View Vacancy - SRR - Technical Works Officer (AO)

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. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)
Estate Operations

The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for a Technical Works Officer, job grade Administrative Officer (AO), on a fixed-term contract of two (2) years.

The Technical Works Officer (TWO) will have overall supervision and planning responsibilities for the Technical Works Group (TWG), ensuring that the British Embassy Riyadh estate is fit-for-purpose for staff to work and live in. They will rely on a team of artisans within the Estates team to deliver a safe and compliant estate in a timely fashion. The jobholder will bring together relevant experts in construction and maintenance to ensure that there is a programme of works in place to keep the British Embassy, its offices, and Residential Estate maintained to high health and safety standards (both UK and local regulations). They will deliver high standards of customer service and be responsive to staff and customer needs and requests.

The jobholder will have financial management responsibilities as the lead payment authority for TWG, ensuring timely remittance of invoices for payment and supplier reconciliation. They will uphold internal compliance to set purchase-to-pay processes, keeping an audit trail of all purchases and payments. They will oversee stock control measures with the team. The jobholder will also have responsibility for the effective and successful contract management, on behalf of TWG, for goods and services, ensuring that value for money is achieved and is in full compliance to procurement purchase-to-pay policies.

This role will report to the Estates Manager. The Technical Works Officer will line manage the Technical Works Group (TWG) comprising of painters, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and masons. 

 

Duties and responsibilities:

- Supervision of TWG Works

  • Oversee workload and coordinate with the TWG Administrative Officer on job allocations and management of workloads.
  • Provide day-to-day oversight of work taking place across the estate. Work with TWG colleagues on scheduling and inspection of works.
  • Provide clear guidance and demonstrate best practice in work.
  • Prioritise work with the TWG Administrative Officer and Team Leaders to ensure equitable assignment of work in priority ranking. Act as first point of contact for complaint resolution and updating with the customer through the process.
  • Identify needs for additional staff coverage during long periods of absence and movement of staff between projects.

- Property survey

  • Conduct proactive surveys of properties anticipated to be vacated with a projected outlook of at least 12 months.
  • Detailed surveys identifying scope of works required, estimated time frames and scheduling, staffing requirements, and bill of materials.
  • Escalating larger works identified during surveys to the Estates Manager and Technical Works Supervisor for placement on the Forward Maintenance Register (FMR) for funding.
  • Project manage maintenance projects, ensuring sequencing and scheduling of works are planned well in advance.
  • Along with the Estates Manager, be responsible for the regular review of FMR, ensuring all works requiring funding from Headquarters are updated onto the register via the Regional Technical Lead (RTL).
  • Proactively review current processes and put in place any process improvements that would lead to efficiencies in how the team works and delivers its objectives.

- Contractor supervision

  • Set out the programme of works and oversight of contractors hired to complete technical works on behalf of the Embassy.
  • Monitor progress through a schedule of works and address non-compliance.
  • Spot-check quality of work with contractors and ensure they are in compliance with Embassy requirements.
  • Host quarterly Key Performance Indicator (KPI) review meetings with all suppliers under their contract management.
  • Initiate all tendering process within set timelines (currently 9 months in advance for regional tenders).
  • Spot-check contractors and establish milestones for contract delivery, ensuring corrective steps are taken where required.
  • Hold and use Government Procurement Card (GPC) for the settlement of small purchases where required and in line with policy.

- Financial management

  • Support the Estates Manager to forecast and profile spends on budget lines, monitor expenditure, and ensure compliance with procurement audit procedures, with a focus on material and service contracts.
  • Ensure timely reconciliations, receipts, and payment for supplier purchases.
  • Review purchases to ensure they are aligned to contract pricing, are operationally required, and funding reflects expenditure that is value for money to the UK taxpayer.

- Line management

  • Directly line manage 9 x Artisans (Plumber, Electrician, Mason, Painter, Carpenter, Handyman)
  • Ensure the Technical Works Group (TWG) is supported and challenged to deliver a quality service and successfully meet their objectives.
  • Support the team in setting operational and learning & development goals annually and provide a regular (at least monthly) forum for checking on progress against these goals.
  • Provide timely and relevant constructive feedback to see a high performance standard in their team.
  • Set overall leadership goals and tone for all of TWG and act as Quality Assurer.
  • Ensure that the team’s annual leave schedules are reviewed regularly to ensure cover in times of absences.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future, and this would be at the discretion of the line manager and Senior Management. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. The jobholder may also take on other ad hoc tasks as and when required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any response to a crisis.

 

Key behaviours required:

  • Managing a Quality Service - Delivering service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
  • Delivering at Pace - Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
  • Developing Self and Others - Focus on continuous learning and development for self, others and the organisation as a whole.
  • Working Together - Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.

 

Eligibility:

  • The successful candidate must be able to secure a local residence and work permit in Saudi (iqama) OR already have the right to work and reside in Saudi.
  • The British Embassy provides visa sponsorship. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy's sponsorship.

This is a rewarding role for a candidate interested in customer service and operational delivery and will require teamwork and resilience.

This is a busy role that calls for an experienced, well-organised self-starter with drive, initiative, and good technical skills. We are looking for a confident self-starter with proven initiative in overcoming obstacles, and someone who can handle multiple tasks and prioritise with minimal supervision.

Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, and you will be comfortable dealing with staff at all levels and be able build co-operative and productive working relationships with everyone that you meet.

Essential

  • Relevant experience in a similar estates/ trades management customer-facing role, ideally for at least five (5) years.
  • Proven experience with relevant certification in one or more of the following areas: health and safety compliance, maintenance works, refurbishment projects, building works [first and second fix], or facilities management.
  • General Knowledge of Works/ Construction. Project management experience.
  • Line management experience and ability to work with and motivate operational delivery teams.
  • Highly organised and able to deal with challenging situations, confident in scheduling day-to-day tasks and making decisions on triaged, ad-hoc, or emergency requests.
  • Excellent team working skills including evidence of working collaboratively with multicultural colleagues.
  • Good working level communication skills in English, both oral and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both verbally and in written communication.
  • Holds at least a recognised Skilled Trade advanced qualification in a relevant field: mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or HVAC systems/ air conditioning preferred.
  • IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).
  • Experience in delivery of Health & Safety Compliance both administratively and operationally.
  • Previous budget and forecasting experience
  • Experience or training in Masonry, Carpentry, Generator Maintenance, and general works.
Delivering at Pace, Developing Self and Others, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together
10 September 2024
Administrative Officer (AO)
Full-time, Fixed Term
48
24 months
Middle East & North Africa
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
British Embassy
1
SAR
13,071
monthly
10 November 2024

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role.

Monthly salary details:

  • Base Salary - SAR 10,057
  • Housing Allowance - SAR 2,514 (subject to eligibility)*
  • Travel Allowance - SAR 500 (subject to eligibility)*
  • Total - SAR 13,071

*Allowances are not payable to staff who receive official provision for such expenditure in some other form. Spouses/ Dependants of UKBS officers working at the Embassy are not eligible to Housing or Travel Allowance.

No accommodation nor relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

This position is full-time, based on 48 hours per week. Normal working hours for this role are from 08:00 to 16:00 from Saturdays to Thursdays.

The jobholder will be required to be flexible in their approach to hours worked as these will be dictated by operational needs and may involve working out of hours (evening/ weekend). Flexible working arrangements may be considered based on operational requirements and agreement with the line manager, and in line with FCDO and Embassy policies.

The successful candidate will be subject to a 90-day probationary period.

The successful candidate will be required to transfer their iqama under the Embassy's sponsorship.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must include with their online application form

1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV);

2) a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and

3) specific examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours required.

Applications that do not include these information will not be considered.

The closing date for applications is at 23:55 KSA local time on 10 September 2024.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Internal candidates (i.e., those who are currently employed by the British Embassy Riyadh/ British Consulate General Jeddah) applying for this position should consider informing their current line manager upon submission of their application. 

 

Due to the large number of applications we receive, only those shortlisted for the next step in the recruitment process will be contacted.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful at interview may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of six (6) months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

The start date mentioned in the advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances and reference checks.

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around 2-3 months. The security clearance process includes checks available in country and in the UK, dependant on the security level required for the role and the candidate’s profile and UK footprint. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption. 

 

 

The FCDO operates an agile approach to delivery. To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The British Embassy Riyadh is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Saudi Arabia employment law.

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.