Vacancy announcement: Assistant to the Ambassador

The Embassy of Finland in Maputo is hiring an Assistant to the Ambassador on a contract of one year starting from 14 October 2026 or based on the agreement. Applications should be sent by email to [email protected] by 16:00 hours on Monday 28 September 2026.

The Embassy of Finland in Maputo represents Finland in Mozambique, Eswatini, Madagascar and Angola. The Embassy team consists of Finnish and Mozambican staff members, working in political and economic relations, development cooperation, consular services, and country promotion.

The Embassy is now hiring an Assistant to the Ambassador, with a contract starting on 14 October 2026 or based on the agreement until 31^st of May 2027. The probationary period is three months. The total working time is 38,25 hours per week.

The principal duties of the Assistant to the Ambassador are:

• Function as a Personal Assistant to the Ambassador;
• Coordination of and information sharing on day-to-day administration, managing Ambassador’s calendar, including transport and travel arrangements;
• Protocol-related communication, including Note Verbals;
• Application of visas, diplomatic cards, driver’s licenses and other similar documentation for the posted staff;
• Practical program coordination of visits, meeting and events (Independence Day celebrations, receptions, lunches, dinners, etc.) hosted by the Ambassador as well as external conferences and events;
• Communicating with relevant stakeholders across the public and private sectors;
• Assisting in Embassy’s external communications including Portuguese and English translations;
• Liaising with local authorities regarding protocol, rules and procedures applying to diplomatic missions;
• Substituting the Financial Administrator and the Clerical Assistant;
• Other duties requested by the Head of Mission.

The main skills and qualifications of the position are:

• Higher or post-secondary degree in a relevant field to the position.
• Previous relevant working experience of at least 3 years in administrative work, preferably as a secretary or a personal assistant.
• Experience from working in a diplomatic mission or international organization.
• Excellent written and oral command of Portuguese; very good written and oral command of English.
• Good understanding of relevant stakeholders.
• Strong IT skills – proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams).

Competencies

• Flexible, punctual and reliable team player, with strong work ethic, able to take initiative.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to priorities.
• Ability to work in a team in a multicultural environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to combine attention for detail with efficiency with strong organizational skills.
• Able to work independently with integrity and sound judgement.

The terms and conditions of the employment contract are based on the terms of employment for locally hired employees, and Mozambican legislation. The contract will be signed with the Embassy of Finland in Maputo. A security clearance will be conducted of the proposed candidate, with the consent of the applicant and at the applicant’s own cost. A health check will be conducted on the proposed candidate, with the consent of the applicant, paid by the Embassy.

Applications with the title field marked as “Assistant to the Ambassador” should be sent by email to [email protected] by 16:00 hours on Monday, 28 September 2026, and should include:

• CV (in English)
• A one-page motivation letter to be written in English
• 3 references with contact details

The Embassy of Finland will treat the personal data provided by the applicants confidentially and in accordance with the EU data protection legislation. The Embassy will not transfer or disclose this information for any valid and legitimate reason. Applicants are invited to consult the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland privacy policy at um.fi/your-data-protection-rights. By applying for a job, the applicant agrees to the privacy policy and consents to the processing of personal data. Applications will not be returned.