Diplomatic service officer
Represent the United Kingdom in another country, develop foreign policy and assist British citizens when they're abroad.
Also known as: diplomat
About the job
What it's like
Are you searching for a Civil Service role that comes with opportunities to travel the world?
As a diplomatic service officer, you'll represent the United Kingdom in other countries and help develop foreign policy. You'll assist British citizens if they face a serious problem while they're abroad.
In this role, you'll work for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). You may be based in the United Kingdom, abroad – or do a bit of both!
Diplomatic service officers promote and protect Britain's interests and citizens overseas. You'll advise and support Government ministers to develop strong foreign policy.
You may have political, commercial or consular responsibilities – providing help to British citizens abroad. Diplomatic service officers can have different day-to-day tasks depending on their role. For example:
policy officers research issues and help to develop policy and strategy
executive assistants draft letters, handle accounts or invoices and provide clerical support
administrative assistants provide clerical support
If you work as a UK-based policy officer, you'll likely be responsible for a specific country or geographical area. Although, you may also work on a specific foreign policy issue that impacts many countries.
Your tasks might include:
reporting on political and economic developments in other countries
representing the United Kingdom when dealing with foreign governments and media outlets
helping businesses from the United Kingdom trade overseas
encouraging foreign companies to invest in our country
supporting British citizens in other countries
handling visa applications from people who wish to live and work in the United Kingdom
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – find out about current FCDO vacancies, recruitment policies, work experience, apprenticeships and internship schemes
Civil Service Careers – learn about working in the United Kingdom's Diplomatic Service
Diplomatic and Development Fast Stream – explore this scheme that's designed to equip you with the skills and experience you need for a successful, internationally focused career in leadership
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- taking responsibility
- self awareness
- reliable
- respecting
- problem solving
- written communication
- verbal communication
- networking
- adaptability
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Business
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Cantonese
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Economics
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English
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French
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German
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Italian
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Mandarin
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Modern Studies
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Politics
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Religious Moral and Philosophical Studies - RMPS
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Spanish
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Urdu
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Modern Languages
There are a few routes you can take to become a diplomatic service officer.
Let's explore some of the ways into this career.
University
You usually need a degree to enter the Civil Service as an operational officer at level B3.
If you have a second-class honours degree or above, you can apply through the Civil Service Fast Stream. They recruit people between September and November each year.
Want to join the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a diplomatic economist? First, you need at least a 2:1 degree or postgraduate qualification in economics or an economics-linked subject. You can then apply through the Fast Stream scheme.
Use the My World of Work course search to explore degrees.
Work
You can enter this role by applying for an entry-level position within the Civil Service. Once you've built some experience, you may be able to specialise as a diplomatic service officer.
Apprenticeships
The Civil Service offers apprenticeships across a range of professions. These are a fantastic way to gain Civil Service experience, which can help you specialise as a diplomatic service officer.
You can explore apprenticeship opportunities on Apprenticeships.scot and the Civil Service website.
It helps if you have a flair for learning languages. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are particularly interested in hearing from applicants who can communicate in languages such as Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic and Farsi.
Experience of living or working abroad is useful when working as a diplomatic service officer.
You must be a British citizen who's lived in the United Kingdom for at least two of the last 10 years to apply for roles within the Civil Service. Those with dual nationality can apply, as long as one part is British. There are exemptions to this, for example, if you’ve served overseas with the Forces.
All Civil Service applicants have to take aptitude tests and attend an interview. You'll also have to go through medical and security checks.
The Civil Service recruitment process can take up to a year – keep this in mind when applying.
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