View Vacancy - AUH - UKVI Regional Operations Manager (SEO)

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.
Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration)

The British Embassy Abu Dhabi has a vacancy for a Regional Operations Manager under UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This is for a fixed-term contract of two (2) years.

This is high profile and challenging management role balancing direct operational delivery with input into policy delivery, transformation, and representational responsibilities to deliver UKVI strategic priorities. The successful candidate will need to be sensitive to the wider strategic objectives of HMG policies in each region.

The Abu Dhabi Decision Making Centre (DMC) considers visit applications from UK visa customers submitting applications from the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Jerusalem, Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), and Pakistan; and is a remote printing hub for all net migration casework (consolidated in the UK). Abu Dhabi is the only Decision Making Centre in the region, and handles approximately 200,000 applications a year, and, at peak periods in the past, have had almost 180 staff working in the section.

This region presents a real mix in complexity of applications received, and has an ongoing set of staff management challenges. This role offers an exciting opportunity to innovate and overcome barriers to implement new services and solutions that improve the end-to-end customer journey. The Regional Operations Manager (ROM) plays a key and hands-on role in managing change and business transformation within the DMC, and will be crucial in driving forward UKVI’s People Agenda. 

 

Duties and responsibilities:

Reporting to the Regional Manager, the jobholder will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

  • Providing day-to-day operational and strategic management to ensure that a modern, efficient, and resilient service is delivered within agreed customer service standards.
  • Hands-on line management of a large team of Entry Clearance Managers (ECM), and ensuring that as a visa section we are consistently driving effective performance management and improvement.
  • Overseeing the operational performance of the Abu Dhabi visa section, ensuring high standards of decision quality, business assurance and integrity in accordance with published operational and customer service standards.
  • Driving forward successful implementation of continuous improvement processes in line with UKVI International’s wider work on standardising business process across its global network of hubs.
  • Managing and developing the team to improve business performance, build staff potential, and successfully deliver the agenda to effectively tackle Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination (BHD), championing our Great Place to Work (GPTW) initiatives.
  • Establishing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and managing the diplomatic and political impact of the visa service and migration agenda. Be an effective communicator and be able to represent UKVI with host governments, customers, commercial partners and stakeholders
  • Collaborating with the Commercial Partners who run the visa application centres in the region to ensure delivery of an excellent front-end customer service.
  • Delivering a programme of change projects, working to the Regional Manager and with colleagues across the organisation, in support of transformation and operational excellence, ensuring savings and value for money are achieved.
  • Regular travel within the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, Pakistan, and Turkey (MENACAPT) region, and periodically back to the UK, will be required as necessary.
  • Potential to have to take calls outside of working hours although this does not attract an on call allowance.

The jobholder will serve as line manager for staff at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) grade and one (1) at Executive Officer (EO) grade. They will also have countersigning officer responsibilities for staff at EO and Administrative Officer (AO) grade.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.

 

Key behaviours required:

  • Leadership - Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.
  • Managing a Quality Service - Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
  • Seeing the Big Picture - Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
  • Changing and Improving - Seek out opportunities to create effective change and suggest innovative ideas for improvement. Review ways of working, including seeking and providing feedback.
  • Working Together - Forming effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds; sharing information, resources, and support. 

 

Eligibility:

  • The successful applicant will be required to obtain the necessary security clearance. Higher clearances can be granted only to certain nationalities. For this reason, candidates must be of British, American, Australian, Canadian, or New Zealand nationality in order to gain the level of clearance required for this role.
  • Applications will only be considered from those who are currently residing in the UAE and with a current and valid UAE resident visa. Applicants will be asked to provide evidence of their UAE resident visa/ Emirates ID as part of their application.
  • Applicants must be available in a full time capacity to work on site at the British Embassy Abu Dhabi - these are not part time positions nor available for remote working.
  • Applicants must be able to obtain a valid UAE police clearance certificate.
  • Previous Immigration Operations experience within the last three (3) years.
  • Experience of delivering change in a fast paced and dynamic operational environment.
  • Proven ability to work quickly and accurately in a target driven environment, prioritising key tasks as necessary.
  • Ability to work quickly and reliably with little supervision and meet challenging targets on a daily basis. Ability to prioritise work effectively when under pressure.
  • Adaptable and flexible with a positive attitude to change.
  • Ability to work as part of a team and be adaptable to new working methods.
  • Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely.
  • Good working knowledge of IT, including Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
Previous knowledge of or experience working in UKVI would be an advantage.
Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, Leadership, Working Together
14 August 2022
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
38
24 months
Middle East & North Africa
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
British Embassy
1
AED
29,682
10 October 2022

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including: 25 days of leave per annum; on-site swimming pool, gym, and sports facilities (subject to COVID-19 restrictions).

Salary is at AED 29,682 per month.

There are no other allowances payable as part of this package. No accommodation and relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

Conditioned working hours are 38 hours per week. Standard working hours are from 07:30 to 15:06, including a lunch break of 36 minutes, from Monday to Friday.

Regular travel within the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, Pakistan, and Turkey (MENACAPT) region, and periodically back to the UK, will be required as necessary.

The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy's sponsorship.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must attach 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and 2) a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role, and 3) examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours required.

Applications that do not include these information will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is at 11:55 PM UAE local time on 14 August 2022.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered. 

 

Process:

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two months.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, only those shortlisted for the next step of the recruitment process will be contacted.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an in-person interview at the Embassy likely to be held in late August. Shortlisted candidates will also be asked to do a short presentation as part of the interview, details of which will be shared prior to the interview. 

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances. 

 

The British Embassy Abu Dhabi is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.

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.