Deputy Corporate Services Manager (MLT24.197)

The British High Commission in Malta is currently looking to recruit a Deputy Corporate Services Manager (MLT24.197) to join their team on a full-time basis.

Overview:
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 based on disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other categories protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities):
The British High Commission (BHC) in Malta is part of a worldwide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas and is now looking to recruit a Deputy Corporate Services Manager (DCSM).

The Deputy Corporate Services Manager will support the Corporate Services Manager (CSM) in providing overall management and co-ordination to corporate services in the British High Commission; helping to deliver an efficient, cost-effective and professional team to deliver corporate services to all UK Government partners and staff in Malta.

The job holder will work closely with the Corporate Services Manager, Finance Hub, HR Hub, and ministry departments in London to ensure the effective delivery of this role.

Day-to-day leadership of budget management, acting with minimal oversight to coordinate accurate and timely financial processes at Post, including budgeting, and forecasting. Exercise judgement and initiative in advice to the High Commissioner (HC) and Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) and UK Government partners, and related communications. Report to a diverse range of local stakeholders on all financial matters, making recommendations based on accurate forecasting of spend and central finance policy and process. 

Overseeing local human resources functions and the delivery of learning & development and performance management at post.

Overseeing the IT functions at the British High Commission and HC’s Residence including Osprey, telephony and standalones. Leading liaison with the IT department in London and comms to post on upgrades to the system and roll out of new devices

Roles and responsibilities:
Financial Management (40%)

• Lead on local financial and procurement operations, including the implementation of global policy and guidance. Day-to-day budget management covering: post admin budget, capital budget, oversight of newly-created bilateral programme budget and administration for additional new Serious & Organised Crime thematic programme budget
• Working independently to build strong, collaborative relationships with Finance, Procurement and HR Business Partners, post-leadership teams and global transaction processing teams, as well as external partners including banks and Legal Advisors
• Lead process to submit change request cost templates for additional partners to join the expanded platform at Post, and update cost cards as requested
• Provide policy and financial advice to all staff, including through in-person and virtual workshops/masterclasses. Offer guidance on business cases for financial and staff resource cases to London
• Co-ordinate post return on audit requests including annual audit returns, monitoring compliance throughout the year
• Support local projects requiring finance decision-making and process improvement within Corporate Services. Identify and report potential efficiencies
• Monitor key performance indicators and provide advice on improving performance as required to ensure 100% scores
• Monitor cash and bank accounts and liaise with the ministry’s transaction processing centre in the UK on unreconciled items. Manage relationships with local banks, including preparation of cash funding profiles
• Responsible for cross-UK Government financial matters spend summaries
• Calculate and process monthly salaries of staff, including all relevant monthly/yearly statements; prepare statutory returns to local authorities.

Operational Human Resources: (20%)

• Work with Recruitment managers on the recruitment processes working closely with the HR Hub, oversee specifications, criteria and approvals, run local adverts
• Liaise with the Community Liaison Officer on the onboarding and exit processes and local government documentation, ensuring they are up-to-date and relevant
• Tailor induction to local needs
• Own the HR and IT arrival and departure process for diplomatic staff ensuring processes are efficiently managed to meet deadlines. Identify areas for improvement including ‘checklists’ for arrivals/departures
• Maintain updated and accurate post-welcome and departure packs. Seek and collate regular feedback from customers
• Build strong relationships with external contacts to ensure an up to date understanding of local requirements.

People (15%)

• Line management of 1 x Housekeeper and the Community Liaison Officer
• Deputising for CSM in their absence (estimated eight weeks per year), providing leadership of the CS Team and continuity in service standards across all CS functions
• Own relationships with post suppliers to ensure high standards of delivery and value for money.

Information Technology (10%)

• Proactively maintain and support the telephony and IT infrastructure at Post. Reporting incidents and degradations in performance promptly to the Helpdesk and escalating through the correct channel (Regional Service Manager – Service Delivery Manager) where necessary
• Provide a focal point for users’ IT-related queries
• Help ensure the security of the system and ensure that potential breaches of security are reported and investigated. Be responsible for IT Security Procedures including SOPS management
• Managing IT stocks, maintaining a spare pool on all IT peripherals and returning faulty and surplus equipment to the UK. Completing local disposal of IT equipment when authorised
• Play an active role in Post’s Business Continuity Plan and Crisis Management Plan by supporting the planning design, providing suitably updated and tested equipment for tests and maintaining equipment for deployment in the case of the plans requiring to be executed.

Learning and Development (L&D) 10%

• Support the delivery of the learning and development agenda at the post, working with DHC and Learning & Development (L&D) Champion to advise best practice processes and tools
• Monitor compliance with mandatory training for staff, providing instructions and comms as required
• Oversee effective management of the L&D budget, ensuring value for money in the utilisation of the budget.

Resilience 5%
Respond to operational crises, providing support and flexing team prioritisation as required.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience: 

• Fluency at C1 level in English, according to CEFR Framework*, or equivalent
• At least 3 years of experience in a corporate/estates/HR role
• Line management and budget management experience
• Customer service skills
• Experience in overseeing maintenance teams
• Familiar with procurement processes
• Resilient; able to deal with pressure and work flexibility to deal with competing demands.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience:

• UK and local Health and safety knowledge
• Good IT knowledge
• Experience working within Human Resources processes.

Required behaviours:
Changing and Improving, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together

Application deadline 19 May 2024
Grade Executive Officer (EO)
Type of Position Full-time, Fixed term, with the possibility of renewal
Working hours per week 35
Location (City) Ta' Xbiex
Salary €2,528.52 gross
Start Date 1 July 2024

Other benefits and conditions of employment:

• This is a full-time, fixed-term contract of 9 months with the possibility of extension
• The successful candidate will be subject to confirmation of a background check and security clearance
• All applicants should have the right to live and work in Malta. The British High Commission does not sponsor work permits
• Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission in Malta are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Maltese employment law
• Visa/Passport requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in Malta and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. The successful candidate will be subject to a professional background and security clearance process.

Additional information:
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 note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”. 
FCDO does not pay for travel related expense incurred in interviews (including Security Checks) or accept any financial risk, including cancellation or rescheduling costs. The FCDO will not meet the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.
*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is 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.