View Vacancy - SRR - Yemen Office Network Manager B3(L)

The Yemen Office Network (YON) at the British Embassy Riyadh is looking for a self-starting, proactive colleague to join a busy, friendly, and effective team. The Yemen Office Network Manager will allow the successful candidate to develop current skills in finance, estates, and people and information management. The role requires the jobholder to build relationships and work effectively with colleagues across multiple platforms and government departments, including oversight of the team and estates remaining in Sana’a.

The jobholder will provide quality corporate services to YON across two platforms, and requires significant collaboration with other stakeholders, including British Embassy (BE) Riyadh and BE Amman and other UK government departments, ensuring that our Embassy platform meets the needs of all Whitehall partners, other diplomatic missions, as well as the Yemen Office Network. You will manage resources efficiently, identify problems, and make recommendations across a broad range of corporate issues and challenges, reflecting the YON unconventional split-site working arrangements and remaining local staff and estates in Sana’a. You will develop a broad network and strong working relationships with colleagues in Riyadh, Amman, London, and Regional Hubs, including the British Ambassador to Yemen (currently based in Amman), and the Deputy Head of Mission (based in Riyadh). You will also manage the Riyadh-based PA to the Ambassador in line with best practice and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidance.

The scope of the role is likely to change during the posting, as the requirements of our platform and our team develop. We are looking for a candidate with proven experience in leading teams under pressure, has a strong record of effective delivery, can set a high standard but be equally ready to be can-do and flexible. You will also need sound judgement, the ability to deliver with and through others, great organisational skills, and the resilience to deliver in what can be, at times, a hectic environment. This role will provide stretch in decision making and collaboration and partnering.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Represent Yemen Office Network (YON) corporate management and relationships with BE Riyadh, BE Amman, Ministry of Defence (MOD), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and Department for International Development (DFID) - Support coordination and ensure that YON corporate requirements are met across two Embassy platforms and in close coordination with central departments and DFID Yemen, including all corporate, finance, estates, HR, staffing, and information management issues.
• Yemen Office Network financial management - Oversee, advise on, and amend YON finances including FCO budget (approx. £443,113), including building close relationship with the Manilla Finance Hub and FCO central departments.
• Handle YON estates management - Represent YON on all relevant platform committees, including Housing and Health & Safety, in coordination with the Riyadh Corporate Services Team. Lead YON office and estates management including any IT, furniture, contract, housing, and health and safety issues.
• Represent Yemen Office Network People Management and Recruitment: In support of Her Majesty’s Ambassador (HMA) and Deputy Head of Mission (DHM), directing staff to coordinate with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional HR Hub for any HR and staffing issues, including the YON staff survey and response plan, away days, pay, recruitment, terms and conditions of service (TACOS), and other staffing issues. Act as the point of contact on local staff recruitment for YON, including supporting line managers. Assist on YON’s succession planning, in support of line managers and in consultation with the MENA Regional HR Hub.
• Handle YON’s information management and corporate returns to London.
• Manage Staff, Estates and Services in Sana’a - Handle all Sana’a estate and staff issues. Act as the main contact for local staff in Sana’a. In preparation for the British Embassy’s return to Sana’a, support YON leadership on arrangements.
• Process BE Sana’a staff/ property maintenance payments and Record Bank Account activity - Payment of Sana’a-based staff salaries, claims, and other property related invoices via Sana’a bank account. Record all Sana’a bank account activity on a monthly basis through Excel template.
• Liaise with local and regional UK compliance colleagues - Ensure all corporate processes, systems, record keeping, and contracts are implemented in line with FCO standards.
• Line management: Manage one PA/ HMA and counter-sign for one embassy driver in line with FCO best practice.

The above list is not exhaustive and the job holder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required.

Key competencies required:

• Leading and Communicating - Leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. Managing and engaging with people with honesty and integrity, and upholding the reputation of the organisation.
• Managing a Quality Service - Being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. Effectively planning, organising, and managing time and activities to deliver a high quality and efficient service, applying programme and project management approaches to support service delivery.
• Collaborating and Partnering - Creating and maintaining positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the organisation 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.
• 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.
• 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 performance issues resolutely, fairly and promptly; and encouraging staff to perform effectively during challenging and changing times.

• Previous successful team coordination/ office management experience
• Collaborative approach to colleague and stakeholder partnerships. Ability to maintain a range of contacts to build effective working relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a strong customer focus.
• Flexible, resilient, decisive, and calm under pressure. With a proven track record of delivering results to a high standard within tight deadlines;
• Excellent organisational ability, with proven ability to manage, plan, and prioritise tasks and workload; and a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Proven ability to work autonomously, support others and deliver results, including in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English.
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).