View Vacancy - MNL - Head of Corporate Services (Strategy and Delivery), C5 (L)

The British Embassy Manila is a large diplomatic mission (around 250 staff) delivering a dynamic and rapidly expanding programme of activity in support of the UK’s objectives on prosperity, security and consular matters. The Embassy is a modern, diverse and inclusive employer where everyone contributes to the Embassy’s CORE Values of Collaboration, Opportunity, Respect and Excellence.

Main purpose of job:

To provide strategic direction to corporate services; leading an efficient, cost effective and professional team to deliver all services to the partners (from across the UK government) on the platform provided by the British Embassy Manila. 

As the driving force for corporate delivery, the jobholder will be a core member of the senior leadership team and management board providing corporate, financial and local insight to inform decision making.

Reporting to the Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) and working closely with the Asia Pacific Regional Cluster Lead, this role will lead and develop a diverse team of corporate staff, with oversight of outsourced service providers.

This role is part of a pilot to deliver corporate services (finance, HR, budgets, health & safety, IT, estates and protocol) within a functional model, as such the successful candidate will demonstrate a flexible approach to being part of an evolving project.

Roles and responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Leadership

• Oversee and lead all strategic aspects of corporate services and their impacts on the country business plan at the Embassy (liaising with Corporate Hubs and Asia Pacific Posts),
• To provide strategic leadership and planning in support of the corporate agenda including the country business plan and risk management.
• Act as trusted advisor to local leadership and partners on the platform ‘horizon scanning’ locally to enable proactive resource and activity planning with the Regional Corporate Services Lead.
• Ensure local policies are reviewed and aligned to global and local requirement and adopted by all partners on the platform.
• Ensure all potential risks and opportunities are identified with clear advice to senior leadership in advance on handling.

People

• Lead on the overall employer proposition, including terms and conditions of service and pay and benefits for locally employed staff (LS), induction processes, and update in line with Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidance and ensuring compliance with local labour law.
• Provide guidance and act as an escalation point on sensitive staff matters for diplomatic and Local Staff, including management issues and dispute resolution, engaging with specialist HR functions where necessary. 
• Oversight of the Embassy’s HR policies, including terms and conditions of service and compliance with local labour law.
• Seek and act on feedback within Post and annual Staff and One HMG Corporate Services Survey’s.
• Work closely with the LE Staff committee to ensure employee engagement is achieved for the improvement of Staff Survey.
• Champion and embed a collaborative and inclusive culture
• Act as a business partner to line managers, supporting and advising them on implementation of HR policy and encouraging best practice in the management and development of staff.

Delivery

• Ensure successful day-to-day operation and management of the Embassy’s Corporate Services Team
• Oversee corporate delivery 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.
• Co-lead delivery of the Embassy Action Plan to modernise working practices; deliver a more effective, efficient and professional operation; support staff during major periods of change; and update terms and conditions of service (TACOS).
• Lead point of contact for all government departments and UK based staff (x31) on platform.
• Conduct regular audits and ensure improved compliance with FCO processes (Physical Compliance, Annual Certification Check of Assurance and H&S).
• Lead and oversee all Post engagement with the Facilities Management Client Unit (FMCU) Regional Manager and ISS contractor responsible for management of the Embassy’s estate, including office buildings and staff residential properties including management of local contracts to ensure services are in accordance with contract and performance responds to feedback. 
• Lead engagement with FMCU in London to ensure effective oversight of the ISS contract on behalf of DHM and Her Majesty's Ambassador (HMA).
• Support Community Liaison Officer (CLO) who sits with Corporate Services Team (CST) and reports to DHM.

Budget Management

• Oversee and ensure full spend of annual Post budget (£700,000).
• Management of the Embassy’s budget, ensuring spending remains on budget and maximising value for money.
• Working with all teams/departments prepare accurate and timely annual bids for future budgets and complete annual, monthly and ad hoc budget reports as necessary.
• Implement existing corporate policies and best practices on procurement, ensuring the mission achieves maximum value for money.

Resilience

• Support Joint Management Board, Budget committee, Crisis committee to implement improvements and efficiencies for the processes at post and Chair Health & Safety committee.
• Respond to operational crisis, providing leadership and flexing team prioritisation as required.
• Ensure wellbeing and engagement are maintained within the corporate services team, seeking regular feedback and embedding the CORE (collaboration, opportunity, respect and excellence) embassy values.

• Excellent English communication skills
• At least 5 years experience of senior corporate management
• Leading, managing and developing large teams
• Service delivery
• Budget/finance
• HR expertise