View Vacancy - Corporate Services Manager (10/22 DKR) INTERNAL ONLY

Main purpose of job:

To provide strategic direction to corporate services, leading an efficient, cost-effective and professional team to deliver all services to partners from across the UK government on the platform provided by the FCDO.

As the driving force for corporate delivery and manager of the largest team, the jobholder will be a core member of the Senior Leadership Team and Country Board advising the Head and Deputy Head of Mission and providing corporate, financial and local insight to inform decision making. 

Reporting to the Deputy Head of Mission, this role will lead and develop a diverse team of 14 corporate staff, with oversight of over 50 staff on the platform.  

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

Strategic Planning and Leadership 30% 

• To provide strategic leadership and planning, and continuous learning and improvement, to deliver the UK Embassy’s corporate agenda including the country business plan and risk management. 
• Act as trusted advisor to embassy leadership and partners on the platform, horizon scanning locally to enable proactive resource and activity planning.
• Manage the platform (currently supporting four partners) and support regional teams, influencing at a senior level to maintain and strengthen inclusion.
• Actively build and deepen relationships with key stakeholders internally, within regional and global hubs, and with external partners (at other diplomatic missions, government departments and suppliers) to maintain informed and current corporate knowledge. Ensure local policies are reviewed and aligned to global and local requirements and adopted by all partners on the platform. 
• Lead and monitor the delivery of services against the local corporate services charter. 

 People 25% 

•  Lead on the overall employer proposition, including terms and conditions of service and pay and benefits for Country Based Staff (CBS), ensuring compliance with local labour law.
• Provide guidance and act as an escalation point on sensitive staff matters for UKBS and CBS, including management issues and dispute resolution, engaging with specialist HR functions where necessary.   
• Champion and embed a collaborative and inclusive culture. 
• Line manage three staff members, supporting them to develop and improve, tackling any under performance, holding regular performance conversations and setting realistic but challenging goals. Quality assure their line managees.

Delivery 35% 

• Oversee all corporate delivery across finance, HR, protocol working closely with the regional HR, finance and procurement hubs and the Global Processing Transaction Centre (GTPC).  Ensure full use of self-service access to corporate services and regionalised services.
• Direct the management of the estate, ensuring that UK and local standards are met through planned and reactive maintenance and in compliance with corporate procedures, including local and UK health and safety regulations and policy.
• Act as the ‘intelligent client’, identifying requirements, appropriate service level agreements and key performance indicators to manage and monitor supplier contracts.
• Oversee the local delegated budget in accordance with corporate policies to ensure on-budget expenditure and value for money.   

Resilience 10% 

• Respond to any operational crisis, providing leadership and flexing team prioritisation as required.
• Ensure cross training within corporate services roles to provide resilience within the teams and across the region.
• Work with the Regional Corporate Services Lead to plan long term resource and development needs.
• Ensure wellbeing and engagement are maintained within the corporate services team, seeking regular feedback and embedding the values of resilience and respect.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

•  Line management of 3 staff and countersigning for 21 staff
• Oversight of local budget: +/- £1M

• Minimum 3 years of middle management experience working for international organisation, preferably with direct involvement in HR and /or Finance policy and implementation
• Ability to drive multiple objectives concurrently, with  a good sense of organisation in order to manage workstreams and wider team.
• Experience in managing cross functional teams, and able to build good working relationships with a wide range of people 
• High levels of discretion, with a resilient, flexible and ‘can do’ attitude 
• Able to challenge and influence senior stakeholders 
• Experience in managing suppliers and outsourced service delivery 
• Language requirements:  Fluent (Written and spoken) English and French