View Vacancy - KL - Head of Corporate Services, SEO
Main purpose of job:
The Head of Corporate Services (or Corporate Services Manager) is one of the most senior country based staff positions in the British High Commission (BHC). You will be expected to play a full role in the BHC’s leadership team, provide strategic direction on corporate services and lead an efficient, cost effective and professional team of twelve. You role will be critical in supporting the BHC’s approximately 80-100 staff to be happy, productive, safe and green.
You will report directly to the Deputy High Commissioner and have overall strategic responsibility for the day-to-day operational effectiveness of the High Commission including the discrete policy areas of Finance, Transport, Procurement and Protocol. You will also be responsible for the chargeable cross services platform at Post which other government departments make use of (OneHMG).
A key part of the job will be to manage Post’s overall budget; identifying areas for improvement and implementing change programmes through their team to achieve maximum efficiency.
As well as providing corporate services to the mission, you will play a significant role in ensuring health and safety and security compliance for the needs of over 25 UK-based staff and their families. This will involve working closely with our Estates Operations Team and an outsourced facilities management company. The relationship with the FM provider is critical to effective operations at post and in staff accommodation.
While the role works closely with the regional hub in Manila, you will be expected to exercise good judgment and make independent decisions to enact HMG compliance guidelines in the local context without compromising quality or compliance.
The job holder will need to manage, give support and policy direction to the Corporate Services team as well as ensuring that Corporate Services works well with the regional hubs. The job holder will also need to make sure they are up to date with all guidance and communicate effectively any changes to ensure staff have the information they need.
Strategic Planning and Leadership
- 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.
- Manage the platform (currently supporting 10 partners) and support regional teams, influencing at a senior level to maintain and strengthen inclusiveness.
- Actively build and deepen relationships with key stakeholders internally, with the FM team, 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 requirement and adopted by all partners on the platform.
- Lead and monitor the delivery of services against the local corporate services charter.
People
- Lead on the overall employer proposition, including HR handbook and pay and benefits for locally employed staff (LS), ensuring compliance with local labour law.
- Provide guidance and act as an escalation point on sensitive staff matters for diplomatic and country based, including management issues and dispute resolution, engaging with specialist HR functions where necessary.
- Champion and embed a collaborative and inclusive culture.
Delivery
- 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.
- 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.
- Instil a continuous improvement mentality within the team, leading on corporate projects and the change management required to deliver them.
Resilience
- Respond to operational crisis and business continuity incidents, 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.
Income Generation
- Lead and implement the BHC's income generation policy and processes.
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
Direct management of 3 Executive Officers. Leading section of 12.
- Excellent written and spoken English communication skills
- Strong leadership credentials, with evidence of working across broad teams and inspire them to deliver high quality outcomes
- Evidence of experience working in multinational or global organisations, with cross-cultural working, either in government, private or NGO sector
- Evidence of financial and HR experience, where not supported by specific qualifications we would want clear examples of where they have learned and/or displayed those skills in their career
- A quick learner who can demonstrate creative approaches to problem solving, able to multi-task and work at pace using effective prioritisation
- Resilient and able to deal with and resolve conflict.
Language requirements:
Language: English
Level of language required: Fluency in spoken and written English
Useful: Bahasa Malaysia.
- Experience working in public sector or diplomatic missions.
This is advertised as a full-time, permanent role in Kuala Lumpur.
Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The British High Commission offers a competitive remuneration package, benefits, leave entitlement of 20 days per annum (calculated on pro rata basis) and a range of learning and development opportunities including courses, access to significant on line training materials and on the job learning and development opportunities.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to developing its staff, working hard to provide a comprehensive learning and development offer. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the Diplomatic Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all the available opportunities.
The job-holder will be required to take some specific training courses related to their role. All new staff undertake a workplace induction and there are a number of mandatory e-learning courses covering areas such as diversity, health and safety, and information management.
In addition to formal training, collaboration with a wide range of colleagues will deliver on-the-job learning experiences, including
- Working in a diplomatic mission;
- Understanding how UK international development assistance is managed / implemented;
- Understanding effective programme management (including Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, and Learning).
Working patterns:
Normal working hours are 36.5 per week. BHC Kuala Lumpur supports and promotes flexible working as a crucial part of our inclusive offering, and is committed to staff maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.
Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”.
Indicated start date is provisional and subject to successful completion of reference and security checks.
Kindly check your application centre or email regularly for any update on the status of your application.
To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
