View Vacancy – JOA – Community Liaison Officer & Regional Language Officer (AO)

The British Embassy Amman has a vacancy for the position of Community Liaison Officer & Regional Language Officer, job grade Administrative Officer (AO), on a fixed term contract for two (2) years.

The role of Community Liaison Officer (CLO) is at the heart of the Embassy’s welfare outreach to all UK Based Staff (UKBS) and their spouses/ partners and dependants. Their primary responsibility is to provide support to and act as advocate for UKB staff and dependants (cross HMG) on family and community issues, principally in the areas of information gathering, local knowledge, welfare and communication. For Amman, this also includes single officers, those on full time language training (FTLT), and those based here with a regional remit.

In the role of Regional Language Officer (RLO), the jobholder is the key point of contact with the International Academy (IA) in the UK for organisation and administration of full-time language provision for students completing pre-posting Arabic language training, for which Amman is the regional centre. They are responsible for supporting Full-Time Language Students (FTLS) for HM Government Officers and Optional Language Training (OLT) for British Embassy officers and their spouses. They coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure excellent quality Arabic language training is provided for all, working through a range of established Arabic language teachers and local academic institutions. 

It is a rewarding role for a candidate interested in customer service and educational delivery. It will require and test organisational and communication skills as well as teamwork and resilience. Excellent interpersonal skills and having a strong customer focus, attention to detail, and welcoming delivery style are also essential. 

Duties and responsibilities:

As Community Liaison Officer (CLO)

– Oversee and organise key information gathering for UKBS and their spouses/ partners and families, including for those not yet at the Embassy

• Responsible for updating key lists through close co-ordination with Protocol Team and Head of Corporate Services. Maintain all necessary information accurately adhering to UK data protection rules and obligations.
• Produce a variety of reports required throughout the year using MS Excel and other MS Office tools to compile, manage, and manipulate information, ensuring adherence to various commission deadlines and high level of accuracy of each return. Use own judgement and decision making on what to include for each report, how to gather any missing information, and how best to store it (with restricted access), as well as maintaining the database for use in emergency situations.

– Welfare

• Welcoming all UKBS or students on posting, temporary duty, or deployment and accompanying dependants to ensure as smooth an integration as possible into the life of the community.
• Engage with the Corporate Services (CS) Team at BE Amman to co-ordinate arrival and departure of UKBS and FTLS.
• Make warm call ahead of arrival and ensure staff and students are inducted, have a security briefing, and are added to all necessary Community and Security WhatsApp groups.
• Organise transportation pick-up and ensure smooth arrival and departure logistics for new UKBS and dependants as well as language students.
• Conduct a tour of the Embassy for new staff and students so they are familiar with the area, to include visit to Protocol office for necessary visa and registration documents to be done.
• Work with Estates Team to ensure that accommodation units are suitable and well equipped, and that UKB staff and students know where basic amenities are.
• Link new staff and students to CLO team, ensuring they have an Amman induction tour and are included in any CLO or Embassy-led events. Ensure all know where they can reach out for support if needed and have emergency phone numbers.
• Have a key role as Welfare Officer in crisis circumstances, including being able to work with the Logistics Officer during drawdowns, evacuations, and consular crisis. Take part in desk-based crisis exercises in preparation for this.

– Advocate for UKBS, students and dependants in addressing issues of importance to them with Embassy Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

• Represent the group on key Embassy meetings, including People and Platform Board, Post Housing, Security and Health and Safety Committees.

As Regional Language Officer (RLO)

– Administration for Full Time Language Students (FTLS):

• Coordinate enrolment of new students with International Academy (IA) Language Team in the UK, including arranging their tuition dates, completing necessary forms, and obtaining approvals.
• Develop and leverage an effective network of contacts across Arabic language teachers in Amman. Collaborate with local language centres for student placements
• Liaison point between language trainers, students, and IA in London. Helping IA team with queries they have.
• Ensure FTLS are supported during their studies, matching students to suitable teachers and checking in on progress.
• Assist IA in recognising new language training providers, helping them with the due diligence and participate in the assessment.

– Organise Optional Language Training (OLT)

• Coordinate language training for Embassy officers and spouses/partners, providing all relevant information and forms.
• Manage approvals for requests in coordination with Middle East and North Africa (MENA) OLT team.
• Maintain and calculate allocation and hours remaining for OLT students, regularly updating the language team and teaching provider.

– Finance and supplier management

• Handle purchase orders, monthly invoicing, and receipting in our internal ERP mainframe system (Oracle-based) to ensure that teaching suppliers are paid on time. Ensure correct charge codes are used so that cost is allocated to the correct department.
• Set up agreed new language training suppliers on our internal ERP mainframe system (Oracle-based) following the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) procurement rules and ensuring an auditable record is kept for later inspection. Relevant training will be provided.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future and this would be at the discretion of the line manager/ senior management and agreed with the jobholder. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. The jobholder may also take on other ad hoc tasks as required.

Key behaviours required:

• Managing a Quality Service – Gain a clear understanding of customers’ needs and expectations. Plan, organise and manage your own time to deliver a high quality service which gives taxpayers a good return for their money. Act to prevent problems by identifying issues, reporting them, and providing solutions. Keep customers and all colleagues up to date with progress. Show customers where to access relevant information and support that will help them to use services more effectively.
• Working Together – Proactively contribute to the work of the whole team and remain open to taking on new and different roles. Get to know your colleagues and build supportive relationships. Listen to alternative perspectives and needs, responding sensitively and checking understanding where necessary. Ask for help when needed and support others when the opportunity arises. Be aware of the need to consider your own wellbeing and that of your colleagues. Understand that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are unacceptable.
• Delivering at Pace – Always work with focus and pace to get the job done on time and to a high standard. Follow the relevant policies, procedures and rules that apply to the job. Use own knowledge and expertise to organise work. Keep focused on delivery and take responsibility for the quality of work produced. Keep a consistent level of personal performance. Keep managers and stakeholders updated on how work is progressing.
• Changing and Improving – Review ways of working and suggest improvements, including how to make full use of new digital technologies. Learn new procedures and help colleagues to do the same. Query any issues that arise from changes in a suitable way. Respond in an effective and appropriate manner when emergencies arise.

The jobholder will also need to role model the Civil Service values of:

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Objectivity
• Impartiality

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as long as:

• You have the right to live and work in Jordan; and
• You receive the appropriate level of security clearance.

We are looking for a confident self-starter and someone who can handle multiple tasks and prioritise with minimal supervision.

The successful candidate will need to have a strong track record in teamwork and building good service provision; working with language students, Embassy staff, and the International Academy based in the UK. As with all Corporate Services (CS) roles, no two days are the same and your actions will matter hugely to staff and students alike, so the ability to think creatively, have excellent people skills and sound judgement are all essential qualities. 

Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, and you should feel confident and comfortable dealing with staff at all levels, building co-operative and productive working relationships with everyone that you meet.

Essential

• Relevant experience in a similar customer-facing role, ideally for at least two (2) years.
• Highly organised and confident in handling day-to-day tasks and decisions.
• Excellent team working skills including evidence of working collaboratively with multicultural colleagues.
• Fluent communication skills in English, both oral and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely.
• Holds at least a bachelor’s degree/ BTEC in a relevant field.
• IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).