As a member of the Consular Section, you will be a part of the team that is responsible for ensuring high quality consular services are delivered to British nationals in the Shanghai Consular District. You will work closely with the Vice Consul and pro-consuls to assist them in delivering Shanghai’s objectives under the Consular Strategy and China-wide business plans.

This is a key role supporting the provision of a full range of consular services, including assistance to vulnerable British Nationals, an effective Notarial and documentary services and prevention and outreach work.

The successful applicant will focus their customer service skills on providing an effective front counter service to our customers, as well as managing straightforward enquires to our mailboxes. You will also have responsibilities as office manager, including administrative support to the team. Our Notarial and documentary services, for which the successful applicant will have responsibility, includes processing affirmations/affidavits, oaths and processing Emergency Travel Documentation.

The successful applicant will also occasionally provide support on assistance cases. These can include hospitalisations, detentions, the death of British nationals, and issues around mental health problems. The jobholder may be involved in the more challenging aspects of these cases, such as speaking to bereaved families and dealing with the sick and injured. They will need to engage with Chinese government departments including the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), as well as other partners and stakeholders when organising visits/outreach.

The successful applicant will also be a member of the Consular Crisis Team in assisting in the preparation and response to any crisis incident.

There will be occasional opportunities to travel within China for assistance cases and outreach visits. There will be some overseas travel for consular training, including to the UK.

As the majority of our customers are British nationals, a high-degree of fluency in English (both written and spoken), are essential. The selection process will include a language test. As the role may involve interaction with the Chinese authorities, an understanding of both spoken and written Mandarin are mandatory.

This role can sometimes involve evening or weekend work, usually over the phone. Occasional opportunity to work from home (e.g. when completing on-line training).

Roles and responsibilities:

Notarial and Documentary services for British nationals – 25%

• Timely processing and organisation of Notarial and Documentary services
• Act as notarial China lead for routine enquires and hub and spoke processing
• Act as cashier and process monthly fees return

Managing the customer journey and proving general consular advice to British nationals – 30%

• Answer straightforward public enquiries, including management of the team’s mailboxes
• Maintain online booking service for counter appointments, liaise with reception staff/guards on visit procedures
• Ensure an appropriate environment is maintained within our waiting room and public counter areas

Excellent office management and administrative support to the Consular Team, including: - 20%

• Paper files and shared area organised and up-to-date
  
• Team Calendar and Contacts kept up-to-date
  
• Key information for customers up-to-date
  
• Compiling accurate management information statistics
  
• Logistical support for outreach activity

Consular assistance to distressed British nationals – 20%

• Provide clear accurate advice to British nationals requiring consular assistance, in person, via phone and email
• Provide support by arranging and on occasion accompanying Vice Consul, and the wider team, on consular visits including to prisons, detention centres and hospitals
• Engaging with both UK and Chinese government departments, including local police, the Public Security Bureau and Ministry of Justice
• Issuing Emergency Travel Documents
• Conduct annual reviews on our list of English speaking lawyers and hospitals in eastern China
• Support regular reviews of www.gov.uk pages

Crisis Preparedness: The jobholder will be a member of the Consular Crisis Team – 5%

• Active involvement in the Consulate-General's schedule of crisis training and exercising
• Contribute to consular team planning
• First class consular assistance to affected British nationals in a crisis

This is a permanent role with an initial 2-year contract to the successful candidate.

• Excellent administrative skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work unsupervised
• Good IT Skills
• Excellent or high proficiency in English language
• Excellent or high proficiency in spoken Chinese
• Excellent or high proficiency in written Chinese

• Experience working in a customer service role
• Experience of Consular work

We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary, performance related bonus scheme, good leave entitlement and insurance plan, etc. The gross starting salary for this position before all deductions is CNY 8,900 /per month for Chinese nationals and an abated monthly salary of CNY 12,457 /per month for British Nationals and spouses/partners of all nationalities of diplomats who are ‘W’ (diplomatic) visa holders and meet passport criteria.

We also offer excellent development opportunities and a 22 day annual leave entitlement in pro rata. Conditioned working hours is 35 hours/week from Monday to Friday. The Consulate-General actively considers flexible working patterns, if you would like to consider this position under a job share (an arrangement where typically two people split the week and work on a part-time or reduced-time basis to perform a full time job) please indicate within your application.

Initial appointment is 24 months contract subject for review.

For more details on our Total Rewards Package, please visit our website: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/china.

Staff recruited locally by the British Consulate General Shanghai are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Chinese employment law.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.