Corporate Services Manager and Executive Assistant

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

**Main purpose of job**:
To manage the BHC’s corporate services; ensuring efficient and cost-effective delivery in support of UK Government objectives and UK-Maldives bilateral relations.

The role entails both financial and administrative responsibilities including budget monitoring and management, liaison with external suppliers and managing contracts for the provision of services.

**Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?**

We are looking for a well-organised individual with financial and estates management, and ideally, Executive Assistant capabilities.

**Key responsibilities will include (but are not limited to)**:
**Post finance 60%**
- Supported by our hubs in Delhi and Manila, manage post budget including meeting financial spend and reporting deadlines (internal & external), track budget spending and contract management.
- Manage all finance functions which include cash box, pay bills and maintain all records, from supporting procurement through to receiving and processing invoices.
- Reconcile payments for all purchases.
- Maintain budget forecasting and expenditure spreadsheets and prepare updates for the Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission on a routine basis.
- Receive, review and submit invoices to Global Transaction Processing Centre (GTPC) for processing; investigate problem invoices and resolve within deadlines provided.
- Act as local contact for invoices and local payments.
- Respond to queries from Senior Management, GTPC and Finance Hub on transactions.
- Acts as lead Post requisitoner and receiver for purchasing and supplier maintenance processes.
- Assist with compliance e.g. setting up new suppliers and reviewing existing supplier lists.
- Manage the local contracts database, flagging contract expiration dates and aggregate spend with suppliers.
- Staff training budget management to meet L&D objectives.
- Act as global procurement card (credit card) holder for Corporate Services.

**Estates Operations 30%**
- Manage office and three residential properties, and support visiting technical and security teams.
- Manage the day to day work of contractors e.g. cleaners, acting as the first point contact.
- Oversee maintain annual maintenance contracts.
- Monitor maintenance budgets engaging with regional technical works teams as required.
- Ensure estates procurement is effectively managed and compliant with global policy, working with the Procurement Hub and HQ.
- Manage property inspections and hazard risk assessments for both residential and office estate.
- Ensure estates systems and data are maintained and verified on a regular basis.
- To liaise with regional technical works team to ensure compliance to correct standards across complete estate.
- Report any risks proactively to the Deputy Head of Mission.

**Executive Assistant 10%**
- Diary management for the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner (who acts as chargé d'affaires in the absence of the High Commissioner), acting as the first point of contact for internal and external contacts for setting up meetings.
- Correspondence and briefing support.
- Attend meetings as requested.

**Additional responsibilities**:

- Oversee recruitments with the HR Hub, develop Staff Survey Action plans and ensure follow-ups.
- Arranging logistics for events, visits and travel.
- Maintaining supply/stock for office.
- Purchasing items for the BHC.
- Focal point for collection and deliveries of diplomatic bags.

Percentages above are flexible to ensure alignment with business needs and priorities. The role holder will be expected to support wider BHC needs as required.

**Resources managed**:
Review and authorise expenditures.

As the Post expands, there may be a requirement to manage members of a Corporate Services Team. Some of the above work may be, with approval, delegated to them.

**Language requirements**:
Language: English & Dhivehi

Level of language required: Fluent in both, accurate in grammar and writing.

**Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed)**:
This role will offer opportunities for “on the job” learning, in addition to formal opportunities for learning in development, including access to a large range of online training opportunities and in-person learning in the region and/or London.

New staff are encouraged to complete the UK’s Diplomatic Academy Foundation Level training.

**Working patterns**: 41 Hours per week.

Flexible working, including work from home options are common practice in BHC and are arranged in agreement with the team, High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner, as long as business needs are met.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

**Essential on arrival**:

- Graduate/ Diploma with preferably 2-3 years of relevant experience
- Excellent organisational skills.
- Strong interpersonal, problem-solving and time management skills.
- Perso