View Vacancy - Corporate Services Manager (SWE23.023)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)

The British Embassy in Stockholm is part of a world-wide diplomatic network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. The Embassy is now looking for a new Corporate Services Manager, to provide strategic direction to the British Embassy Stockholm’s corporate services. As the driving force for corporate delivery, you will be a core member of the Embassy senior leadership team and management board, helping the Embassy deliver on its corporate and wider objectives. 

Why should you apply?

You will lead and develop a diverse team of corporate service staff, and oversee contractors, to deliver excellent, cost-effective services to partners from across the UK Government on the platform of the British Embassy.    

What is this role all about?

Strategic Planning and Leadership 30%

  • Provide strategic leadership and planning in support of the embassy’s corporate agenda including the country business plan and risk management.
  • Act as trusted advisor to the embassy leadership team and partners on the platform, ‘horizon scanning’ to enable proactive resource and activity planning.
  • Manage the Embassy platform (supporting a range of cross Government partners) and support regional teams, influencing at a senior level to maintain and strengthen inclusiveness.
  • Actively build and deepen relationships with key stakeholders within the embassy, with wider Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) actors 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, ensuring compliance with local labour law.
  • Provide guidance and act as an escalation point on sensitive staff matters for diplomatic and Country Based Staff, including management issues and dispute resolution, engaging with specialist HR functions where necessary.
  • Lead, develop and effectively performance manage a diverse team of corporate service staff.   
  • Champion and embed a collaborative and inclusive culture.

Delivery 35%

  • Oversee all corporate delivery across finance, HR, and protocol working closely with regional HR, finance and procurement hubs and the Global Processing Transaction Centre (GTPC). 
  • 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.
  • Oversee supplier relationships, acting as an ‘intelligent client’ by identifying requirements, appropriate service level agreements and key performance indicators to manage and monitor contracts.
  • Oversee the local delegated budget in accordance with corporate policies to ensure on-budget expenditure and value for money.
  • Instil a continuous improvement mentality within the team, leading on corporate projects and the change management required to deliver them. 

Resilience 10%

  • Respond to 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, respect and positive customer service principles.

 

Our ideal candidate shows:

  • Minimum 3 years of middle management experience working for international organisation, preferably with direct involvement in HR and /or Finance policy and implementation.
  • Experience in managing cross functional teams.
  • 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.
  • Level of language required: (C1 level) Strong English written and oral, able to effectively communicate complex analysis of your subjects in English.
  • Previous experience of local labour law would be an advantage.
  • C2) Local language communication skills - able to effectively communicate complex analysis of your subjects in local language.
Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing
8 March 2023
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
35
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Sweden
Stockholm
British Embassy
1
3 April 2023

This is a full-time permanent contract. The British Embassy is open to considering flexible working requests, including some remote working. However, due to the nature of the role, it will not be possible to do the job fully remotely.

All applicants should have the right to live and work in Sweden. The British Embassy does not sponsor for work permits.

According to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, locally employed staff should either be Swedish citizens, EU citizens or permanent residents of any nationality registered in the population register when beginning their employment. Registration in the population register is not possible once employment has begun. For more information, please consult:

https://www.government.se/government-of-sweden/ministry-for-foreign-affairs/diplomatic-portal/diplomatic-guide/8.-employment/8.1-locally-employed-staff/

The successful candidate will be subject to confirmation of a background check and security clearance.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”. We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

The deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a job.

*Please note for more information regarding the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.