Main purpose of job:

The Corporate Services Assistant (Reception & Administration) provides essential reception and administrative support that underpins the effective day‑to‑day operation of the Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Network. As a key point of contact for staff, visitors and external callers, the role holder provides a professional first impression of the organisation, while delivering essential administrative assistance across Corporate Services. The role works closely with multiple teams, contributes to day to day operational effectiveness, and supports activities ranging from staff inductions to official events. It offers exposure, variety and the opportunity to develop a broad skillset in a dynamic international environment, making it ideal for someone who is organised, adaptable and enjoys working at pace.

Roles and responsibilities:

RECEPTION :

• Operating switchboard including answering calls, diverting to correct recipients, greeting and answering queries from the public, using the public announcement system to deliver mission messaging as instructed.
• Assisting with queries from prospective students by referring them to the appropriate source for information.  
• Coordinating all mail & courier services including daily liaison with couriers & quick pack service providers. Handling outgoing mail records and postage, including invites as well as operation of the franking machine.  
• Drafting vacancy letters for recruitment under guidance of the HR People Manager. 
• Liaising with teams on newspaper subscriptions and ensuring distribution of daily physical newspapers. Managing and monitoring the High Commission general e-mail accounts, checking, disseminating and responding to e-mails as appropriate.
• Processing visitor access requests, and the involved tasks, in liaison with the Post Security Manager
• Coordinating meeting room bookings and ad hoc visitor accommodation at local hotels as required by CS management.
• Updating and circulating Post contact lists, organograms and telephone trees.  
   

ADMINISTRATION: 

• Supporting the Transport Manager to receive, process and allocation access to the fleet vehicles and assignment of jobs to drivers. 

Under the direction of the HR/People Manager:

• Coordinating, under direction of the HR People Manager, quarterly learning and development (L&D) committee meetings including scheduling and booking group-training courses. 
• Scheduling L&D events and maintaining up to date and engaging L & D notice boards/materials.
• Coordinating staff inductions under the direction of the HR People Manager.  
• Working with the HR People Manager or thematic leads to coordinate staff engagement exercises related to Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination and more general inclusion topics in line with the network people plan.
• Providing support for larger events (75 guests or more) by liaising with the Residence & Events Manager and/or event lead on invitations, RSVPs, and overall event coordination. This is limited to events held at the official residence or hosted by the High Commissioner and where workload capacity is agreed with the HR People Manager.
• Managing the office WhatsApp group chats, ensuring compliance with FCDO social media policy and, using them effectively to communicate relevant community and social matters to staff.
• Shredding Corporate Services administrative documents in line with FCDO retention schedules
• Maintaining the HR noticeboard
• Preparing and maintaining the Geographical Expense Guides for BECN under the guidance of the Head of Corporate Services (HCS).
• Supporting administration and delivery of the staff recognition scheme.
• Fulfilling role of crisis committee coordinator, setting up meetings and disseminating minutes

PROCUREMENT

• Purchasing goods/services while ensuring compliance with FCDO policies and maintaining the Corporate Services asset registry by accurately recording items purchased.
• Fulfilling stationery requests and maintaining accurate inventory records.

PROTOCOL and ESTATES:

Providing temporary administrative support to Protocol and Estates teams during periods of absence or peak time in those teams.

• Within Protocol, temporary duties could include supporting the administration of diplomatic notes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), liaising with the MFA on accreditation documents, coordinating reminders for work permit applications, and assisting with clearance of vehicles, heavy baggage, and freight issues.
• Updating the arrivals and departures database with information provided about/from incoming and outgoing diplomatic staff.
• Within Estates, this could include acting as a point of contact in the absence of the Estates Officer, coordinating maintenance requests and allocation of tasks, ensuring completion of planned preventative maintenance, monitoring satisfactory completion of work requests, liaising with external contractors or landlords as necessary and giving updates to the manager to take forward

OTHER

• Undertaking the necessary crisis training to effectively deliver your assigned role in crisis readiness, as part of a whole-of-mission approach to crisis preparedness.
• Delivering other admin tasks that support the role’s objectives and may be assigned by your line manager or HCS. 

Some duties occur routinely and others are cyclical or on an ad-hoc basis only. Workload management should be routinely discussed and agreed with the head of your team. 

Budget Management:

Group Procurement Card with maximum of £20,000.00.

Language requirement:

Proficient in English

Essential on arrival:

• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills
• 2 years’ experience of reception & administrative duties
• Organisational skills with ability to demonstrate initiative and self-motivation
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects at pace
• Advanced IT experience including MS Office