Foreign & Commonwealth Office Job Vacancy For Estates Special Projects Manager

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, 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.

Job Category : Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Operations and Corporate Services)

Job Subcategory : Corporate Services Support

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)   

Main purpose of job:

The British High Commission is changing. In line with our ambition to build a modern partnership between the UK and Ghana, the High Commission’s buildings are being updated in 2019. All the detailed project delivery will be led by London, but this role will support the Head of Corporate Services in coordinating them, as well as ensuring High Commission objectives are fed in.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Working with the Heads of Corporate Services, the High Commissioner, and the Deputy High Commissioner to set clear objectives for the change of estate in Accra.
• To lead cross-High Commission consultation on the change, to actively seek input that ensures the working environment improves for all staff, innovation and ideas are encouraged, and that Departmental ways of working are understood and fed in.
• To coordinate London-based project managers to ensure their estates projects maximise the High Commission’s objectives, whilst minimising disruption to the delivery of day-to-day work across the High Commission.
• To work with the Head of Estates and the Technical Works Supervisor to coordinate High Commission resources into the major estates projects, as required.
• To provide a mentoring role for the Head of Estates in estates-project management.
• To manage other ad hoc estates projects, as they arise (for example, on greening the estate).

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Management or other relevant field of study.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in project management.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in space planning, estates management, or highly-relevant field.
• Clear competency in the field of estates management, to win the confidence of other specialists.
• A track history in mentoring and coaching other staff (tested through references).
• Dealing with logistics, administration and budgets.
• Excellent IT skills (including working knowledge of MS office packages (excel; word, PowerPoint etc).
• The ability to respond flexibly to competing demands, often at short notice.
• Discretion and confidentiality.
• Strong organisational skills and good attention to detail (events planning; guest lists).
• Ability to write accurate, professional English at speed, in formats including formal letters and minutes.
• Good team player with strong customer service skills.
• Ability to plan ahead, anticipate problems / clashes and proactively sort them out.
• Able to work under minimal supervision and deliver for senior-level individuals.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

• Basic financial management skills
• Working and delivering in a high pressure environment
• Delivering the Essential Skills above, but in the UK

Required competencies   

Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Collaborating and Partnering, Managing a Quality Service