Personal Assistant to the Ambassador

Personal Assistant to the Ambassador Embassy of Ireland, Copenhagen, Denmark

Our mission is to promote and protect abroad the values, interests and economic well-being of Ireland and its people. We do this under the political direction of our Ministers, through our staff at home and through our Embassy network abroad.

The Embassy of Ireland in Denmark is seeking to recruit a resourceful, proactive and flexible individual with previous experience in a similar environment to fill the position of Personal Assistant to the Ambassador.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Managing the Ambassadors office and diary;
• Arranging travel for diplomatic staff;
• Providing logistical support for official visits from Ireland (including arranging bilateral meetings, local transportation, accommodation, etc.);
• Preparing regular press / media summaries;
• Liaising with service providers for Ambassadors Residence, as appropriate;
• Assisting during Embassy events;
• Dealing with consular issues for Irish citizens and working as part of consular team on visa processing;
• Managing contact databases and filing systems (electronic and paper);
• Other duties, as directed by the Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission, including covering for colleagues when absent, attending occasional briefings, drafting reports, etc., as required.

Essential Requirements:

• Third-level degree or other qualification in a relevant discipline.
• Previous professional experience in a similar field and/or in a similar environment to the PA role in the Embassy.
• Must give work-based examples of excellent interpersonal skills, strong teamwork, effective networking, being persuasive; and dealing effectively with people in external organisations.
• Must provide evidence of efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility, showing strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work under pressure and to manage multiple tasks.
• Must explain examples of being solution-oriented, and delivering results, including by adapting her/his approach if necessary;
• Fully bilingual in English and Danish (language test may be included as part of the shortlisting process); knowledge of Irish is an advantage, although not essential.
• Must demonstrate working knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel) – examples will be required.
• All applicants must have a permanent legal right to reside and work in Denmark.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Good knowledge of Ireland, and an understanding of the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy in Denmark;
• Good working knowledge of the Danish political, official, business, cultural and academic system;
• Previous experience in a diplomatic mission is desirable, but not essential.

Terms and conditions of employment:

• The successful candidates will be hired on a fixed-term contractual basis and will be based at the Embassy of Ireland, Østbanegade 21, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
• They will work alongside other local employees of the Embassy, and will report directly to the diplomatic staff.
• 37.5 working hours per week. Standard office hours are from 09:00 to 16:30, Monday to Friday, but flexibility outside of these hours is essential, including in relation to Embassy events.
• Annual leave entitlement is 25 days per annum.
• The salary for the position is DKK 431,404.18 gross per annum, paid locally on a monthly basis. Salaries are paid directly to a bank account: the successful candidate must therefore have a bank account.

How to apply

Completed application forms should be sent via e-mail only to copenhagenembassy@dfa.ie , with the subject line Personal Assistant Vacancy . Application form available here: https://www.ireland.ie/en/denmark/copenhagen/about/job-opportunities/pa-to-the-ambassador/

Applications must be received before 16:30 hrs. (Local time) on 29 May

No applications will be accepted after this deadline. Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted.

Selection Process:

• Depending on the number of applications received, a short-listing of candidates to be called for a competency-based interview may be undertaken, based on the essential/Key Requirements above.
• It is planned that interviews will be held by video-conference in the second half of June.
• A skills test may be included in the recruitment process;
• A second interview, possibly in-person, may be included in the recruitment process;
• A panel may be set up, depending on the calibre of candidates;

General Data Protection Regulation:

All personal information received will be kept in line with GDPR guidelines.

Security Clearance for Local Staff

Police security clearance will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment. Enquiries may also be made with the police force of any country in which the applicant under consideration for appointment has resided. If unsuccessful, this information will be destroyed. If the applicant subsequently comes under consideration for another position, s/he will be required to supply this information again.

Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.

The Embassy of Ireland in Denmark is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity