Sr Consular Officer

Selection Process Nº: 210629-6

Salary: DOP 2,536,949 annual salary before taxes (fixed salary, subject to annual increments) + competitive benefits package.

Contract Type: Indeterminate (Full-time - 37.5 hours/week)

Term Details: This position is a Locally Engaged Staff position, subject to the Terms and Conditions of Employment for LES in the Dominican Republic 

Job Function: Officer

Classification: LE - O2

Location: Office of the Embassy of Canada to the Dominican Republic, in Punta Cana

Number of Vacancies: 1

Closing date for application: 21 May, 2025 at 23:59 (Eastern Time, CANADA Time Zone)

Please use an online "time zone converter" to identify the specific closing hour in your country.   

Please consider that our application form has several pages to be filled, therefore, please take the time to complete it and correctly submit your application within the deadline 

The results of this selection process may also be used to establish one or more pools of fully or partially qualified candidates for similar term, indeterminate, part-time, or full-time openings in PCANA which might arise following the completion of this selection process. 

Context 

The consular section is responsible for the delivery of individualized consular services to Canadian citizens in distress or in need within the Dominican Republic. Consular services are offered in response to a wide range of emergency situations, including but not limited to kidnapping, sexual assault, arrest and detention, violent crime, mental health crises, and forced marriage.   

Summary of duties  

Under the general direction of the Management and Consular Officer (MCO) at the Embassy of Canada in Santo Domingo, the Senior Consular Officer is responsible for the delivery of consular services and the day-to-day management of the Office of the Embassy of Canada in Punta Cana. This role involves implementing consular policies, managing emergency response functions, and ensuring the provision of high-quality client services to Canadian citizens in the region. In addition, the officer is expected to build and sustain strong working relationships with Dominican authorities as well as providing functional guidance to local employees. As the head of office, the Senior Consular Officer represents the Government of Canada with professionalism and diplomacy, consistently upholding the highest standards of service, integrity, and discretion.   

Area of selection  

This position is open to any person currently residing and legally able to work in the Dominican Republic.

Please note that Embassy of Canada to the Dominican Republic does not sponsor work authorizations directly or indirectly; and does not reimburse any travel costs to and from interviews/exams nor does it reimburse any relocation costs.    

The Government of Canada is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from diverse sections of the community. Candidates will be considered based on merit. Our organization offers an inclusive workplace where respect, teamwork, and collaboration are part of our culture. Canada’s missions abroad are committed to promoting and supporting an environment free from harassment and discrimination, as well as encouraging and supporting employees to learn and develop their skills and competencies.    

How to Apply  

Only candidates who follow the steps below will proceed into the next stage of the staffing process:   

  • You must submit your application using the "Apply online" function. Only applications submitted via VidCruiter will be considered, unless a valid reason is presented and accepted prior to the closing date. 
  • When you apply for the position, you must use a personal e-mail address (not a corporate or educational e-mail). 
  • Do not include personal data such as: age, date of birth, gender, marital status, family status, religion or a picture in your application form nor CV. Please only include information relevant to the vacancy as requested in the job poster.
  • You must provide concrete and detailed examples that clearly explain where, when, and how you gained and meet the experience and education factors listed in the essential qualifications.  The Embassy of Canada will not seek additional information nor make any assumptions about your studies nor experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties will not be sufficient and may result in your application being rejected.
  • Candidates must upload a CV in English or French. This document may be used as a secondary source to validate the answers to the screening questions. Applications which do not include all the requested documents, that fail to properly answer the screening questions, and/or not completed by the closing date will be rejected.
  • Candidates who are unable to submit their application due to technical difficulties must report these to the help desk chat located at the bottom of the Application Form, nevertheless, any incomplete application after the closing date will be rejected.
  • Candidates are responsible for saving a copy of the job poster for future reference (please note it won’t be available after the closing date and the recruitment team won’t be able to provide a copy).   

Essential qualifications  

Candidates will initially be screened against the Essential Qualifications relating to education, language* and experience.   

Candidates must clearly demonstrate when applying to the position how they meet each of these essential qualifications.   

*Language will be assessed further during the process.  

Education: 

  • A University diploma or higher certification from a legally registered institution  

  Candidates will be required to provide proof of the completion of their education.   

Language:   

Experience:   

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in Office Management/Administration and Client Service in the tourism industry or related field.
  •  Experience in providing effective customer service to clients involved in difficult and/or challenging situations. 
  • Experience in effective and professional engagement with Dominican authorities and organizations.
  • Experience in supervising staff and managing performance in a dynamic office environment, characterized by high operational pressure and a heavy workload. 

Rated Requirements  

The Rated Requirements are part of the essential qualifications and relate to knowledge, abilities and competencies. Methods of assessment for rated requirements may include, but are not limited to, a written examination, an oral interview (online, pre-recorded or in-person), and reference checking. All qualifications must be met.  

Knowledge:

  • General knowledge of Dominican government organisations that may be useful in assisting foreigners with routine enquiries or emergency situations. 
  • Knowledge of event protocol (seating plans, event logistics, client service etc.) for round tables, conferences, training and/or workshops. 

Abilities/Competencies   

  • Judgement and discretion    
  • Effective communication (oral and written in the essential languages)  
  • Thinking things through  
  • Focus on quality and details  
  • Resilience and Adaptability  
  • Client Orientation  
  • Initiative and action orientation   
  • People Management 
  • Networking and alliance building 

Click here for a brief description of each competency   

Asset Qualifications  

Preference may be given to candidates who meet the Asset Qualifications. Candidates must clearly demonstrate in their application and, as required, during the selection process, how they meet any of the following asset qualifications:  

  • Experience in the provision of consular services OR in the application of regulatory framework in an embassy, consulate, international organization or office  
  • Experience within a diplomatic mission or an international organization (e.g., UN, World Bank, UNESCO, and similar)    
  • Advanced (C1 according to the CEFR) written and spoken proficiency in both English and French  
  • Experience handling clients in crisis or facing difficult / challenging situations. 
  • Experience in organizing outreach visits and events. 
  • Experience developing, delivering and/or evaluating projects, including ensuring that projects have clear objectives, deliverables and measurable outcomes; 
  • Demonstrate a tangible connection to Canada through a Canadian citizenship, Studying or living in Canada or employment with a Canadian Company.  
 
Operational requirements  
  • Willingness to work shift work and overtime when necessary (may be required on evenings or weekends).    
  • Availability to travel occasionally (national and international)    
  • Due to the nature of the Consular services, this position requires to be working onsite (Monday to Friday).  
  • Willingness and ability to work in a combination of Dominican and Canadian statutory holidays, which means you will be required to work on certain Dominican holidays.    

  Conditions of Employment   

Conditions of employment must be met or complied with before being appointed to a particular position and are to be maintained throughout the employment while being the incumbent of this position.   

  • Hold a valid work authorization covering the entire employment period     
  • Security screening: Obtain and maintain a Reliability Status (security level) from the Government of Canada, which includes a criminal and credit background check (will be started once the staffing process is completed and may take ~8 weeks).  
 

Other conditions of employment: 

  • Passport Management Program (PMP) Certification: Within the initial 4 weeks of employment, you will be required to complete a 35-hour online training course followed by a final evaluation and obtain a passing grade of 80%. Failure to obtain this grade may result in your termination since obtaining the PMP certification and passing this PMP exam are mandatory.  

 Important notes  

  • Only applications submitted in one of the official languages of Canada will be accepted (English or French).  
  • Applicants may ask to be assessed in the official language of their choice, however, some assessments may only be conducted in Spanish since candidates have to demonstrate they meet each essential qualification in order to be eligible for an appointment.  
  • Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidates to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.  
  • Candidates must provide an email address that accepts email from unknown users and regularly check their email, including spam folder.  
  • Reference checks may be sought for candidates who succeeded all of the assessments.  
  • Before an offer of employment can be made, successful candidates must provide a local residence address as proof of residence in the specified area of selection. This information is necessary to issue a letter of offer.  
  • We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please contact us at LES-E-Recruitment-MXICO@international.gc.ca to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.  
  • For Canadian citizens/residents and Canadian dual nationals, please note that it is your responsibility to enquire with the Canadian Revenue Agency about any possible taxation implications linked to an employment with the Government of Canada.  
  • The tentative start date of this position is July 2025; however, some delays may occur during this selection process.