Main purpose of job:

Deputy Head of our Corporate Services Team (CST) in the UK’s Australia Network, this role blends leadership with operational delivery and resource management. 

The Australia Network consists of five posts – the British High Commission in Canberra, as well as Consulates-General in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney.  The successful candidate will play a key part on providing a successful platform for operations across the network, underpinning the work of approximately 140 staff to deliver our priorities whilst also working closely with colleagues in both the UK and in our regional hubs in the Ind-Pacific. 

The role requires expertise and experience in corporate services and/or operational delivery.  The successful candidate should have excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.  They will need to develop a good understanding of compliance and legal requirements, both from the UK and in Australia. 

They will report to and work closely with the Director of Corporate Services and be the deputy for the Australia Network.  Together they will ensure excellent operational delivery of services across finance, IT, estates, procurement, health and safety, logistics and protocol, and HR.

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

Strategic Planning, Leadership and Management

• Provide advice to local leadership and partners on the platform, horizon scanning to enable proactive resource and activity planning; informed by whole team’s objectives, and by strong teamwork with colleagues in CST and across the network.
• Stand in for the Director in leading, managing and representing CST in the absence of the Director, including in making decisions on behalf of the Director.
• Provide guidance and act as an escalation point on sensitive matters for staff, including management issues and dispute resolution, engaging with regional Hubs, Country Based Staff Association, and the legal counsel if necessary.
• Team management of 9 people plus Facility Management provider team.
• Ensure cross training within CST roles to provide resilience within the team.
• Work with the Director to plan long term resource and development needs and to ensure wellbeing and engagement are maintained within CST.
• Support the Director in strategic leadership, decision-making and planning of the corporate agenda.

Operational Delivery

• Manage and drive corporate delivery by working closely with the regional Hubs in: Finance, HR, Procurement, and others.
• Ensure policies are aligned to global and local requirements and understood by all partners on the platform.
• Direct management of CST initiatives and issues, together with the regional Hubs and Country Based Staff Association, ensuring that UK and local standards are met through planned and reactive management; and in compliance with corporate procedures, including local and UK regulations and policy.
• Instil a continuous improvement mentality within CST and Australia Network, leading on corporate projects and the change management required to deliver them.
• Work closely with various committees and initiatives.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure): 

Approx 10 staff

• Experience (at least two years) in leading a team at middle management level. 
• Strong interpersonal, decision making and relationship building skills.

Language requirements: 

Language: English
Level of language required: Fluent