Community Liaison Officer

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

**Main purpose of job**:
To provide support and advice to UK staff moving to and working in Canada for the UK Government (FCDO and other government departments). You will help UK-based staff, partners and families settle into life in Ottawa and Canada more widely. Build and use wide-ranging networks in the diplomatic community and beyond to identify and advertise social events and employment opportunities. Provide support and guidance to staff and families on welfare and resilience issues, sign-posting professional assistance where necessary. You will work with management teams at the British High Commission to advocate for staff on family and community issues.

**Roles and responsibilities**:
Summary:
The CLO role is responsible for helping newly arrived staff and their families settle in and find their feet as quickly as possible, contacting them before they arrive in Ottawa to help with the preparations for their posting and maintaining that contact once they’re here.

The CLO is often the first person that newcomers interact with: you can therefore have a positive impact on the way that staff and families remember their first experiences of arriving at Post. You will help staff, partners and families settle in, feel comfortable and secure and part of the wider community. Staff welfare will also be a central part of your role. When life isn’t easy, the CLO also plays an important role in supporting staff and families. Many will turn to you for advice, and you will be an important source of help and friendly face.

This role is also responsible for representing the interests of staff to management and gathering information on matters such as the cost of living and schooling.

Welfare at Post:
You will support all staff and their families moving to Canada to ensure a smooth transition. You will do this by making contact with new arrivals prior to their move to answer their questions about life in Canada, following up once they have arrived to check that they are settling in, and being a source of referral and support for staff already in Canada. You will work alongside teams which are responsible for HR and the practicalities of moving e.g. finding housing. CLOs are not expected to support on medical, serious welfare (e.g. mental health) or HR matters.

Information management:

- The CLO is responsible for providing and gathering information on the following topics:
- Spouse/partner employment at Post
- Children's education (through completion of separate School and Nursery Information Sheets)
- Childcare
- Adult education; career and training opportunities
- Single officer and foreign-born spouse/partner issues
- Recreational facilities; social matters
- The CLO is responsible for updating the following:
- The Ottawa welcome pack/guide to living in Ottawa
- The Post Report and Fact Sheet
- The Families Contact List
- The Diplomatic Service Families Association (DSFA) Spouse and Partner Annual Employment Report
- The bi-annual Cost of Living survey
- Medical Panel
- Spouse/Partner WhatsApp group

Working alongside other teams:
The jobholder works most closely with the Corporate Services Team but will get to know everyone at Post. The CLO is also the Diplomatic Service Families Association (DSFA) Liaison Officer and will develop a good working relationship with the DSFA office in London. The CLO may be required to provide support to the Estates Team to ensure accommodation is ready for new UK-based arrivals. The CLO will coordinate with the British Defence Liaison Staff (BDLS) office so that BDLS can share information that may be of interest to their community, but the CLO is not responsible for administrative or welfare matters relating to BDLS.
The CLO is also expected to be an active member of several committees, advocating for UK-based staff and families addressing issues of importance.

This is a really important role in the network, and we are looking for someone who is good at building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of people. The jobholder will need to manage a diverse community, all with different needs and expectations of life at Post. Your experience of overseas life will be invaluable.
This is a brilliant opportunity to become a key part of the British High Commission community in a diverse, fulfilling and dynamic role.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience
- Familiarity with life in the UK and an understanding of living overseas preferably in a like-minded Embassy or High Commission.
- A good knowledge of life in Ottawa.
- Self-starter, capable of working autonomously with little oversight.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with colleagues and external stakeholders.
- Adaptable and well-organised with strong time-management skills.
- Proven ability to take responsibility and exercise considerable discretion.

**Must have the legal status to live and work in Canada and be a citizen