Main purpose of job:

The British Government’s Embassy in Washington has an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated person to join the US Network Human Resources team, as a Human Resources Officer specialising in benefits. This is a rewarding role which supports and further develops the special relationship between the UK and the US, by supporting work at the forefront of international diplomacy in order to make a real difference globally.

The US Network is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits (including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k). Whilst also promoting a culture of flexibility, which enables people to maintain an excellent work/life balance through hybrid-working (including working from home and flexible hours where possible).

In this role you would be working to supportUK diplomats, armed forces personal and other country based staff operating across the British Government’s network of Consulates and government offices in the United States. This network provides a platform for approximately 30 government departments and agencies to conduct their work in the United States and is made up of over 900 staff with rich and diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences.

The ideal candidate will be detail oriented with the ability to explain benefit concepts clearly and simply. The role is a key contributor to the success of small, highly motivated human resources team. As such, they should be able to effectively manage time and work to time-sensitive deadlines.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Independently resolve and manage complex benefit issues across the US Network.
• Manage and administer local benefits including comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Manage and administer the diplomatic non-standard medical plan and act as the interface between staff in the US and Welfare Team in the UK.
• Meet with all incoming employees and provide insurance briefings.
• Manage all leaves of absence, including distribution of mandated paperwork.
• Manage simple disability accommodation requests.
• Conduct and coordinate the induction process.
• Coordinate with the wider compensation team on any changes to benefits that result in a change to compensation.
• Provide support to managers when creating new positions, by assisting with job descriptions ensuring they properly align to the current framework.
• Assist with yearly Worker’s Compensation audit.
• All other duties as assigned.

• 2 to 5 years of experience in human resources, or insurance with a specialisation in benefits;
• Excellent MS Office skills;
• Good communication skills;
• Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. *A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.

Learning and development opportunities:

The British Embassy and its US Network is committed to all employees ongoing learning and development needs. We offer a comprehensive platform of personalised learning for anything from soft skill development (communicating with impact, handling difficult conversations, time management) to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job (software training, formal qualifications etc.).

Working patterns:

The British Embassy and its US Network embraces hybrid working, allowing staff to typically work from home 2 or 3 times a week. We are an organisation which embraces collaboration and team working, and all staff are expected to attend the office regularly.