Notes from the Federal Palace Working for Switzerland: two reports from Haiti and Venezuela Hanoi one day, maybe London the next. Moving among countries and cultures comes with the territory for Swiss embassy and consular staff. Every year the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is on the lookout for professionals and managers to apply their skills in the service of their country. Switzerland has a global presence with about 170 representations and 250 people working in “consular affairs, operations management and finance” (KBF). What makes these positions stand out is that employees change location every three to four years. Ariela Kraska (Port-au-Prince) and Pascal Sollberger (Caracas) share their experiences and talk about the challenges of a KBF career below. “I’ll be ready for an interview at midday (CET), which is 6 a.m. in Haiti.” Setting up a phone call is not so easy when there is an entire ocean between you and your interlocutors. Ariela Kraska is on the other side of the Atlantic. Her interest in other cultures led her to embark on a career with the FDFA, which houses consular affairs, operations management and finance under its international cooperation programmes. She has been based in Port-au-Prince since July 2021, where she is head of finance, HR and administration at the Swiss Cooperation Office in the Republic of Haiti. She will stay in Portau-Prince until 2024 and then either transfer to another Swiss representation abroad or return to the head office in Berne. “Every two to four years I have the opportunity to discover a new country and interact with people from a different background, tradition and with a different mentality. That is both enriching and challenging at the same time. The challenge is evident: the harder the setting, the more unpredictable is the course of daily business.” Training and required skills Most KBF employees work outside Switzerland. That can be difficult, for example if the person’s partner can’t find work locally, freedom of movement is restricted or there is a low standard of living. Adaptability and intercultural competence under what can be precarious circumstances come with the job. “The days are long and sometimes hectic. You need to be able to stay calm and maintain an overview of all the different areas including finance, human resources and security,” says Kraska. “I recall visiting a prisoner being held in degrading conditions and working on cases of child kidnapping.” Candidates undergo a selection process and complete a 15-month training programme. It starts with two months of theory in Berne. Then comes one year of practical training in the FDFA’s external network. The last part is another month of theory and final evaluation by the admissions committee in Berne. The training prepares employees to work towards Switzerland’s foreign policy aims and priorities: peace, security, poverty reduction, prosperity, sustainability and digitalisation. Representing Switzerland throughout the world KBF employees are indispensable to Switzerland being in a position to fulfil its mandate abroad. “I’ve been with the FDFA since 2014 and have worked on almost every con- “The harder the setting, the more unpredictable is the course of daily business” Ariela Kraska Ariela Kraska began her career in the hotel industry and subsequently completed a course in business administration. Photo provided, Charly Amazan, Getty Images (photomontage) 24 Swiss Review / October 2023 / No.5
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