View Vacancy - Head of the International Academy, Americas

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)
Learning and Development

Main purpose of job:

The British Government has an exciting opportunity for a dynamic learning and development (L&D) professional to become the new regional Head (the Head) of the International Academy (IA) for the Americas. This is a rewarding role which supports learning and development for UK government officials working on international diplomacy and development in the Americas and Caribbean.  

The Head leads on, sets the tone and provides guidance on building a strong learning culture for British Government staff located at 52 British Overseas Missions (Posts) in the region. The Head has strategic responsibility for and oversees all IA activities within the region, aligned with the global L&D strategy and business plan.  Reporting to the Vice Principal of the International Academy (based in the UK) the Head will deliver through a busy L&D team of 6 staff based in Washington and Miami.  They will provide strategic direction, L&D advice and Organisational Development (OD) support across the region, to meet business needs, aligned with UK government priorities (across Whitehall).  They will also provide leadership to a number of thematic issues for the IA globally (the present incumbent leads on management learning and governance i.e. to ensure consistency of IA brand identity and user experience globally).

The Head IA (Americas) will:

  • Partner with stakeholders in the IA and across the region and design/implement an effective regional L&D strategy and delivery plan that supports the learning needs of Posts, Departments and teams in the Americas.
  • Promote and encourage a positive L&D culture across the region by role modelling best practice and working closely with senior leaders in the UK and overseas.
  • Partner with Geographical Directorate/s to ensure L&D activities are aligned with regional priorities and support organisational goals.
  • Set direction and provide strategic OD advice to stakeholders within the region, working closely with the IA team, Regional Inclusion Adviser, HR Hub Head and others to ensure clarity on organisational initiatives/goals.
  • Ensure a regional Comms strategy providing high quality and relevant Comms to all stakeholders in the region. Work with IA Global Comms leads to create content, encourage regular regional Comms activity and set the tone for positively promoting the value of the IA.
  • Working with regional and global resources, continually monitor L&D success, evaluate performance, spot L&D trends and use data to focus on L&D that will positively impact business results to ensure the regional IA L&D strategy meets specific business needs. 
  • Partner with Posts and teams to identify performance needs and outcomes and role model best practice in working with customers.
  • Oversee the delivery of high quality, value for money, appropriate OD and L&D initiatives, making good use of virtual technology and innovative new delivery methods.
  • Facilitate Leadership & Management Programmes, Masterclasses and provide relevant support to Heads and Deputy Heads of Mission (HOMs and DHMs) senior leaders and all staff.

The FCDO offers a unique career enhancing opportunity and is committed to supporting its staff through a variety of benefits including generous leave, insurance packages and a highly competitive 401k programme. It also promotes a culture of flexibility which enables people to maintain wellness through an excellent work/life balance including through hybrid working. In this role you would be working in a diverse international environment operating across the British Government’s network of Consulates and Government Offices in the Americas region.


Roles and responsibilities:

Leadership & Management:

  • Set strategic direction, regularly engage with team and stakeholders and deliver results against the IA business plan 
  • Play an active part in the global IA leadership team; help to set strategy and operational priorities, take ownership of themes as required, challenge colleagues to help promote excellence.
  • Provide overall strategic direction for the regional team in line with London and Network priorities, to support senior management in the region.
  • Be innovative and creative; share new ideas on L&D to promote the development of skills, knowledge and competence to build capability in the region.
  • Promote One HMG “Who We Are” values of: respect, expertise, resilience, creativity, courage, public service.
  • Manage a regional team of L&D Advisers, providing leadership and management support, ensuring delivery of regional priorities and provide countersigning support to all L&D Advisers.
  • Oversight of resourcing in the region, in consultation with the IA’s Business Manager, ensuring the right skills and budgets are in place and ensure value for money
  • Ensure effective two-way communication between IA (Americas) team and IA (UK).

 

Stakeholder & Account Management:

  • Oversight of business partnering and account management strategy in the region, ensuring effective prioritisation, development of performance consultancy skills in the team and innovative offers for smaller Posts.
  • Business Partner with senior management in the Geographical Directorates and thematic leads in the region to ensure delivery of key corporate messages.
  • Support primary account managers by relationship building with priority Posts, and offer trouble-shooting as needed, with the purpose of developing a learning culture and building capability.
  • Act as a source of best practice, advising managers and leaders at all levels across the region and wider FCDO, including on Organisational Development.
  • Outreach to FCDO and One HMG key stakeholders in region and in UK (including Diplomatic Academy UK team) to ensure the IA (Americas) offer reflects their needs and to influence their policy development.
  • Through regular evaluation and observatoin, ensure Priority Posts are provided with:
  • Impactful L&D/Mgt consultancy support/advice
  • Advise around L&D strategies that align to Country Business Plans/organisational objectives
  • Robust Learning Needs Analyses to support the L&D strategy.
  • L&D plans which are based on 70/20/10 and blended learning solutions.
  • Set the direction and ensure a strategy is in place for evaluating L&D interventions for return on investment against expected outcomes.

 

Design and Quality Control of L&D initiatives:

  • Provide strategic direction for delivery in the region, ensuring right mix of L&D interventions (70:20:10), that priority programmes are delivered in line with IA and HMG requirements, and that other interventions meet identified need.
  • Collaborate with the IA (UK) team (including Faculties) to support Foundation and Practitioner Level programmes at Post and embed into the regional delivery plan.
  • Provide leadership support for the design and delivery of L&D initiatives to develop teams and leadership skills and/or provide essential cover where required.
  • Deliver informal interventions based on need and prioritisation, including coaching and mentoring.
  • Ensure L&D initiatives support International Capability and are high quality, appropriate and value for money.
  • Work closely with other International Academy team members to ensure consistency, sharing and role modelling of best L&D and leadership practice.
  • Keep professional knowledge up to date, following trends, ideas and innovations occurring in L&D to ensure IA methods and materials are as effective as possible.

 

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

  • Line management of Deputy Head and L&D Coordinator
  • Countersigning of 4 L&D Advisers
  • Oversight of regional budget

 

 

 

  • Min 10 years in a leadership role within an L&D environment either public or private sector
  • Min 5 years leadership and management experience, including managing remote teams
  • Professional Level 7 qualifications in L&D, OD or equivalent and membership of internationally recognised HR professional body (eg ATD, CIPD)
  • Strong consultancy and stakeholder engagement skills
  • Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment
  • Strong communicator and facilitator
  • Able to travel across the Americas region and occasionally other regions
  • A passion and enthusiasm for developing people
  • Advanced grasp of the English language

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work.

*A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defence Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.

  • Spanish language
  • Experience of working in a global organisation
Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
6 October 2022
Grade 7 (G7)
Full-time, Permanent
40
Americas, Caribbean & Overseas Territories
United States
Miami, Washington
British Embassy
1
USD
See Additional Information
12 December 2022

The British Embassy is committed to all employee’s ongoing learning and development needs. The International Academy is at the heart of learning in the FCDO. We offer a comprehensive platform for personalised learning for everything from soft skill development to more technical or professional skills necessary to complete your job.

This role is 8 hours (40=FT) a week, but does not require set working hours each day.  The normal place of work would be the British Embassy in Washington, the UK Consulate General in Miami, or another UK diplomatic or consular mission in the Americas. The successful applicant is a member of the IA’s global leadership team and will be also be expected to be available occasionally out of normal working hours to join leadership and other stakeholder meetings (virtually).


The British Embassy and its US Network embraces hybrid working, allowing its staff to typically work from home 2 or 3 times a week.  We are an organization that also recognises the critical value of team work and we embrace and endorse collaboration by ensuring that all staff attend the office flexibly yet regularly. 

This is a regional role managing a team split across Washington DC, Miami and Denver (remote worker).  The successful applicant will be co-located with some members of the team and the role also has a significant element of remote management to it.

  • Annual Salary in Washington, DC:  $108,499
  • Annual Salary in Miami, Florida: $98,757
  • The UK Government operating in the US offers a substantial benefits package including generous leave, a choice of medical insurance, 401(k) matching up to 7%, extensive learning opportunities and a great work/life balance.
  • Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
  • Internal candidates must inform their supervisor before they apply to a different position.
  • Only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls.
  • Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot guarantee consideration of your application if the submission instructions are not properly followed.
  • The British Embassy is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone. We are an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions without regard to race, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation or any other criterion protected by law.



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This opportunity is closed to applications.