Public Facing Services Officer

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office pursues our national interests and projects the UK’s role in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners. We employ more than 17,000 staff in 179 countries and territories, across our diplomatic and development offices worldwide, which consists of 282 officially designated Posts. Our UK-based staff work in King Charles Street, London, Abercrombie House in East Kilbride and Hanslope Park in Milton Keynes.

We are looking to recruit talented and enthusiastic individuals to join the Public Facing Services (PFS) department in Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes.

PFS provides important Consular services to British nationals and other members of the public, handling hundreds of thousands of applications a year. The department is dynamic, innovative and fast moving, providing several streams of essential services to

the public unavailable through any other means. Working within this department, you will have a unique opportunity to deliver Consular services in the UK on behalf of the FCDO as part of a friendly, professional, and hard-working team.

Roles and Responsibilities

The successful candidates will be responsible for:

Processing applications at pace across the five service streams listed below, following set FCDO policy and procedures to ensure users receive prompt and professional service. This includes:

➢ Directly supporting British Nationals and others by quickly and accurately processing Legalisation applications and managing customer expectations.

➢ Processing Overseas Birth and Death Registration applications, registering births and deaths, and issuing certificates.

➢ Handling Taking of Evidence overseas cases, ensuring overseas authorities consent to the taking of evidence from their territory via video link.

➢ Processing Service of Process cases, ensuring court documents are served overseas via diplomatic channels.

➢ Assessing Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications for overseas students looking to study in the UK.

Customer Services: Providing guidance, answering queries, and resolving issues for customers across all streams, dealing with them professionally and within agreed timeframes to deliver excellent customer service

Open to UK nationals only.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Experience.

Please see the ‘Hints and Tips’ that are provided for your information about how to prepare Behaviour examples at the Application and/or

Application Stage

You will be required to complete a short application form. You will then be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and a Civil Service Numerical Test.

If you successfully pass these tests, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application which will comprise of your CV, 500-word Personal Statement and answering two Behaviour questions. Please ensure that you allow sufficient time to complete the whole application process before the closing deadline.

The Behaviours you will be assessed on at the application stage are as follows:

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

IMPORTANT: If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme and require Reasonable Adjustments in order to complete your application/ online tests, please ensure Government Recruitment Service (GRS) are aware of this on the date of application and certainly by the closing date. In the event of a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift by a lead criterion. For this campaign we will be prioritising Managing a Quality Service. Only candidates who meet the minimum standard in this Behaviour will have the rest of their

application fully assessed.

Interview Stage

At the start of your interview, you will be asked a non-assessed warm-up question about your motivation for applying for the role.

The Behaviours you will be assessed on during the interview are as follows:

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Please note that the FCDO carries out name-blind (anonymised) recruitment to help build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. The personal information on your Application form and/or CV will be concealed during the sifting phase, and only the names of those who are being invited for Interviews will be made known to the Panel. The FCDO has appointed the Government Recruitment Service to manage the process.

Please see below for indicative dates:

Closing Date for Completed applications: 23:55 on Monday 28th September 2026

Online Testing: Between Thursday 27th August and Monday 28th September 2026

Panel Interview: Week Commencing Monday 2nd November 2026

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to attend a panel interview at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This will be held remotely on Microsoft Teams and details will be given to candidates who are successful at the sift stage.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via fcdorecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to FCDO from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems reading the Candidate Pack, such as through screen reader software, please contact our Team via fcdorecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk and we will share a Word version of this.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.