View Vacancy - Corporate Services Manager

The British Embassy in Amman is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual for the position of Corporate Services Manager (CSM), Grade – C4 (L) to start as soon as possible.

Main Purpose of the job:

The British Embassy is seeking an experienced candidate with leadership potential who will work with the Head of Corporate Services (HoCS) to establish the Amman Corporate Services (CS) Team as a centre of excellence serving a diverse staff base.   He / She will help to drive reform and improvements into practice, ensuring that the highest standards of service, health and safety and performance are achieved and contributing to the overall welfare of all staff in the Embassy.

This is a busy management role that calls for an experienced, well-organised self-starter with drive, initiative and high quality personal skills.  The role requires someone that can take a strategic overview and translate this into customer focussed day-to-day operational delivery, confident and competent in decision-making and able to access and influence the right support from London across the services that we deliver. 

The CSM will play a key role in delivering platform services, providing day-to-day leadership of the CS Teams.  The successful candidate will assist and support the HoCS to deliver these services, with a particular focus on the large and expanding office and residential estate, to customers under the One HM Government (HMG) Service Level Agreement and Schedule of Services.  The CSM role oversees the efficient delivery of services, including collation of management information, assessing and improving customer satisfaction and liaising with other CSMs in the wider network, but particularly the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) posts, HMG partners on platform, London stakeholders and MENA regional hubs.

This is a high pressured but rewarding role for a candidate interested in customer service and operational delivery.  It will require and test management and communication skills as well as teamwork and resilience.  The jobholder will need to role model the Civil service values of:

Integrity

Honesty

Objectivity

Impartiality.

Main Responsibilities:

Direct responsibility for the Embassy estate compromising of Residential and Embassy / Compound teams.

• The British Embassy estate comprises an office compound which includes leisure facilities (swimming pool, gym, tennis / basketball court, football pitch, children’s play area).  A major part of the estate is the 109 leased properties for UK based staff and a representational residence for the Ambassador near 4th circle.  The CSM  will directly manage the two B3(L) estate managers, setting their priorities and budgets to maintain the estate so that it meets relevant UK Health and Safety standards and enables staff to operate from, and live in, a fit for purpose estate.
• Working with the two estate managers and technical works staff, develop and deliver a planned and preventative maintenance programme covering the entire estate.
• Work with the UK Diplomatic Academy Languages Team to implement an agreed and fully funded accommodation strategy for staff studying Arabic in Jordan prior to their postings either in Amman or elsewhere.
• Develop a set of performance targets for estates related services that align to the One HMG Service Level Agreement and report quarterly on Estates performance against the targets.  Seek and act on customer feedback and use this to drive continuous improvement in estates management.
• Act as the overall point of contact for major estates related projects funded and delivered by colleagues in Estates Directorate in London through the Global Maintenance Programme (GMP).          

Finance and Procurement

• Overall responsibility for estates related budgets of maintenance, machinery, equipment, furniture, utilities and rents of £2.6m.  Effective management of these budgets with the estates managers ensuring that budgets are effectively monitored, profiled and spent in accordance with estates priorities.  Ensuring effective financial and procurement processes and controls are in place to manage these budgets and the associated spend.
• Develop, deliver and manage a range of estates contracts (in consultation with, and where necessary through the procurement centre in Manila), that deliver improved value for money and quality of service, driving and increasing competition between suppliers in the market.
• The CSM will become an expert in UK government procurement procedures and will work with staff across the globe as well as locally to ensure that contracts for, services to, and maintenance of, the British Embassy Estate are efficient, compliant and deliver value for money.

Communication and engagement

• Working alongside the Corporate Change and Communications Manager, ensure that estates works that affect customers are properly planned and communicated with stakeholders and customers.
• Develop and leverage an effective network of contacts across other Embassies in Amman and with contacts in relevant teams London.

Staff management

• Provide leadership across the Estate Management teams, including performance and talent management of staff.  Inspire staff to deliver to the highest standards and instil a culture of continuous improvement, customer service and professionalism.

Resources Managed:

• Direct Management of 2 x B3(L) Estates Managers
• Overall responsibility for an estates team of 25 staff
• Operating budget of £2.6m

Key Competencies:

• Managing a Quality Service - Effectiveness in this area is about being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements.
• Delivering Value for Money - Involves the efficient, effective and economic use of taxpayers’ money in the delivery of public services.  It means seeking out and implementing solutions, which achieve the best mix of quality and effectiveness for the least outlay.
• Making Effective Decisions - Effectiveness in being objective; using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice.
• Changing and Improving - It is about being open to change, suggesting ideas for improvements to the way things are done, and working in smarter and, more focused ways.

Knowledge & Skills:

We are looking for a confident self-starter with proven energy and initiative in overcoming obstacles.  Someone who has the ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritise with minimal supervision.

The successful candidate will need to be resourceful, resilient and have a strong track record of sensitive but firm management to be able to get the best of out the CS teams.  As with all CS jobs, no two days are the same.  UK based staff accommodation, of which there are over 100 apartments, are all leased.  In addition, the Embassy and associated compound requires ongoing and significant maintenance after major investment in infrastructure over the last two years.  This brings with it regular and unusual challenges.  Your actions will matter hugely to staff and the ability to think creatively, have excellent people and resource management skills and sound judgement are all essential qualities.  Having a calm but firm approach and a sense of humour will also help!

Excellent interpersonal skills are essential and you will be comfortable dealing with staff at all levels, from the support staff to the Ambassador.  Build co-operative and productive working relationships with everyone that you come into contact with.

The position offers excellent developmental opportunities across the civil service competences but especially in ‘Managing Quality Services’ and ‘Changing and Improving’.  It would especially suit a candidate who wants to make a concrete difference in an Embassy that really matter to HMG.

Essential:

• Fluent communication skills in English and Arabic language (both oral and written).
• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in a similar estates / facilities management / customer-facing role.
• Previous experience of line managing team/staff and strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Management expertise and experience of working with, motivating and managing operational delivery teams.
• Highly organised and able to deal with challenging situations, confident in handling day-to-day tasks and decisions.
• Knowledge of financial management processes, including fraud risk management.
• Excellent team working skills including evidence of working collaboratively with multicultural colleagues.