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. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Job Category
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)
Job Subcategory
Corporate Services Support
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
The British Consulate General in Erbil has a vacancy for a Corporate Services Officer under the Corporate Services Department, job grade Administrative Officer (AO), on a permanent contract.
We are seeking a Corporate Services Officer who is enthusiastic, flexible, committed and resourceful. The successful candidate will support the Corporate Services Manager and demonstrate a high standard of delivery, strong teamwork, and a proactive ‘can-do’ attitude. This role is key to ensuring that financial and logistics services at the British Consulate General in Erbil are delivered effectively and in accordance with central policies and guidance.
Roles and responsibilities:
Finance:
- Manage the Consulate’s official cash accounts- USD and IQD, including preparation of monthly checks and replenishments to cash boxes.
- Ensure compliance with central financial guidance, policy and accounting procedures.
- Maintain financial record keeping in accordance with central audit guidance.
- Close liaison with the Consulate’s local bank to resolve payment issues, statement reconciliations and signatory and access control.
- Interface with customers and suppliers on all accounting/financial/procurement issues.
- Record services provided to Partners across the UK Government and produce monthly reports and invoices.
- Raise purchase requisition on an Oracle-based financial system for procured goods and services and follow up on purchase orders, receipting and reporting.
- Receive invoices from suppliers and ensure they are in line with the actual spend before processing.
- Lead on local finance operations, including the implementation of global policy and guidance.
- Oversee the office account efficiently and in compliance with audit/financial best practice requirements; promptly processing all receipts, preparing centrally required financial returns, reconciliations and annual checks and returns.
- Build strong working relationships with the Finance Hub and Finance colleagues in London and Manila. Respond quickly and meet deadlines consistently.
Logistics
- Facilitate airport/terminal passes and access, vehicle registration, residency cards with Kurdistan Regional Government authorities.
- Provide support to facilitate incoming and outgoing diplomatic shipments.
- Supply and allocate office equipment, materials, stationery and vehicles. This includes preparation of specifications, tenders; obtaining and negotiating prices; obtaining quotations; placing orders and processing invoices according to FCDO rules and guidance.
- Ensure that goods procured meet quality, quantity and delivery specifications, and advise on suppliers who fail to meet specifications.
- Liaise for sending and receiving diplomatic shipments in line with central security standards and policy
- Maintain assets inventories.
- Process visas and residency cards for diplomatic staff of the Consulate-General,
- Create Distribution Sets for routine payments and set up Purchase Orders as necessary.
- Estates: support estate projects by registering suppliers on the relevant system and ensuring payment methods are set up accordingly.
- Any other tasks and duties as delegated by the line manager or countersigning manager.
The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis.
Key behaviours required:
- Working together: Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support
- Managing a quality service: Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
- Delivering at pace: Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
- Changing and Improving: Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.
Eligibility:
Applicants are responsible for ensuring they already have the right to live and work in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Obtaining the correct permissions can be particularly complicated if employees and any dependants are not already resident in the country. Unfortunately, neither the Consulate nor the Embassy can arrange an Iraqi residency for this role.
Applicants must also be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate level of local and UK security clearance required for this role.
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
- Excellent IT skills, with good knowledge of Microsoft Office – Word, Excel and Outlook.
- Relevant experience with an organisation in either the public or private sector, and preferably in the areas of finance and procurement.
- Demonstrates organisational skills and keen attention to detail. Able to effectively work under tight deadlines and in a fast-paced environment. Able to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing aims without compromising the quality of the work.
- Educated to degree level.
- Prepared to travel to Baghdad for exchanges with the corporate services team at the British Embassy.
- Strong customer service skills. Demonstrates courtesy and consideration in dealing with all stakeholders. Able to show discretion in handling any sensitive matters, with the trust of all involved.
- Excellent numerical skills. Experience of accounting, overseeing budgets, managing accounts, and using spreadsheets.
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
- Familiarity with Oracle-based applications for finance and procurement.
- Holds a relevant finance/accounting or business qualification or is currently pursuing one.
- Familiarity with KRG and UK government/public sector processes.
Language requirements:
- Proficiency in English and Kurdish is essential. Arabic language skills are desirable.
Required behaviours
Changing and Improving, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together
Application deadline
22 September 2025
Grade
Administrative Officer (AO)
Type of Position
Full-time, Permanent
Working hours per week
38
Region
Middle East & North Africa
Country/Territory
Iraq
Location (City)
Erbil
Type of Post
British Consulate General
Number of vacancies
1
Salary Currency
USD
Salary
1982
Type of Salary
monthly
Start Date
1 November 2025
Other benefits and conditions of employment
Working hours and remuneration:
The Consulate General aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role.
The role grade is at AO grade, with a base salary of US$ 1,982per month. This base salary is paid 13 times a year. In addition, a monthly security allowance of US$ 200 is payable for this role. The allowance is subject to review and may be altered or withdrawn at any time.
No accommodation nor relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.
This position is for a full-time employment on a permanent contract basis. Employment is also subject to a 90-day probationary period (as applicable).
Conditioned working hours are 38 hours per week. Normal working hours are from 09:00 to 17:00 from Sundays to Wednesdays and from 09:00 to 15:00 on Thursdays. There may be some flexibility for starting and leaving times as long as the conditioned hours are completed. This will be considered based on operational requirements and in agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Consulate policies.
The jobholder will be required to be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and will involve occasionally working out of hours (evening and/or weekends) during events.
We are committed to ensuring that you are able to maintain a suitable work-life balance. Annual leave entitlement is 21 days (on a pro rata basis) plus 17 public holidays (UK/ Iraq holidays).
We encourage a culture of continuous learning. Relevant training will be provided, and the successful candidate will have access to a broad spectrum of training and the opportunity to work towards a programme management accreditation and additional accreditation under the Intelligence Professionalisation Programme from the UK’s College of Policing. All staff have access to the Civil Service Learning platform, which gives access to training to improve job-specific skills. Country-based staff are entitled to a minimum number of annual training days.
Additional information
How to apply:
Interested candidates must include to their online application form
1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV);
2) a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and
3) specific examples in the relevant sections of the online application form of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.
Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification
Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.
The closing date for applications is at 23:55 Erbil local time on 22 September 2025.
Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.
Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful at interview may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of twelve (12) months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.
Internal candidates (i.e., those who are currently employed by the British Embassy Baghdad/ British Consulate General Erbil) applying for this position should consider informing their current line manager upon submission of their application.
The start date mentioned in the advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving and maintaining suitable clearances and reference checks.
The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around 1-2 months. The security clearance process includes checks available in country and in the UK, dependant on the security level required for the role and the candidate’s profile and UK footprint. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.
The FCDO operates an agile approach to delivery. To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The British Consulate General Erbil is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staff recruited locally are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law.
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.
