The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Job Category
UK Mission
Job Subcategory
Political
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
Who are we?
The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, because it’s the right thing to do, and it helps us all perform better. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
The British Embassy represents the UK’s political, trade and consular interests with Belgium. The job of an Embassy is to understand the country it operates in. We encourage our staff to share their expertise and insight on life in Belgium, particularly across the areas on which the Embassy focusses, to deepen our understanding and promote a learning culture.
The UK Mission to the European Union promotes and explains the UK’s interests to EU member states and the EU institutions. We work on the full range of UK government business, with staff drawn from a wide range of government departments and agencies as well as locally recruited staff.
The UK Joint Delegation to NATO is the link between the UK Government and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Its principal roles are to promote British interests in NATO and to keep UK Ministers and Government Departments informed about NATO discussions.
Corporate Services Benelux (CSB) delivers a wide range of quality corporate services in support of our missions in Brussels. We also support our missions in Luxembourg and The Hague, a large UK Border Force detachment and the representative offices of the UK’s three Devolved Governments (of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales).
Department of Business and Trade (DBT) – You will support the team in their trade, investment and administrative work, for example organising events, running social media campaigns, and preparing briefing and reports. This is an opportunity to gain experience from working in a diplomatic mission.
Our Offer:
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A unique opportunity to learn what it’s like to work at a diplomatic mission in the capital of Europe;
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Learning and development opportunities tailored to your interest and skills;
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Supportive and inclusive work environment;
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Luncheon vouchers;
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Commute refunds for public transport;
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Flexible working (as agreed with your supervisor).
Main purpose of traineeship:
We would like to recruit several trainees for 6 months to join one of our teams within the UK’s three diplomatic Missions in Brussels (our Mission to the European Union (UKMis), our Embassy to Belgium, and our Delegation to NATO), Department of Business and Trade (DBT), and one trainee for 3 months to join our Corporate Services and Residence teams that support these three Missions.
For roles within the three diplomatic Missions, you will support whichever team you join in their policy and administrative work, for example organising events, running social media campaigns, and preparing briefing and reports. This is an opportunity to gain experience from working in a diplomatic mission. For the role within the Corporate Services and Residence teams, the focus will be on helping the team manage a wide range of business hospitality events, hosted in the Ducale Residence, on behalf of the UKs three diplomatic Missions.
Experience in similar roles and/or completed university degree are not a requirement. We are not looking for a perfect candidate, we are looking for individuals with the right attitude because the relevant skills can be taught on the job.
We will support you throughout your time in the UK Missions with training, considering your future ambitions and aiming to provide relevant exposure to the areas that interest you.
We would like trainees to start in September 2025 (conditional on successful security clearance). For successful candidates, we will take preferences and experiences into account when we allocate roles.
Our people are our priority and that’s why we are committed to Diversity and Inclusion in ways that can help all of us feel welcomed, included and thriving every day. The UK Government is committed to having a truly diverse Civil Service workforce and a culture of openness and inclusivity, as a means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve. That’s why we encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences to join our multicultural and hard-working team.
The UK’s diplomatic missions in Brussels are seeking to build a diverse workforce providing equal opportunities, achieving full inclusivity, and eliminating all forms of discrimination so people of all backgrounds can flourish.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
Our Ideal candidate shows:
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Full professional proficiency in English (written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
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Interest in politics and international relations;
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Personal or professional experience of diversity and its challenges, and interest in creating an inclusive work environment;
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Motivation to learn and develop new skills;
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Good communication and interpersonal skills;
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Flexibility to work on different tasks and with different teams;
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Work experience, not necessarily in the international/politics sector. This can include volunteering or community work.
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
Nice to have:
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Full professional proficiency in French and/or Dutch (written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
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Experience of working in a diverse team, in any environment;
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Organisational skills and/or experience coordinating events.
Required behaviours
Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together
Application deadline
6 April 2025
Grade
Traineeship
Type of Position
Trainee
Working hours per week
36.25
Region
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Country/Territory
Belgium
Location (City)
Brussels
Type of Post
British Embassy
Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.
Salary Currency
EUR
Salary
€1,300.00
Type of Salary
monthly
Start Date
1 September 2025
Other benefits and conditions of employment
These are full-time professional immersion traineeships with a duration of 3 – 6 months, 36.25 hours net for 5 working days a week. The professional immersion indemnity for this position is €1.300. Additional benefits including commute refund and luncheon vouchers of €8 per workday are also provided and commute refunds for public transport.
This traineeships provide a professional immersion outside of any educational programme. Therefore, no paperwork with a university or school can be signed.
Trainees have access to 1 day of paid annual leave and 1 day of unpaid leave per month of Traineeship.
Please note that Belgian nationals will be paid their salary gross and are expected to comply with their tax obligations through completion of a tax return to the Belgian authorities. Non-Belgian nationals will receive their salary net, minus the deduction of an equivalent level of Belgian tax retained at source. Further information on this will be given to candidates during the recruitment process.
Please be advised that the British Diplomatic Missions will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered an Traineeship offer.
Professional Immersion Traineeship Requirements:
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Be a minimum of 18 years old;
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Proof of valid medical coverage for the period of the Traineeship (European/Global Health Insurance Card).
Staff recruited locally by the British Diplomatic Missions in Belgium are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Belgian employment law.
The successful candidates will be subject to professional background checks and security clearance;
Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Belgium and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract.
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country.
Additional information
Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.
*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR.
Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.