FCO VIDEO INTERVIEW Flashcards
Making effective decisions (sentence)
- Staff
- Leaders (2 big)
Use sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to arrive at accurate, expert and professional decisions and advice
Staff: being careful and thoughtful about the use and protection of gov and public info to ensure it’s handled securely and with care
Leaders:
- Reaching evidence based strategies, evaluating options, impacts etc and security culture around handling info
- Aim to max return while minimising risk and balancing a range of considerations to provide sustainable outcomes
Managing a Quality Service
Effectiveness in this area is about…(1)
People who are effective
- Valuing and modelling professional excellence and expertise to deliver service objectives, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements
- Plan, organise and manage their time and activities to deliver a high quality, secure, reliable and efficient service, applying programme project and risk management approaches to support service delivery
Collaborating and Partnering
People skilled in this area are ___
At all level requires
Team players
- working collaboratively
- sharing info appropriately
- building supportive, trusting and professional relationships with colleagues and a wide range of people within colleagues and a wide range of people within/outside CS whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions
Delivering at pace
Effectiveness in this area means (1)
For all staff it is about..
For leaders it is about… (2)
- focusing on delivery timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes
- working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way
- building a performance culture where staff are given space, authority and support to deliver outcomes
- Keeping a firm focus on priorities and addressing performance issues resolutely, fairly and promptly
Must demonstrate… (4)
- A strong commitment to public service.
- A can-do, positive and energetic attitude and a keen willingness to learn.
- A drive to deliver results under challenging circumstances.
- A good team player approach, with the ability to get on with different people in different situations
FCO network has;
X posts in X countries & territories and X multilateral organisations
267 posts
168 countries & territories
9 multilateral organisations
Five core propositions for how FCO can improve its internal working, policymaking and impact:
1) Staff and those we work with require a clearer sense of what the FCO does and why
2) More flexible structures to get the right people in the right place at the right time
3) Delivering greater impact means freeing up max resource for hard-hitting front line diplomatic activity, of which programme spending is now a core part
4) Deeper expertise in both policy and professional skills
5) Rest our rewards structure and workforce planning
How we make changes (from the report) (3)
Posture, agility, expertise
FCO responsibilities (3)
1) Safeguarding the UK’s national security by countering terrorism and weapons proliferation, and working to reduce conflict
2) Building the UK’s prosperity by increasing exports and investment, opening markets, ensuring access to resources, and promoting sustainable global growth
3) Supporting British nationals around the world through modern and efficient consular services
FCO employs over __ people in nearly __ diplomatic offices
14,000 people
270 diplomatic offices
Programme Funds..
Funding includes
- Use a prop of core dept budget to fund project activity to support the policy priorities (in Single Dept Plan)
- Both ODA and non-ODA
FCO plays an important role in delivering programmes and projects funded by 2 major gov-wide funds, which support the gov National Security Strategy and Aid Strategy (2)
1) CONFLICT, STABILITY AND SECURITY FUND (CSSF)
- established in 2015, support work to reduce risk arising from conflict or instability in countries where the UK has important interests
2) PROSPERITY FUND
- Established in 2016
- Promotes econ reform and development needed for growth in partner countries
The ‘internet age’ doesn’t change the ‘what’ of diplomacy but ___
HOW
Diplomacy 20:20 focuses more on training, including languages and asking colleagues to (2)
1) Work longer in each job
2) Return to their career anchors
3 pillars of change programme Diplomacy 2020
Goal is an FCO, which is more expert, more agile and supported by a world-class platform
Diplomacy 2020 programme set up following…
the Future FCO review, led by Tom Fletcher in 2015
EXPERTISE (2)
1) diplomatic academy
2) Dec 2016 - Priority skills statement
AGILITY (2)
Reflects…
Changing national and international priorities:
- Reinforce the Europe network as part of the prep for EU Exit (upgraded 7 EU head of missions slots and added 50 UK based jobs in Europe)
- Restructure London Policy Directorates – most become smaller, supported by new central units, which will focus on core tasks: FOIs, PQs etc
WORLD-CLASS PLATFORM (3)
Global Britain agenda and Diplomacy 20:20 priorities have re-emphasised the need for…
1) Diplomatic Estate
- an Estate which delivers the right support and is a fitting representation of the UK overseas
2) Tech Overhaul Programme
Preparing for the rollout of new laptops and desktops in the UK and the overseas network in the Autumn + launched a comms campaign and and a drop-in Learning Zone in KCS to provide technical learning and support, which is popular
3) Transition from PRISM to a modern cloud-based system - aligned with the Gov’s shared services agenda and supports the Tech Overhaul Programme
Digital tech will change the ways states and power interacts so will create huge opps and losers so…
in diplomacy, will have to manage that transition to ensure that all the states/ideas etc put out of business by technology, don’t create people who feel they don’t have a stake in the future
How do we get businesses involved in diplomacy (from Fletcher)
Need to go out to businesses and say we need your intuitivity, creativity etc NOT just your money
Brexit is the… negotiation that…
biggest international negation Her Majesty’s Gov has ever undertaken
Since 23rd June 2016, __ have taken office and ___ have been created
- a new PM and FS have taken office
- 2 new depts have been created
FCO task in Brexit
Support these new depts and to promote British interests in Europe and on the wider world stage, both during the negotiations and afterwards
Established relationships will be crucial in supporting the negotiations and therefore we are…
… considering how we can increase capacity in European embassies
Departmental transformation programme, Diplomacy 20:20 will give our workforce…
the expertise and agility to advance UK interests in the new international context
In addition to Frontline Diplomatic Activity (staff and network costs) which is ODA eligible and captured separately, FCO uses …
a small proportion of its ODA budget to enable wider dept policy outcomes through small scale, one-off or exploratory activities below the project level in support of FCO priority outcomes in country or across regions
As set out in UK Aid Strategy, (2) are among the greatest threats to the elimination of poverty
Conflict
Instability
What is vital for poverty reduction?
Global prosperity and econ development
