View Vacancy - FJS - Corporate Services Manager, HEO

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)
Corporate Services Support

Main purpose of job:

The British High Commission (BHC) in Suva is part of a worldwide network of 230 Posts, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. We are currently recruiting a highly motivated individual to join our senior leadership team and become the Corporate Services Manager. Working closely with the CSC Hub in Manila, the successful candidate will be expected to manage efficient and effective day-to-day operations of BHC Suva. This is senior position that carries with it significant responsibility, reporting directly to the Deputy Head of Mission.

You will be part of a friendly team, and enjoy working as part of the wider High Commission team, flexing your work to support others where necessary and where our priorities shift.  Equally you will be comfortable leading on work with limited supervision and be able to manage the challenges of working remotely with colleagues in Manila and the UK  as necessary.  You will be a “self starter” and be comfortable managing, developing and supporting others.

You will have honed, experienced leadership and management skills, with sound judgement and effective decision making. 

You may be required to operate outside the role and occasionally out of office hours, should there be a crisis affecting the UK and Fiji such as a natural disaster which would shift our priority to supporting British Nationals and humanitarian response.

Roles and responsibilities/what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

1. Finance

Take responsibility for the post finances including preparing the full year budget, quarterly forecasts, four year business plan, reporting and analysis of monthly actuals, monitoring of monthly cashflow, preparation of full year funding plan, managing the year end process and overseeing the purchasing process. Reporting directly to the Deputy Head of Mission. 

2. HR & Protocol

Take responsibility for the management of the HR function, which supports a growing employee base. Working closely with the HR Hub, ensure compliance with local employment law and FCO guidelines and procedures. Lead on recruitment and selection, remuneration benchmarking and planning, performance management, and implementation and managing all aspects of operational protocol including liaison with various Fiji Ministries and Authorities. Oversight of the HR strand for the rest of the South Pacific Network may eventually come under the remit of this role. 

3. Security, Health & Safety

Together with the Post Security Manager oversee the Security function which is responsible for monitoring of threats, supervision of the guard force; and also taking full responsibility for the development, implementation and maintenance of a robust health & safety policy.

4. Estates

Oversee the Estates Team and ensure full compliance with local and UK health and safety regulations and policies. Ensure environmental/sustainability methodologies are integrated into the Post.  Monitor the UK government estate in Fiji and bring any issues requiring a resolution to the attention of senior leadership. The job holder will also monitor contract performance and other contracted services to the High Commission.

5. Network

Roll out best practice on HR, Finance and management across the UK’s South Pacific Network. Taking on additional responsibilities after year one. Leading and mentoring the SPN’s network of Corporate Services professionals.

6. Leadership and Management

Support the overall general management of the post and sit as a member of a number of committees including budget, housing, security and appraisal moderation. Lead the corporate services team (4), which includes transport and maintenance, as well as oversee the residence team (3).

7. Other duties as assigned

This job is available on a full or part-time (minimum 3 days a week) basis. Please express your preferred working pattern in the application. All patterns will be considered equally.

Essential on arrival:

  • Preferably at least 5 years of corporate experience (preferably in Finance/HR or a related management role), in a managerial capacity, with at least 3 years experience of managing a team
  • Evidence of strong personal integrity, values and team-based approach
  • Strong interest in strategic resource management and corporate planning
  • Sound financial or operations experience with evidence of extensive budget management
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with strong customer focus
  • Good judgment and strategic awareness, to get the best use from resources and identify opportunities for improvement and innovative solutions
  • Personal drive and the ability to be a self-starter as well as a team player; focus on delivery and ability to reprioritise and deal with a changing environment
  • Demonstrable customer service / customer experience focus. Offers new ideas to improve customer service
  • Capacity for effective and quick decision making and problem solving, initiative, excellent organisational skills
  • Fluent English language skills, both written and spoken
  • Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Microsoft Excel, with experience of Oracle systems and databases preferred
  • The job holder must be prepared to travel to the UK and within the region
  • Some evening and weekend work may be required
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable:

  • Understanding how diplomatic missions function, or how other multinational organisations function in Fiji would be beneficial.
Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others
13 June 2023
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
38
36 months
Asia Pacific
Fiji
Suva
British High Commission
1
FJD
55,655.04 annual
7 August 2023

Open to Fiji citizens, permanent residents. Interstate applicants will be required to meet their own travel and relocation expenses.

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

Staff recruited locally by the High Commission are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Fiji employment law.

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.

Learning and development opportunities:

The High Commission and FCDO are strong supporters of learning and Development using facilities available both in the office and overseas.  

Working Hours:

This job is available on a full or part-time (minimum 3 days a week) basis. Please express your preferred working pattern in the application. All patterns will be considered equally.

Normal working hours are from 08:00 - 16:15 from Mon-Thurs and 08:00 - 13:00 on Fridays. 

Occasionally, in line with operational duties or travel, we might ask you to work outside normal working hours and would expect flexibility.

Other Information:

The How We Work Statement (below) sets out the ambition we share across the FCDO for how we lead and behave towards each other, how we make decisions, and how we get the job done. 

  • We put respect and kindness first. We are inclusive, we get to know each other, and value our diversity and the contribution we each bring. We are fair, act with integrity, and tackle inequality and unacceptable behaviour. We work together and take responsibility to solve problems.
  • We draw on the expertise, insight and diverse perspectives of people across the FCDO, HMG, and beyond. We use the best available data and evidence. We are open to challenge and take a sustainable, long-term approach. We are transparent about the rationale for decisions and smart about taking and managing risks.  
  • We are agile and alert to emerging opportunities. We encourage learning, innovation and use of data and digital. We are all clear on what we are expected to deliver and support each other in doing so. We look to reduce duplication and unnecessary process. We are committed to transforming both the FCDO and the way HMG delivers international policy.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 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.

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.

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.

For inclusivity and diversity, please remove the following personal information when uploading your CV: name, address, email address, age, date of birth, gender, and nationality.

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.

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.