Protocol Officer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a protocol officer. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a protocol officer.
Who is a Protocol Officer?
A protocol officer is an individual that works for major establishments, corporations, or a government agency to facilitate meetings, ensure adherence to ethics in official events or engagements, and streamline interactions with stakeholders, dignitaries, customers, and other important personnel.
The responsibilities of a protocol officer demand that you have an idea of event planning as much as your focus is on official issues. Their main duty is to ensure that leaders follow duly the official protocols in discharging their duties. The daily obligations of a Protocol Officer may vary broadly depending on their company, background, and organizational needs. For instance, the duties of a protocol officer who works for a corporate organization may significantly vary from one who is employed in the military. The protocol officer in a corporate firm or organization develops and maintains protocols for their work while the protocol officer in the military makes use of their military traditions when writing procedures for occasions.
Protocol officers are expected to have a good command of the basic language used in their workplace because they cannot achieve their duties without proper and effective communication. They communicate with people in various classes and as such should be good at paying attention while others speak to understand and give the right interpretation of their needs. Protocol officers must communicate concisely and clearly in both verbal and written forms. Protocol officers make use of analytical skills in assessing situations and determining the best measures to implement. They also evaluate the possible outcome of certain measures and the risk factors to enable them to determine the best way of salvaging the situation. This skill is vital in combating cases that require emergency attention.
It is the responsibility of a protocol officer to ensure that all procedures are duly followed and all protocols are in order. They should be able to identify the slightest breach in procedures and determine the right way of mitigating problems. To become a protocol officer, gaining work experience is important in this field. The number of years of work experience may vary from one industry to another but the minimum is 2 years. Your choice of industry will be a determinant of the place you get the work experience from. For instance, if you wish to apply for the role of a protocol officer in a government agency, you will have to get your work experience from the corporate world as it helps you better understand your responsibilities as a protocol officer in that line of business.
Getting a relevant work experience in your profession aids your proficiency in delivering your duties because it enables you to put into practice what you have learned while you enjoy the leverage of being supervised and corrected by a superior. Regarding the workplace of protocol officers, they can work in a variety of places that requires their services. For example, protocol officers can work in the military, government agencies, private establishments, and nonprofit organizations. The need for protocol officers will continue to increase provided there is a constant increase in international trade and travel. Protocol officers have to ensure that business parties follow the due processes in running their affairs.
Protocol Officer Job Description
Below are the protocol officer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a protocol officer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a Protocol Officer may vary broadly depending on their company, background, and organizational needs. For instance, the duties of a protocol officer who works for a corporate organization may significantly vary from one who is employed in the military. The protocol officer in a corporate firm or organization develops and maintains protocols for their work while the protocol officer in the military makes use of their military traditions when writing procedures for occasions. Below are some of the responsibilities protocol officers may take on:
- Encouraging participants to adhere to etiquettes before events or during courtesy visits or official ceremonies like bowing or exchange of pleasantries and gifts with external bodies or organizations
- Communicating effectively through welcome letters, emails, phone calls, or even courtesy gifts
- Creating meeting plans or making arrangements for the travel needs of the organization while implementing interpersonal negotiation skills and a great sense of judgment
- Ensuring to follow-up guests and visitors to appreciate them for making out time for the organization, thereby developing a sustainable relationship with them
- Considering the cultural and traditional expectations of the organization or society while planning events to prioritize the expectations of the audience
- Identifying possible security challenges that may come up during events, meetings, or travel arrangements and creating precautions to reduce or completely get rid of the challenges
- Arranging the press releases for public events or conferences
- Making accommodation, transportation, and travel arrangements for visitors or guests and also scheduling their visits
- Providing adequate security measures for important records or confidential files to respect the guest’s and visitor’s privacy, especially in organizations that are collaborated with high-profile diplomats
- Being responsive to the questions or requests of clients or guests during their times of visit
Qualifications
Protocol officers are expected to possess the following qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree in Communication or Pubic relation will be great for most employers although some may prefer hiring a protocol officer with an associate degree. It is important to note that a bachelor’s degree is always more valid in the field
- You must have a minimum of two years of internship or work experience and just after being employed, your company or organization will pass you through their training to ensure you get fully conversant with their regulations or activities which enables you to carry out your duties effortlessly
- You may not be asked for certain Certifications or practicing licenses but it is always an advantage as it makes you a more competitive applicant. Acquiring certifications can enable you to go far in your profession as a protocol officer as it may sometimes affect your payment and recognition
Essential Skills
- Great Communication Skills: Protocol officers are expected to have a good command of the basic language used in their workplace because they cannot achieve their duties without proper and effective communication. They communicate with people in various classes and as such should be good at paying attention while others speak to understand and give the right interpretation of their needs. Protocol officers must communicate concisely and clearly in both verbal and written forms
- Detail Oriented: The responsibilities of a protocol officer are all tied around the information. Sometimes, very sensitive or confidential information. Protocol officers are hence expected to be detailed while going through or interpreting to avoid passing the wrong information or mixing up data
- Analytical skills: Protocol officers make use of analytical skills in assessing situations and determining the best measures to implement. They also evaluate the possible outcome of certain measures and the risk factors to enable them to determine the best way of salvaging the situation. This skill is vital in combating cases that require emergency attention
- Problem-solving Skills: It is the responsibility of a protocol officer to ensure that all procedures are duly followed and all protocols are in order. They should be able to identify the slightest breach in procedures and determine the right way of mitigating problems
- Good Time Management: A Protocol officer should have a good sense of time while making decisions that affect the progress of events
- Teachability Skills: This is often referred to as the most important skill in life. It is simply the ability to learn by paying attention to instructions. Understanding that we all have limits to what we know and going further to educate yourself or allow yourself to be educated by others. This is an essential skill for every protocol officer. You should constantly expose yourself to learning
- Interpersonal Skills: These are tactics and attitudes applied by an individual to ensure effective interaction with others and these tactics include social initiation, emotional control, impulse regulation, empathy, and corporation. Protocol officers occupy a vital office that is sensitive to the growth of an organization and as such, they are expected to demonstrate these interpersonal skills while dealing with visiting guests and also they should encourage other workers to develop these skills while training them on ethics and other organizational procedures
How to Become a Protocol Officer
- Decide the kind of protocol officer you want to become: It is important to first determine this because your choice of organization will definitely determine your duties and also this decision will help you in applying for the industry or organization that suits your qualifications. For instance, some organizations may not require certain certifications from their prospective protocol officer rather they take them through the needed organizational training or they may need an experienced individual in the field or any related field. Also, you may want to decide the kind of protocol officer you want to become or the type of organization you can work for as this determines how you will be paid. If you want to earn well as a protocol officer, targeting high-profile organizations and government agencies will be a nice shot
- Research the qualifications for officers in your preferred company: When you are done determining your choice of company, it is good to also discover the requirements for the role you wish to apply for. For instance, protocol officers in the military are required to have direct connection or experience in military affairs before being considered for the position while those who apply in government agencies with their degrees and other certifications and applicants in private companies may sometimes not be faced with these requirements provided they have some level of experience and training
- Get a Bachelor’s Degree: If you can it is always good to have a Bachelor’s degree in your quest to find a job regardless of the requirements of your current prospective industry. Go for a degree in Public Relations, Communication, Business Management, hospitality, or any related course. You may also want to sit for professional exams to obtain a license that enables you to practice proficiently
- Obtain relevant work experience: To become a protocol officer, gaining work experience is important in this field. The number of years of work experience may vary from one industry to another but the minimum is 2 years. Your choice of the industry will be a determinant of the place you get the work experience from. For instance, if you wish to apply for the role of a protocol officer in a government agency, you will have to get your work experience from the corporate world as it helps you better understand your responsibilities as a protocol officer in that line of business. Getting a relevant work experience in your profession aids your proficiency in delivering your duties because it enables you to put into practice what you have learned while you enjoy the leverage of being supervised and corrected by a superior
- Identify with professional bodies to advance your career: Professional organizations like the International Association of Protocol Consultants are beneficial to protocol officers who identify with them. This kind of connects you with fellow professionals while giving you access to training and education opportunities
- Update your resume and look up a company that is hiring, submit your application letter alongside the requirements and wait for their interview notification depending on the company you applied to as some employers may only go through your application
Where to work as a Protocol Officer
Protocol officers can work in various places and for this work, we will be listing some of their workplaces below:
- Government agencies,
- Embassies
- Multinational corporations
- They can also work for nonprofit organizations or even private firms
Protocol Officer Salary Scale
Protocol officers’ are paid depending on their company, level of education and certifications, active years in the field, and some organizational parameters. They are also given bonuses or additional compensations. The median annual pay of protocol officers is $60,500 which means they get $29.09 for an hour. The top 10% Annual Salary is about $122,000 which is approximately $58.65 per hour. In the next decade, their employment is expected to triple. Demand for these professionals will constantly increase with the increase in international trade and travel.
