View Vacancy - Head of Corporate Services (MATL cover) CZE22.612

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)
Finance, HR

The British Embassy in Prague is looking for an experienced candidate with strong interpersonal skills to lead the Corporate Services team. The Corporate Services team provides administrative support to all sections of the Embassy, supporting both UK diplomatic staff and staff employed locally. The job holder will oversee the entire Corporate Services agenda, ensuring high quality, efficient and effective use of human, financial and material resources to enable the Embassy to deliver on its objectives. The job holder will work with local colleagues and counterparts at the FCDO Headquarters in London and shared service centres (corporate services hubs) in Milton Keynes, Vilnius and Lisbon to ensure that corporate policies are implemented effectively in the Embassy as well as pursue initiatives to modernise working practices and find innovative ways of working. The job holder will report to the Deputy Head of Mission.

Main responsibilities will include:

  • Leading and developing the Corporate Services (CS) team, and managing and supervising processes within the Corporate Services team, working closely with the regional HR, Finance and Procurement Hubs and Global Processing Transaction Centre (GTPC) as their main contact point at the Embassy.
  • Managing the Embassy’s budget in accordance with corporate policies to ensure on-budget expenditure and value for money. Being responsible for the Embassy’s budget profiling, monitoring and forecasting, overseeing and authorising monthly financial checks and other non-budgetary financial reporting duties.
  • Implementing existing corporate policies and best practices on procurement in accordance with the internal procurement guidelines, to ensure maximum value for money, and overseeing management of contracts with external suppliers as necessary.
  • In co-operation with the Embassy senior management, implementing efficient HR processes, including recruitment, appraisals, performance related initiatives, or action on staff survey results. Overseeing employment contracts, terms and conditions of service, pay scales and performance-related pay for local staff and ensuring compliance with corporate policies and local labour law.
  • Providing guidance on sensitive staff matters for both diplomatic and local staff, including management issues and dispute resolution.
  • Overseeing estate management, ensuring the office, residential properties and official vehicles comply with corporate procedures.
  • Working with the facilities management provider to make sure high customer service levels are met and contract terms are fulfilled.
  • In conjunction with Post Security Officer, IT Support Officer and Post Security Manager, ensuring security of buildings, staff and information.

  • Strong interpersonal skills and previous experience with leading a team.
  • Excellent organisational skills and an ability to work at pace under pressure.
  • Good communication skills, understanding of diverse customer needs and ability to adapt to different stakeholders and flex communication style at different levels.
  • Very good practical knowledge of CZ labour law, to be able to advise managers on diverse HR issues concerning local employees; and understanding of legal health and safety requirements.
  • Financial acumen - previous experience of financial reporting would be an advantage.
  • Excellent Czech and English skills – both oral and written. Ability to draft in English and to understand organisational policies, communicate them to others and produce internal guidelines reflecting these.
  • Previous experience of "Oracle-based" ERP systems (HR, Finance and Procurement modules).
  • An ability to see the wider picture and to engage with colleagues across the Embassy and the network of posts in the region, as well as with the headquarters in London.
  • IT skills (MS Excel, Word, Teams).
  • Previous experience in an English speaking environment.
  • Previous experience from a large organisation with shared-services model.
  • Project management skills.
Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Managing a Quality Service, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
6 December 2022
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
37.5
24 months
Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia
Czech Republic
Prague
British Embassy
1
CZK
CZK 80.920, - gross per month
1 February 2023

This is a full-time position of 5 working days (37.5 hours net) per week, maternity leave (added parental leave cover) contract. Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 with a flexible working hours arrangement. Staff are entitled to time-off-in-lieu for extra hours worked. The annual leave entitlement is 25 days per year pro rata and the Embassy enjoys an average of 14 Czech/UK public holidays per year. 

The monthly salary is CZK 80.920 - gross per month. In addition, staff receive meal contribution. 

The successful candidate will be subject to professional background check, security clearance and 3 months probationary period. 

The successful candidate must have pre-existing work authorisation for the Czech Republic in order to apply. 

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in Czech Republic are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Czech Republic employment law. 

Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Czech Republic and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. 

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in this country. 

The British Embassy does not sponsor work permits. 

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

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.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

The British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

*Please refer to the “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages”. We are looking for a C1 level or equivalent. For more information, please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your languages skills are going to be assessed.

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.