View Vacancy - Office Manager, Defence and Security Organisation British High Commission, Delhi

Main purpose of job:

To ensure the smooth running of the Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) office in order to help UK defence, security and cyber industries export their products and services to India.

The Office Manager will work closely with the Head of DSO (India) and the Second Secretary DSO (the line manager), along with our regional Senior Trade Advisers in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The role is critical for our small, busy and friendly team to function and to deliver our objectives. The jobholder must be a team player with good interpersonal skills in order to build and maintain relationships with GoI, hospitality sectors, British business and HMG VIPs.

This is a busy but rewarding job means that the jobholder should be well organised, able to act on their own initiative with minimum supervision and to deal calmly and efficiently with competing priorities with, at times, short deadlines. This role requires some flexibility as on occasions working or travelling outside office hours will be necessary. DSO is committed to ensuring the right work-life balance for our staff so flexi time / time off in lieu will be available.

The role will involve access to and handling of classified or sensitive commercial information so the officer must have, or be capable of acquiring a UK SC security clearance and be a British Passport holder.  

Office Management (40%):

• Be the first point of contact for general enquiries both from within India and from UK.
• Office administration including preparing and sending official communication to the Government of India; booking meeting rooms and notifying security of guests’ details; keeping the shared area up to date; organise leave planning; resolve IT and telephony issues; manage the team’s master contacts database and event calendar ensuring DSO participation at important events throughout the year.
• Book travel and accommodation for DSO office and (VIP) visitors as required.
• Other ad-hoc tasks.

Trade Adviser (25%):

• Lead on trade promotion for the Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Sector (HADR): Build and maintain relationships including with key UK suppliers, potential Indian partners, Indian buyers and trade associations.
• Build sound knowledge of the HADR market in India and the key players in the UK and India in order to advise UK companies on opportunities and challenges of working in this sector in India.
• Represent DSO at conferences, seminars and trade shows that cover HADR.
• Liaise with Indian officials, trade associations and commercial companies to help promote UK capability in this area with the view to securing export wins.
  

Events Management and Stakeholder Engagement (25%):

• Support the team in organising and managing events e.g. meetings, visits and exhibitions, with specific responsibility for logistics (e.g. maintaining up-to-date guest lists, sending invitations and chasing RSVPs, transport, accommodation, catering, programmes, assisting with visas, printing of publications etc.) financial issues (e.g. budgeting for events, paying invoices, processing claims) and other ad hoc tasks as required.
• Help to produce delegate packs; briefings and brochures.
• Build productive working relationships with key suppliers both in India and the UK (internal and external) e.g. hotels, caterers, transport companies etc.) and represent DSO team at key planning meetings with event management organisations / hotels for large exhibitions, trade missions and events.
• Attend events to assist Security with the arrival of guests.

Resource Management (10%): [working closely with the Head of DSO as budget holder]

• Regularly estimate, profile and monitor budgets including identifying potential over/under spends and maintain financial records in line with DIT and FCO policy.
• Keep up-to-date records of spend, providing forecasts and Prism requisitioning when required.
• Ensure payments are made one time and are effectively recorded on FCO and DIT systems
• Ensure DSO achieves value for money for its activities.

What we do

Trade and investment is one of the High Commissioner’s top priorities.

The Defence & Security Organisation (as part of the Department for International Trade):

• Helps the UK’s defence and security industries to export their products.
• Maintains and builds strong relationships with industry and overseas governments to promote British defence and security products.
• Provides specialist export advice and practical assistance, working closely with industry and UK government departments including the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Cabinet Office, the Home Office and the Export Control Joint Unit (based in DIT).
  

What we want from you

The ideal candidate will possess the following personal qualities:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work as a reliable member of a team.
• Efficient with excellent planning and organisational skills, including the ability to plan and organise timetables or diaries for others.
• Good attention to detail.
• Effective English written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work both on own initiative and under supervision.
• Good all round IT skills and ability to set up administration systems reflecting good practise.
• Ability to see things from a range of different perspectives.
• Responsive, motivated and able to ‘get things done’.
• An interest in working with international visitors and organising itineraries, meetings and briefings.
• A willingness to learn to learn about the work of UK Defence and Security Organisation.

Essential on arrival:  

• A degree or equivalent qualification, or the ability to demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge and skill /experience
• 3 years relevant experience of working in an office environment.
  

Language requirements:

Language: English

Level of language required: Fluent written and spoken English.