Vacancy - Senior Consular Employee

 

The Embassy of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Santo Domingo has a fulltime vacancy (37.5 hours per week) for a Senior Consular Officer.

Application letters with resume, both in English, should be addressed to: STD-CA@minbuza.nl

Clossing date for applications: January 10, 2025.

Starting date: As soon as possible.

Indicative starting monthly gross salary: DOP 109,816 (pay scale 7, step 0)

SPECIFIC INFORMATION

The Senior Consular Employee carries out all related and complex work in the consular field, including the entire detainee guidance, the coordination with the ministry in The Hague as well as with regards to organizations that assist detainees abroad, the assistance to stranded Dutch citizens, as well as assistance in the event of serious calamities involving compatriots. Also responsible for the nationality file, including travel documents and integration, as well as all other occurring consular matters.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is responsible for issuing visas for the Schengen area, but also for the Caribbean islands of the Kingdom. The senior consular affairs officer will be responsible of performing interviews for a specific group of applicants that wish to travel to the Caribbean islands of the Kingdom.

 

The senior consular affairs officer must be fully familiar with virtually every facet of consular work, including those that are more sensitive and complex. The senior consular affairs officer does not merely provide consular services, but also informs authorities and interested third parties on legislation (and its interpretation) in the assigned field of work, implements specific regulations and performs various sensitive/complex duties.

The senior consular affairs officer has generally formulated assignments (working independently without direct supervision by a superior), with freedom of choice about method of preparation, way of working and implementation, and a large degree of independence as regards personal conduct (in contacts with interested third parties/private individuals) and use of own judgement (assessment of applications for travel documents, for visas and authorizations for temporary stay, etc.).

Substantive knowledge and understanding of operational processes are required for the preparation, organization and execution of the work. Also required is the ability to independently adapt one’s approach and the execution and progress of one’s own work in the event of irregularities, delays, etc.

 

TASKS

1. Consular services
•Assessing applications for, for example, travel documents, visas and authorizations for temporary stay, etc. for compliance with statutory requirements, and checking whether the accompanying documents are complete and accurate;
•providing staff posted abroad and local staff with background and other information and giving them guidelines and advice (orally and in writing) on various regulations, laws, policy and other measures and goals of agreed consular policy and related legislation.

2. Information and knowledge transfer
•Informing authorities and interested third parties on legislation (and its interpretation) in the assigned field of work;
•advising and/or providing information on the interpretation and implementation of regulations in the consular field and associated legislation, the application of legislation and/or ministerial orders and guidelines, and action to be taken to encourage efficient provision of and accounting for consular aid and assistance.

3.Implementation of specific regulations

•Providing substantive support by preparing advice and decisions (on nationality issues, recognition, visas, etc.) and, in that connection, gathering information and assessing it in the light of existing legislation, regulations, instructions, guidelines and applicable case law;
•keeping the daily financial records, and records of fees and chancery dues.

 

 

FRAMEWORK

 

• The senior consular affairs officer is accountable to the unit head for the quality of the advice, the accuracy of the information provided and the correct application and implementation of the legislation, procedures and instructions in force.
• He/she needs to apply relevant legislation, instructions and guidelines in order to tackle the work properly and carry it out correctly, with due regard for the law.
• The senior consular affairs officer takes decisions about the issuing of technical instructions and the content of advice, and about measures to be taken in assessing whether the applicable regulations and instructions are being correctly implemented and interpreted.

 

CONTACTS

 

• With management/line management at the mission and with colleagues, to make proposals for dealing with problems, suggest possible solutions and provide advice in the consular field and when implementing applicable legislation;
• with local authorities and interest groups, to help them interpret relevant legislation;
• with ministerial and inter-ministerial bodies/institutions (including the Consular Affairs and Migration Policy Department (DCM)), to obtain their cooperation concerning the way in which the legislation is to be implemented when carrying out the work;
• with interested third parties/private individuals, to coordinate work and solve problems in performing certain consular duties.

 

 

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge of the relevant legislation and regulations (consular matters, visas, chancery dues, etc.) and implementation provisions;
• knowledge of relevant policy on migration and consular affairs, aspects of implementation in relation to international agreements and national legislation and case law, and the legislation and regulations in force;
• knowledge of the relevant computerized and other systems,
• skill in explaining the legislation applicable to the work;
• skill in providing advice and drawing up reports;
• skill in gathering and clarifying information and providing periodic management information;
• social and communication skills and skill in overcoming differences in interests in direct contact with a wide variety of clients.

COMPETENCES

• Integrity

• Flexibility

• Decisiveness

• Relatability

• Result orientation

• Initiative
 

LEVEL OF EDUCATION / ADITIONAL TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE

 

• Higher professional level (HBO)

• Some relevant experience is required.

• Spanish and English are required. Knowledge of Dutch and/or Papiamento are a valued asset.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

 

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague is a dynamic organization, which is constantly reorienting and adjusting tasks and redefining priorities. As a result, the embassy’s activities and organization are also dynamic.
In addition to the Ambassador, the deputy ambassador, the Operations Manager, and a Strategic Policy Officer for Security Affairs, the (locally hired) formation consists of a Trade & Economy employee, a Press/Cultural Affairs & Political officer, a Senior administrator/PA, an assistant to the Police Liaison Officer and a Liaison Officer, two consular employees, a driver and a domestic worker.
A small team, in which a high degree of independence, flexibility, trust and a strong sense of responsibility are important aspects to take into account.

STAFF MEMBER PROFILE

The employee is an independently operating employee who can switch quickly between the various files and knows which priorities to apply. Integrity is a competence that is important again and again  -day in, day out - in the performance of daily activities.

 

CONTACT

For additional information, please contact Mr. Ludger Davila Henning, Head of Consular and Internal affairs, std-ca@minbuza.nl

 

Thank you for your application and your interest in working at the Dutch Embassy in Santo Domingo.