Profession foreign affairs officer

Foreign affairs officers analyse foreign affairs policies and operations, and write reports outlining their analyses in a clear and comprehensible manner. They communicate with parties who benefit from their findings, and act as advisers in the development or implementation of or reporting on foreign policy. Foreign affairs officers may also perform administrative duties in the department, such as assisting with problems concerning passports and visas. They promote friendly and open communication between different nations' governments and institutions.

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • Foreign affairs

    The operations of a foreign affairs department in a government or public organisation and its regulations.

  • Foreign affairs policy development

    The development processes of foreign affairs policies, such as relevant research methods, relevant legislation, and foreign affairs operations.

  • Labour legislation

    Legislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.

  • Government policy implementation

    The procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.

  • International law

    The binding rules and regulations in the relations between states and nations, and legal systems dealing with countries rather than private citizens.

Skills

  • Analyse problems for opportunities

    Identify and anticipate problems in order to choose a course of action, come up with appropriate solutions or even identify opportunities for further development.

  • Analyse foreign affairs policies

    Analyse the existing policies for the handling of foreign affairs within a government or public organisation in order to evaluate them and search for improvements.

  • Advise on foreign affairs policies

    Advise governments or other public organisations on the development and implementation of foreign affairs policies.

  • Manage administrative systems

    Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.

  • Advise on public relations

    Advise business or public organisations on public relations management and strategies in order to ensure efficient communication with target audiences, and proper conveying of information.

  • Assess risk factors

    Determine the influence of economical, political and cultural risk factors and additional issues.

  • Create solutions to problems

    Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.

Optional knowledge and skills

develop professional network present reports show intercultural awareness manage government policy implementation perform public relations apply conflict management develop international cooperation strategies international commercial transactions rules facilitate official agreement report analysis results think analytically advise on legislative acts maintain relationships with government agencies build international relations use different communication channels observe new developments in foreign countries government representation ensure cross-department cooperation diplomatic principles establish collaborative relations speak different languages develop promotional tools advise on licencing procedures

Source: Sisyphus ODB