View Vacancy - Head of Garage, British High Commission, Islamabad

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:

Lead and manage a busy team of mechanics responsible for maintaining one of the UK Government’s largest fleets, including a large number of armoured vehicles with a value in the region of £4-5m. Provide oversight of a £500,000 spare parts and maintenance budget, ensuring an effective procurement pipeline taking into account a complex operating environment. Provide a critical interface with key senior customers, including the Director of Corporate Services, the Transport Manager and the Head of Security, providing strategic advice (including risk mitigation) on the condition of the fleet. Respond quickly and efficiently to changing requirements, including during periods of crisis and when supporting complex, multi-city VIP visits.

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

The Head of the Garage will:

  • Oversee the workshop and provide day-to-day supervision and managerial support to the mechanics, ensuring optimal performance and maintaining a robust customer service focus. Manage the demands of a 24/7 operation, responding quickly and effectively out-of-hours, over weekends and during holiday periods. Effectively manage information and data to support audit requirements and drive more effective operations.
  • Provide informed, expert mechanical and technical advice on the maintenance and repair of a wide variety of vehicles, including armoured cars and buses, soft-skin saloons and trucks, motorbikes and water bowsers.
  • Provide oversight of the warehouse, keeping it stocked and all items in good condition, including in-date consumables. Working with the Procurement Team, you will conduct market research to identify the best available local suppliers, ensuring quality and value for money, constantly testing a challenging market. You will put in place a comprehensive procurement plan to ensure that spare parts are in stock when required, taking into account long procurement timelines and complicated supply chains. You will also manage overseas business with our registered, overseas AV suppliers.
  • Develop a comprehensive approach to risk management, identifying hazards and threats and the resultant risk factors that have the potential to cause harm to staff or damage to property. This will include designing and implementing a robust system of pre- and post-field visit checks on the vehicles, performing on-road vehicle checks after maintenance and quality-control checks on spare parts at the time of collection. You will also oversee the safe recovery of vehicles following break-downs.
  • Oversee an annual maintenance and spare parts budget of around £500,000, tracking, recording and forecasting expenditure according to FCO guidelines, and using finance and resource management skills, combined with a knowledge of the local market, to make the best financial decisions.
  • Work closely with the Director of Corporate Services, the Head of Transport, the Security Department and other senior leaders in the British High Commission to provide support to essential, high profile business, including VIP visits. You will collaborate closely with the Head of Transport, including via weekly meetings, to ensure that the team is working together and focused in one direction.
  • Be expected to travel occasionally to Lahore and Karachi to identify new suppliers and to share best practice with the transport team at the Deputy British High Commission in Karachi.
  • Be constantly innovating, developing new policies and approaches to better serve the changing needs of the British High Commission.

Language requirements:

Language: Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Level of language required: Fluent.

Other skills / experience / qualifications:

Prior experience of maintaining and repairing armoured and soft-skin vehicles and in-depth knowledge of mechanical and electrical aspects of the vehicles and the local auto industry. Experience of working with Toyota vehicles will be an advantage.

Experience of managing a high performing, customer-service oriented team, meeting challenging demands, exceeding targets, managing budgets and dealing with demanding individuals.

Excellent communication skills with spoken and written English to be assessed as part of the recruitment process.

Has held a valid Pakistani driving licence (preferably an HTV licence) for at least five years.

Computer literacy (Word, Excel and Access).

24 May 2019
Administrative Officer (AO)
Fixed Term
41
36 months
South Asia & Afghanistan
Pakistan
Islamabad
British High Commission
1
PKR
88,284
1 July 2019

Salary Details:  

For BHC candidates, the Local BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.For other than BHC candidates, Basic Salary will be ­­­­­­PKR 88,284.

The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance. 

Around half of our work forces are women.  We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment. 

This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCO has anywhere across the globe.  We are aiming to make it the best. 

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The British High Commission is committed to promoting learning and development opportunities for all staff.   Opportunities to develop your skills as a leader, manager and logistics expert will be possible.

To Apply: 

Please note applications without (a), (b) and (c) will not be considered.

A.     Complete the Online Application Form

B.     Attach a detailed CV

C.    Complete the Motivation Segment in the Online Application Form

Internal candidates applying for this position need to upload their appraisal forms for the previous 2 years (if applicable) and also inform their current line managers. Else the application will not be considered.

We will accept only online applications by 24 May 2019 midnight.

Please Note:

Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and no telephone enquires will be dealt with.

The appointment will be subject to Police Verification and other checks including references,medical,educational and professional.

We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.

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.