Part-time Community Liaison Officer, Bogota

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

**Main purpose of job**:
To promote the welfare of UK Based officers and their families in Colombia and to act as a link between the officer or spouse/ partner and the Embassy over welfare issues.

The jobholder will also provide support for pre-posting and pre-accommodation requests/arrangements for UK Based officers and their families.

**Roles and responsibilities**:
Welcome and Arrival
- Be responsible for pre-arrival liaison: answer questions and queries from officers at bidding stage, contact officers and family before arrival, liaise with Estates Section regarding accommodation; be responsible for maintenance, preparation and inventory of domestic float (including taking deposits from officers in advance as needed on authority of Corporate Services Team); provide food float (on reimbursement basis direct to the CLO)
- Own the arrival process: keep Welcome Pack/intranet/SharePoint and community Facebook page up-to date and ensure soft copy of the Welcome Pack is delivered in advance and hard copy available on arrival; help new arrivals to settle by ensuring all welcome procedures are programmed and completed.
- Revise Post Report and Post Fact Sheet annually (with HCS/DHM)
- Post Hub Editor
- Registering new arrivals with local hospitals/GPs at Fundación Santa Fe / Clinica del Country

Departure from Post
- Issue domestic float.
- Liaise over schooling with CLO at onward post or UK, if required.

Morale
- Provide UK based staff and dependents with confidential welfare advice and support, advise on appropriate referral, provide follow-up;
- Provide support in cases of sickness or bereavement.
- Information: know how to access and have available for UK based officers and dependents information on Spouse Compensation, Sponsorship & Training, Employee Assistance Programme, Healix Healthcare contract including COVID-related healthcare issues.
- Develop and maintain good network of local healthcare related contacts e.g. panel doctors/dentists.
- Information gathering on recreational facilities and social events.
- Liaison and support for new arrivals.
- Annual welfare visit to Cartagena (where possible).
- Contribute to and administer Facebook group: Bienvenidos a Bogotá.

Education
- Provide up-to-date information on local schools to UK based officers and dependents.
- Visit and submit questionnaire to Education Team on schools or nurseries where there is interest in adding them to the list.
- Post information on recommended schools at post to DSFA; provide regular reports and feedback from staff on local schools.
- For officers doing a pre-posting recce visit, liaise with schools/nurseries for appointments and accompany them as needed.

Liaison with DSFA
- Annual Spouse/Partner Employment Report to DSFA (normally October).
- Information; maintain contact with the CLO Adviser and the CLO worldwide network, keeping up to date with and sharing CLO best practice.
- Attend CLO training in London, (essential for anyone new to the CLO role).

Communications
- Regular review of communications methods and recommendations for new initiatives
- Liaise with Press & Public Affairs (PPA) Team about information for the Embassy Newsletter e.g. re newcomers and events; contribute to regular Wellness newsletters.
- Circulate general information; develop and maintain good networks with counterparts in other missions in Colombia, especially the US Embassy CLO, Canada, NZ, Australia and Ireland, and expatriate organisations.
- Post Hub editor

Other
- Contribute to relevant internal meetings, e.g. Corporate Services meeting; Spouses/Partners Q/A meeting, All Staff Meeting, Post Housing Committee.
- Carry out 6-monthly ECA shopping basket survey (March and September);
- Contribute to crisis and business continuity planning, earthquake drills and other procedures as needed, including (optional) joining the Emergency Brigade
- Maintain crisis information around children and schools and nurseries attended.
- Use and be responsible for a corporate credit card, seeking prior approval for and reconciling any expenses within deadlines as set out in FCO guidance.
- (Optional) be part of the Embassy charity committee.
- (Optional) Cultural Information and Visits: arrange visits for those interested.
- Other tasks as set out by manager.

**Resources managed**:
Nil. However, the Job Holder could manage a CCC or GPC for representational expenses and ad-hoc purchases mainly related to FLOAT inventory items.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

**Essential on arrival**:

- Tact and discretion.
- Good interpersonal skills especially empathy and listening.
- A good level of spoken and written English.
- Good working knowledge of MS Office programmes.
- Good organisational/time management skills (as this is a part-time post).
- Social media savvy.
- Strong judgement and confident taking decisions without direct supervision.
- Proven ability to work independently and prioritise in ord