View Vacancy - AUS - Consular Regional Operations Manager (CROM), Oceania C5(L)

Applications are invited for the position of Consular Regional Operations Manager (CROM) covering the whole of Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands) for a fixed-term contract of 2 years.

The job holder will lead the Oceania consular network, ensuring consistently high quality consular services through implementation of consular strategy and policy, and meeting business targets. The jobholder will also provide effective staff and resource management, including modelling best practice, developing staff, and budget management.

The role is based in Australia, and the job holder may operate from any of the offices in the Australia network (Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth).

The jobholder will work directly to the Consular Regional Director (CRD) based in Singapore.

Position responsibilities include:

— Setting direction:

• Leading 27 staff in 10 locations in Oceania. Overall responsibility for ensuring staff are well-trained, motivated, meet consular business targets, follow guidance, and deliver a consistent and high level of customer service with minimal complaints.
• Providing visible leadership through distance management and post visits (1-2 times p.a.).
• Providing operational guidance and oversight of complex/ high-profile casework.

— Delivering results:

• Ensuring implementation of consular strategy/ policy, including meeting business targets. Ensuring consistency of approach/ services, including implementing best practice and effective complaint handling.
• Advising senior stakeholders and CRD on consular policy issues.
• Senior stakeholder management of key consular contacts in Australia (government, local authorities, travel industry, other diplomatic missions).
• Co-ordinating consular prevention and communications activity in Australia.
• Regularly reviewing and updating travel advice.
• Membership of Asia Pacific (APAC) regional management board; providing wider support to senior leaders in delivery of Australia country business plan and APAC regional business plan.
• Managing CRD and other budgets and staff resources to deliver value-for-money services; in-depth reviews of Posts and recruitment/ re-grading as necessary.
• Supporting Regional Crisis Advisers (RCAs) with crisis planning/ exercising, focusing on consular elements.

— Engaging people:

• Line managing seven staff and countersigning officer for seven other staff
• Ensuring high standard of performance management; performing quality control function; recruiting, inducting and supporting staff in their development; leading staff through planning and implementation of major change programmes and delivery of consular strategy.

— Corporate: Contributing to wider corporate agenda, including as consular representative on Boards/ Committees.

Candidates will be able to provide evidence of their skills and expertise in the following areas:

• Strong people management and coaching skills
• Leading a remote/ virtual network
• Handling a wide range of issues with flexibility and resilience
• Autonomous working, often under pressure
• Building and using an extensive network of contacts to deliver results
• Strong record in quality assurance
• Strong self-awareness; positive and creative approach to change.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate strengths in the following competences (and provide evidence of this in previous jobs at interview):

• Seeing the big picture - Having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs. Focusing your contribution on the activities which will meet FCO goals and deliver the greatest value.  Scanning the political context and taking account of wider impacts to develop long term implementation strategies that maximise opportunities to add value to the citizen.
• Making effective decisions - Being objective; using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice. Showing clarity of thought, setting priorities, analysing and using evidence to evaluate options before arriving at well-reasoned justifiable decisions. Creating evidence based strategies, evaluating options, impacts, risks and solutions. Aiming to maximise return while minimising risk and balancing social, political, financial, economic and environmental considerations to provide sustainable outcomes.
• Leading and communicating - Leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. Supporting principles of fairness and opportunity for all, and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens. Establishing a strong direction and a persuasive future vision; managing and engaging with people with honesty and integrity, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
• Collaborating and partnering - Creating and maintaining positive, professional, and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the FCO to help get business done. Working collaboratively, sharing information and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions. Delivering business objectives through creating an inclusive environment, encouraging collaboration and building effective partnerships.
• Delivering at pace - Focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. Building a performance culture to deliver outcomes with a firm focus on prioritisation and addressing performances issues resolutely, fairly and promptly. Providing the focus and energy to drive activities forward through others and encourage staff to perform effectively during challenging and changing times.
• Demonstrating resilience - Helping our people to build resilience in international roles, supporting their ability to adapt to working in difficult and varied international environments and to bounce back from crises and setbacks in these contexts. Being aware of the impact you have on yourself and others, and showing support for others with a pragmatic attitude, perseverance and resolve. Managing in a wide variety of circumstances and locations and, with appropriate support, recovering from challenges and setbacks. Leading a culture of support, while promoting a proper regard for employee safety, health and wellbeing.