Main purpose of job:

The Head of Corporate Services will lead and develop a diverse team of 15 corporate staff, both administrative and technical with oversight of outsourced service providers. They will provide strategic direction to corporate services, leading an efficient, cost effective and professional team to deliver all services to partners from across the UK government on platform (with DBT, DESNZ, HOIO, British Council and Chamber of Commerce colleagues co-located). The role-holder will exhibit high levels of interpersonal skills and independence in their management of the large team and wide external network of providers, stakeholders, suppliers and partners. 

The role will oversee important and sensitive areas of work, delivering consistently high standards across finance and budgets, HR, procurement, security, IT, ensuring our estate is fit for purpose, and helping preparations for potential crises in a country where protests are becoming more common and the threat of significant earthquakes continues to need planning and mitigation. 

Directly managing the Head of Finance and HR, IT, Estates, and Security Managers, the successful applicant will often be required to resolve complex technical and/or managerial problems and will have considerable discretion to take decisions on the direction of corporate services work across the Embassy. The jobholder will also oversee and manage the impact of two possible major office and Official Residence refurbishment projects, as well as launch and implement an operational re-set in relation to FCDO procedures and policies, local law, and risk management.

As the driving force for corporate delivery, the Head of Corporate Services will require significant independence and the ability to work autonomously on a day-to-day basis, leading the embassy’s corporate governance. This will include:

• Being a core member of the senior leadership team and BE Lima Country Board, including leading the Post Management Committee.
• Directly advising both the Ambassador and the Deputy Head of Mission, with strategic corporate, financial and local insight to inform decision-making.
• Driving embassy culture and community through corporate Away Days, a variety of People Committees and the Staff Survey action plan.

Roles and responsibilities:

The Head of Corporate Services will be responsible for managing a large team covering estates and facilities management, finance, HR, protocol, IT services, security, and transport. The jobholder will work closely with the Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission, as well as our Human Resources, Finance and Procurement Hubs in Washington DC and Mexico City. The British Embassy in Lima is a vibrant and diverse organisation with staff recruited both locally and from the UK across a range of departments including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Business and Trade, the Integrated Security Fund, Home Office International Operations, and the British Council. Reporting to the Deputy Head of Mission, the Head of Corporate Services will play a key role in providing strategic direction to corporate services, leading an efficient, cost effective and professional team to deliver all services across the platform.

Strategic Leadership and Planning (40%):

• To provide strategic leadership and planning in support of the corporate agenda including the Country Plan and risk management. To advise the BE Lima Country Board, Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission on corporate strategy, service delivery, customer feedback, and risks.
• Overall ‘platform’ and post management, including taking initiative and applying independent problem-solving to ensure delivery of smooth Corporate Services to the whole platform.
• Act as the main Corporate Services Lead on the office/residence Refurbishment projects, working with ESD, FCDOS and Senior Management to effectively deliver the projects on time and budget.
• Act as trusted advisor to local leadership and UK partners on the platform, ‘horizon scanning’ locally to enable proactive resource and activity planning and applying analysis and originality in finding solutions to complex problems.
• Actively build and deepen relationships with key leaders internally and within regional and global hubs, and with external partners (i.e. diplomatic missions, government departments, authorities, banks, and suppliers) to maintain informed on current corporate knowledge.
• Ensure local policies are reviewed and aligned to global and local requirements and adopted by all partners on the platform.

Delivery (30%):

• Lead and monitor the delivery of all corporate services on platform to enable the delivery of the BE Lima Country Plan
• Instil and monitor a customer-service approach to deliver corporate services. Actively monitor and respond to customer feedback from all staff and stakeholders. Relentlessly pursue continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Oversee all corporate delivery across finance, HR, protocol, etc., working closely with the regional HR, finance and procurement hubs and the Global Processing Transaction Centre (GTPC). Ensure full use of self-service access to corporate services and regionalised services.
• Manage and oversee Post’s Financial Management and delegated budget of over £1.5 million in accordance with corporate policies to ensure accurate forecasting, on-budget expenditure and value for money.
• Oversee improvements to procurement processes to drive value for money.
• Direct the management of the estate (of owned embassy building, residence and apartments, as well as rented accommodation), ensuring that UK and local standards are met through planned and reactive maintenance and in compliance with corporate procedures, including local and UK health and safety regulations and policy.
• Lead the office and residence Refurbishment Projects (due to run 2025-2027), aligning with local and UK health and safety regulations and policy.
• Oversee any change programmes across our estate and ensure delivery is to agreed timelines and standards.

People Management (20%):

• To manage a Corporate Services Team of nine staff (with direct Line Management of Finance & HR, Estates, IT and Security Manager roles), as well as oversight and management of contracted guard force (5 staff), cleaners and other outsourced service providers. Oversight of Residence team (7 staff) also required (although line management sits with the Chief of Staff).
• Lead on overall employee benefits, including terms and conditions of service, pay and benefits for locally employed staff, ensuring compliance with local labour law.
• Provide guidance and act as an escalation point on sensitive staff matters for diplomatic and local staff, including management issues and dispute resolution, engaging with specialist HR functions where necessary.
• Instil a continuous improvement mentality within the team, leading on corporate projects and the change management required to deliver them.
• Drive a collaborative and inclusive culture, including with a focus on wellbeing, through Away Days, People Committees (on Learning & Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Green, and Wellbeing) and implementation of the Embassy Staff Survey action plan.
• Mentor and coach staff from across the Embassy, supporting their personal and professional development.

Resilience 10%:

• Respond to operational crises, providing leadership and flexing team prioritisation as required.
• Ensure well-being and engagement are maintained within the corporate services team, seeking regular feedback and embedding the values of resilience and respect.
• Support wider embassy People initiatives and committees as core parts of embassy governance and welfare.
• Plan long term resource and development needs.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required. In summary, we expect the jobholder to play the role of a leader of corporate governance and an intelligent customer, representing the Embassy effectively to other stakeholders such as FCDO Estates, Security and Network Department, FCDO Services, local government officials and authorities, and suppliers, providers, contractors and staff from across different government departments at the British Embassy in Lima.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• Management of a team of 9 staff (with direct Line Management of 4 staff), as well as oversight of contracted guard force of 5 additional staff, cleaners and other outsourced service providers.
• Responsibility for Corporate Services Budget, with oversight and management of the whole BE Lima budget of over £1.5m.

• At least five years of management experience, ideally for a team providing services;
• Diligent and caring leadership skills;
• Strong ability to manage complex services;
• Ability to analyse complex data and the capability to make decisions based on that analysis;
• High level of discretion, with a resilience and ‘can do’ attitude;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Language requirements: 

Language: English and Spanish
Level of language required:  Fluency in both English and Spanish.