Diplomatic Service Officer

Introduction
Diplomatic service officers are civil servants who work to protect the UK's
security and international trade, and to help UK nationals in other countries.

They advise and support government ministers as they put into practice the
UK's foreign policy. They work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
either in the UK or at embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.

Also known as
Civil Service Diplomatic Officer
Foreign Office Diplomatic Officer

Work Activities
The Diplomatic Service protects and promotes the UK's interests abroad and works for justice, prosperity and safety
around the world. Its officers advise and support ministers as they consider, and put into practice, Britain's foreign
policy.

International issues can be very complex; they can potentially involve issues such as:

counter terrorism
conflict prevention
weapons reduction
trade and investment
forced marriages
human rights
child abduction
carbon reduction
climate change.

Skilled Diplomats are, therefore, very important.

Diplomatic Service Officers (DSOs) work in the UK for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and in diplomatic
missions abroad (known as high commissions in Commonwealth countries and embassies elsewhere). There are also
smaller consulates in major cities, such as New York.

As a DSO, you could have a number of specialist roles within these diplomatic missions, for example, as Political
Officers, Commercial Officers, Information Officers, Press and Public Affairs Officers, Management Officers, Entry
Clearance Officers (visas) or Consular Officers.

Political Officers are responsible for researching and monitoring political, economic and social developments in the
host country (where the diplomatic mission is based) and reporting them back to London. To do this, you'll read
newspapers, study online news closely, and interview politicians, civil servants and people such as business leaders.

You'll monitor the host country's relations with other countries, and its political attitude towards Britain. You could
also advise the host country of decisions made in London.

An important aspect of your work as a DSO, involves promoting British business interests abroad. Trade and
Investment Officers must understand the local trading environment and advise British businesses accordingly. For
example, you might give advice to British businesses if they are thinking of exporting goods or investing in the host
country.

Press and Public Affairs Officers promote British policy abroad; you'll brief the local media and other opinion formers,

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 and answer general enquiries about the UK.

Consular work involves helping or advising UK nationals abroad, for example, if they have lost their passport or run
out of money. You might also be involved in immigration work, such as processing visa applications from people of
other nationalities who wish to visit Britain.

Management Officers are responsible for the mission's budgets and the day-to-day running of the offices. You will
also be responsible for staff housing and other facilities that contribute to the smooth running of missions overseas.

There are two main routes of entry to the Diplomatic Service. Fast Stream entrants help to form political, commercial
and economic policy. For example, you'll write reports and brief ministers on specific issues. You'll concentrate on
policy but also have the opportunity to work in corporate services, press and public affairs, consular or immigration
work, or management. Economics graduates are offered the chance to specialise.

Graduates can sometimes enter the FCO at administrative/operational grades. New entrants at these grades provide
administrative support to all aspects of Diplomatic Service work. They might be involved in trade, consular or
immigration work, and might also have the opportunity to do some policy work.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal Qualities and Skills

As a Diplomatic Service Officer (DSO), you'll need to:

Think and react quickly and calmly to a very wide range of situations.
Communicate clearly and adjust your style according to your audience.
Be able to provide very well-founded, informative briefings.
Enjoy handling responsibility.
Be practical, adaptable, self-reliant and prepared for change.
Use your initiative.
Work as part of a team.
Prioritise your workload.
Work under pressure.

You should have:

A strong interest in current and international affairs.

Drive and motivation, and the willingness to experience different societies and cultures.
Strong analytical skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills.

You don't need any prior knowledge of languages and, should you be required to learn a foreign language for a job in
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), you will be provided with the training you need. However, the ability to
speak one or more foreign languages would be very useful.

There are many opportunities to work overseas in the Diplomatic Service. However, it is largely up to you how much
of your career you spend overseas or in London. And because it's up to you to bid for FCO jobs as they become
available, you'll never work anywhere or on a subject that you don't want to.

Pay and Opportunities

Pay

Salaries vary depending on role and responsibilities. The pay rates given below are approximate.

Salaries for Diplomatic Service Officers start from around £21,500 a year. Policy entrant Fast Stream salaries start
from around £24,500 a year plus London Location Allowance. After four or five years, salaries could rise to around
£35,000 a year, or around £42,000 a year for people who have been successful in being promoted to a higher grade.

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 Hours of work

Officers usually work 42 hours, based around nine to five, Monday to Friday, but might be required to work shifts,
evenings and weekends, depending on their duties. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offers flexible
hours and also supports employees wishing to work part-time.

Where could I work?

Diplomatic Service Officers work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which is part of the Civil Service.

As a Fast Stream Policy entrant, you will spend your first two years in the UK and then have the opportunity to bid for
roles in posts abroad.

Diplomatic Service Officers in the UK are mainly based in London. They also work in British embassies, high
commissions and consulates around the world.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, on Universal Jobmatch, at Jobcentre Plus, on the Civil Service
Jobs website and on the FCO pages of the GOV.UK website.

Vacancies for the Civil Service General Fast Stream are posted for online application on the Civil Service website,
generally between September and November each year for a start date the following year.

Entry Routes and Training

Entry routes

Eligible graduates in any subject can enter the Diplomatic Service through either the Civil Service Fast Stream or the
administrative officer entry scheme. The Fast Stream campaign opens in September each year.

You will only be eligible to apply if you are a British citizen and have been resident in the UK for two out of the last ten
years immediately prior to your application. At least one year of this must have been a consecutive 12-month period,
unless you have served overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of Her
Majesty's Government, or have lived overseas as a result of your parents' or partner's Government employment.

You will need to pass pre-appointment medical and security clearance.

Each year, the FCO offers work experience placements for eligible undergraduates and a one-year paid placement for
a small number of economics students. The FCO also takes students on various intern programmes. Information on
these schemes is on the FCO pages of the GOV.UK website. Schemes are usually launched in the spring.

Training

The FCO provides on-the-job training as well as e-learning and the chance to study for qualifications. Courses offered
include skills-based training in areas such as effective communication and managing and developing staff. There will
also be specific knowledge-based training relevant to your role, for example, courses on international climate change
or on working with the EU.

You might have the chance to study for a recognised accounting qualification or a human resources diploma.

If you are required to learn a foreign language for a job in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), you will be
provided with the training you need.

In the first year, Fast Stream entrants are based in London and might help to deliver policies on issues such as
security, defence or human rights. This is followed by a second year in London, focusing either on corporate services
within the FCO (such as recruitment), or on the delivery of services to the public. You might also study a language
such as Arabic or Mandarin in your second year.

Economics graduates are offered the chance to specialise, by applying through the Analytical Fast Stream. New
recruits are assigned, as far as possible, to mainly economic posts in London for their first two years before being
posted overseas, covering economic developments.

If you join as an administrative/operational officer, you could spend up to two-thirds of your career abroad. In the

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 early years, most of the overseas postings will involve consular, immigration or management work.

Progression

After two years as a Fast Stream entrant, you apply for FCO jobs overseas as they become available. You could spend
around half your career overseas. Each posting is likely to last around three or four years. You could progress to a
senior post in an embassy, consulate or high commission, or to a senior Civil Service post at the FCO in London.

Administrative/operational officer entrants can progress to commercial, political or press and public affairs work.

Qualifications
Entrants require at least a second class degree (2:2) in any subject. The usual entry requirements for a degree course
are:

2/3 A levels
GCSEs at grade C/4 or above in 2/3 other subjects.

Alternatives to A levels include:

BTEC Level 3 qualifications

the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so please check college/university websites very carefully.

Diplomatic Service economists need at least a 2:1 honours degree in economics or a mixed degree where at least half
the courses are core economics.

All candidates need GCSEs at grade C/4 or above in English Language and a maths-based subject.

Some universities accept the Welsh Baccalaureate as equivalent to 1 A-level.

Adult Opportunities
Age limits

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show
there is a real need to have these limits.

Access courses

If you don't have the usual qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree course, a college or university Access
course could be the way in.

These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal
qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Further Information
Contacts

Civil Service Jobs

Website: www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs

Civil Service Fast Stream

Address: HMRC Civil Service Resourcing, Room LG69/70, 100 Parliament Street, Westminster, London SW1A 2BQ
Website: faststream.civilservice.gov.uk

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 Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
Address: King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH
Tel: 020 7008 1500
Website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office

Related Careers
Administrative Assistant - Civil Service
Administrative Officer - Civil Service
Revenue Officer
Tax Inspector
Fast Stream Civil Servant
European Union Administrator

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