Defence Technology Cooperation Officer, HEO

View Vacancy - VNM (Hanoi) - Defence Technology Cooperation Officer, HEO

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

Job Category: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)

Job Subcategory: Political

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)  

Main purpose of job:

This position is a core part of the Vietnam Network’s defence and trade teams, focusing on UK-Vietnam cooperation on defence technology cooperation, defence equipment and defence analysis. It will involve day-to-day liaison with the Vietnamese Government on the defence sector plus analysis and reporting on Vietnam’s bilateral and multilateral action in a way which helps strengthen the UK’s relationship with Vietnam and our shared agenda on global issues.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

Analyse and report on developments in Vietnam’s defence technology and military diversification policy. Lead on engaging with UK defence companies in Vietnam and in the region. Lead on engaging Vietnam’s MoND, defence trading houses and defence sales networks on defence procurement. This work will include highlighting developments and drafting reports on Vietnam’s defence policy, and will include assessing and recommending where the UK is best placed to support international efforts to strengthen defence technology cooperation in Vietnam. This work will also include significant representation requirements. This work will also require thought leadership on defence technology policy across the Vietnam Network, producing papers and building capacity and awareness in British Embassy Hanoi and British Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City.

Develop and use a wide network of contacts in the Vietnamese Government, trading houses, UK businesses and in other diplomatic missions to better understand Vietnam’s defence policy, defence needs, to share UK thinking on international issues. Using this knowledge, the successful candidate will advise UK companies looking to export to Vietnam in this sector, including introducing them to relevant local partners and relevant government bodies to develop UK-Vietnam industry links. This role could also include the potential for specific defence sector trade missions to and from Vietnam. This role includes arranging lobbying calls on specific topics and themes and recording these, as well as providing advice on how best to land messaging on UK asks and priorities. The jobholder will be responsible for regular contact with MoND and other Vietnamese Government ministries and agencies.

Managing projects to support the UK’s engagement with Vietnam on international issues; bidding for and using programme funds to enhance the UK and Vietnam’s shared international agenda, e.g. through visits, seminars, workshops and conferences. The jobholder will have significant autonomy in determining direction for the UK’s engagement for defence technology cooperation and funds. They will be expected to represent to the UK at defence-related events.

Contributing to cross cutting and strategic issues, such as development of the Vietnam Network Country Business Plan; planning and organising the UK-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue; helping develop the Joint Action Plan; and organising high level visits. They will be expected to work closely with colleagues working on domestic political and trade issues. They will occasionally be required to undertake translation and interpretation.

Budget and information management to support best practice within the Network, by: forecasting and managing funds for projects and activites; capturing background information on key political figures; ensuring documents are saved appropriately and easily accessible; maintaining the team’s shared area.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

No staff management requirement, but will manage own and defence section team budget for projects and activities.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Understanding of the Vietnamese political system and ability to call on a range of political contacts
• Experience interpreting from Vietnamese-English-Vietnamese
• Strong communication skills with a good knowledge of MS Word, Excel and Outlook
• Researching, analysing and interpreting information
• Ability to organise events, including in collaboration with Vietnamese government contacts

The successful candidate will be expected to embody the UK Civil Service code.

Language requirements:

Language: English/Vietnamese

Level of language required: Fluent Vietnamese and excellent written and spoken English is essential

Required behaviours  

Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together

Application deadline: 2 March 2023

Grade: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Type of Position: Fixed Term, Full-time

Working hours per week: 39.5

Duration of Post: 9 months

Region: Asia Pacific

Country/Territory: Vietnam

Location (City): Hanoi

Type of Post: British Embassy

Number of vacancies: 1

Salary Currency: VND

Salary: VND 57,137,529

Start Date: 17 April 2023

Other benefits and conditions of employment  

This position is being advertised as a full-time, fixed-term role with possibility of renewal in Hanoi.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to developing its staff. There will be opportunities for formal training alongside collaborating with a wide range of colleagues delivering on-the-job learning.

• Working in a diplomatic mission
• International policy skills course
• UK Diplomatic Academy foundation learning
• Regional and London-based formal learning opportunities
• Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment and security checks. Staff who are locally recruited by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law.

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Visa sponsorship may be possible for non-Vietnamese nationals if meet local requirements.  

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.

Disabled and ethnic minority applicants will be invited to interviews if meeting the minimum requirement of the job.

Working patterns:

This is a full-time post. The Embassy would be willing to discuss flexible working options. For example, these may include:

• Altered working hours (e.g. starting early or late), provided the post holder was able to make calls with colleagues in the UK when necessary and was able to travel as required.

Additional information  

All applications must be received before 23:55 (Local Vietnam Time) on the day of the deadline indicated above.

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

All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the  next stage.

Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’.  If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”.

Please check the application centre regularly for any update on your application.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

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