria as far as you are able to do so. These responses will be further developed and discussed with those candidates invited for interview.
Minimum Criteria
- Strong literacy, numeracy, and IT skills.
- Competent using IT packages including Microsoft Office - Outlook, Excel and, ideally, knowledge of Microsoft Windows 10.
- Good interpersonal, team-working, and oral and written communication skills.
- Good organisational, analytical, and planning skills, with the ability to work to tight deadlines.
- Able to lead and motivate self and others.
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Motivation questions at interview
- A Civil Service Pension.
- 25 days Annual Leave per annum.
- 9 days Public and Privilege holidays per annum.
- Learning and Development tailored to your role.
