Main purpose of job:

The British High Commission Residence is one of Suva’s most prestigious venues and has a high reputation for quality and service excellence. The Events and Visits Officer should be strongly customer focused and possess excellent inter-personal and organisational skills. 

The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective and efficient management of the High Commissioner’s Residence and its staff, and act as the main contact point for all activities there. As part of the Corporate Services Team, the jobholder will be responsible for managing the running of the Residence, both as a private home and as the main venue for the British High Commission’s business hospitality functions. The role also involves regular liaison with the Executive Assistant to the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner, as well as other staff at the British High Commission on the use of the Residence for official functions and visits. 

This is a busy role that provides an insight into international relations and the work of a High Commission. Every day is different and it would suit someone looking for a challenging and varied role. The jobholder will need a ‘can do’ approach, excellent organisation skills, the ability to work at pace and manage competing demands.  Although we are a busy team, we are deeply committed to developing and supporting our staff and encourage flexible working.

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

1. Visits Management

• Take ownership and maintain a calendar of visitors and events, ensuring the Residence plans in advance, liaising closely with the High Commissioner’s Executive Assistant.
• Ensure smooth visits by overseeing and delivering all logistical elements, including arrival/departure transport, accommodation, and budget administration for inward visitors to Suva. This involves advance planning for those visits with long lead-in times but also being prepared to deliver last minute requests too. It may also involve overseeing the work and providing advice to a logistics team for complex, high level visits, or offering advice to others when we have multiple visitors at the same time.
• Work closely with the Fijian system including MFA Protocol and other government agencies to facilitate the arrival of senior UK visitors.
• Take ownership to ensure the Residence is properly prepared for VIP visitors and work with BHC lead to support delivery of the programme.
• Ensure that budgets for visits are managed carefully and in line with FCDO guidance, delivering value for money.

2. Events Management

• Work closely with policy teams and residence team to deliver frequent events including dinners, receptions and networking events. Ensure strategic vision for events is deliverable, reasonable and good value for money.
• Operational delivery of large-scale yearly events for the High Commission for up to 500 people. This includes, but is not limited to, sourcing a venue, catering, entertainment, styling and branding. Work closely with BHC leads to design and deliver events that support BHC Business Plan objectives; providing detailed cost estimates and seeking best value supplies; managing staff and quality assurance on the day of an event.
• Given the nature of events taking place during evening the successful candidate will be required to work outside of core working hours and will need to manage their hours accordingly.
• Lead events delivery including managing set-ups, execution and oversight of all functions held at the Residence, and engage and supervise any temporary staff contracted for events.
• Maintain events providers for goods and services; identify reliable and value for money providers and build up good relationships.

3. Oversight and Compliance

• Ensure the efficient planning and management of the Residence’s forward programme of events, maintenance and improvement where required.
• Ensure the building, gardens, amenities are maintained to the highest standard and report any concerns to the Corporate Services Manager.
• Work with the Corporate Services Team to ensure value for money in all Residence expenditure. Seek opportunity for savings. Ensure that all procurement and stock control is carried out in accordance with FCDO policy.
• In liaison with Corporate Services, ensure that the rolling programme of maintenance works are completed, and contingencies are in place at Residence (e.g. generator working and water supplies) should utility providers fail.
• Take responsibility for monitoring and control of Residence food and alcohol stocks.
• For all events and functions held at the Residence, ensure all team staff understand roles and tasking, setting and delivery of objectives, deadlines are met, and appropriate training is considered and undertaken, including safeguarding.
• Ensure all outsourced employees are properly inducted.
• Process Residence and corporate expenses in a timely manner, meeting all relevant deadlines.
• Act with professionalism, respecting the dual use of the Residence as a workspace and family home, maintaining proper confidentiality of matters arising in the Residence.
• Monitor and record visitor/events feedback to measure customer experience.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• Oversight of Residence staff (1 x Administrative Officer and 1 x Administrative Assistant)
• Oversight of Residence budget and spend

• Fluent in English
• High level of attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple competing demands at once and effectively prioritise your time
• Experience with customer relationship management
• Knowledge and understanding of managing event budgets and finance
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build productive relationships at all levels
• Experience in working successfully as part of a busy team
• Clean police report
• IT and communication skills
• Must have the legal status to live and work in Suva