Job Vacancies at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ghana

Background & Purpose of the Job:

You will join the Department for International Trade’s Africa network in a new role that will provide leadership and co-ordination to our work in Ghana on education and digital. These are two critical areas for the UK’s work in Ghana and the focus of this role will be ensuring that the UK private sector fulfills its role in supporting the Government of Ghana to achieve its ambitious digitalisation and education agendas.

You will be networked closely with colleagues from across HMG working on prosperity issues as DIT can only successfully deliver our commercial ambitions by working seamlessly as part of joint and coordinated prosperity team alongside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This is an exciting time to join DIT Africa, as we expand our resources and ambition to deliver the objectives contained within the DIT Africa Regional Trade Plan.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the Trade Promotion and Negotiation Organisation for the UK. We promote UK businesses overseas and attract foreign investment to our shores. We have 3,000 staff across the globe in over 100 countries. Our aspiration is to address some of the challenges facing the UK, by helping British businesses to internationalise and grow overseas.

This role will seek to maximise on the capacity of the UK private sector to contribute to Ghana’s ambitious digitisation and education sector plans, leading the development and execution of a strategy that harnesses UK capabilities and products to support the development of these areas in Ghana. The impact of COVID-19 will present both challenges and opportunities for the UK’s trade presence in Ghana, and the post holder will need to have a strong focus on how the UK commercial offer can support Ghana’s post COVID-19 recovery.

What will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

This is a new position that will provide much needed leadership in two strategic growth sectors for the Department for International Trade in Ghana. There are clear opportunities in Ghana for UK companies, and we expect these to gain further traction post COVID-19, building on the work of the UK Government’s Digital Service and other agencies. The digital sector continues to grow in Ghana, and is one of the key strategic sectors of focus for the UK-Ghana Business Council. Commercial opportunities in the education space in Ghana continue to grow and we are looking for someone with commercial delivery experience to help drive these. This role will need to build and manage a strong network in order to position the UK as the partner of choice in the education and digital sectors in Ghana, working closely with FCDO, GDS and the British Council to ensure that the UK offer is showcased effectively and results in increased exports of UK goods and services for UK companies.

The role will focus on the following key areas:

• Lead on the UK in Ghana’s cross government digital efforts,
• Develop and deliver a commercially-focused sector plan for digital and education that supports the GoG’s development agendas in both areas, working closely with colleagues in DIT and FCDO;
• Identify opportunities in the education and digital sectors for UK companies, building a pipeline of commercial projects in the education and digital sectors;
• Deliver trade missions and events;
• Triage and support queries from UK companies on an ad hoc basis, working closely with the Trade Services Unit and the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce;
• Support UK investment opportunities into the digital sector.
• Support cross government,programmes such as Tech for Growth.

This postholder will need to be flexible in their approach to this role, and will be expected to support opportunities in other sectors as they arise, with support from other members of the team e.g. healthcare. The role will be line managed by the DIT Country Director.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• No direct reports. Budget responsibility to be confirmed.

• 5+ years of commercial experience in the digital and/or education sectors in Ghana;
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills;
• Track record of delivering projects involving a wide range of stakeholders;
• Experience working with senior level stakeholders;
• Business development or other commercial experience.

Main purpose of job:

The successful applicant will provide strategic direction to corporate services; leading an efficient, cost effective and professionalised team to deliver a customer-focussed corporate platform to the whole British High Commission, including its 250 staff from 16 different UK departments.

As the driving force for corporate delivery, the successful applicant will be a core member of the senior leadership team and Management Board. You will think strategically, and providing corporate, financial and local insight to inform decision-making. You will advise directly both the High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner.

The successful applicant will manage the heads of finance and procurement, estates and facilities, information and insight, IT, and the Corporate Services Manager (your deputy). Through them, you will lead a diverse team of over 100 corporate staff, and budget of £5m.

You will be energetic and focussed on delivering a quality service that serves the changing needs of the British High Commission. You will display an openness to change, able to challenge with respect, and be honest and act with integrity.

This role is also part of a global UK pilot project, testing how to deliver corporate services (finance, HR, estates, protocol) within a functional model. As such, the successful candidate will demonstrate a flexible approach to being part of an evolving project.

Roles and responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Leadership 30%

• To provide strategic leadership and planning in support of the corporate agenda including the country business plan and risk management. To advise the Management Board and High Commissioner (and deputy) on corporate strategy, service delivery, customer feedback, and risks.
• Manage the corporate services ‘platform’ (ie the High Commission estate, finance IT, etc) to support 16 different UK departments.
• Act as trusted advisor to local leadership and UK partners on the platform, ‘horizon scanning’ locally to enable proactive resource and activity planning (working with the Regional Corporate Services Lead once in post).
• Actively build and deepen relationships with key leaders internally and within regional and global hubs, and with external partners (ie diplomatic missions, GRA and SSNIT, government departments, banks, and suppliers) to maintain informed on current corporate knowledge.
• Ensure local policies are reviewed and aligned to global and local requirement and adopted by all partners on the platform.

People 20%

• To line manager five senior staff (heads of finance and procurement, estates and facilities, information and insight, IT, and the Corporate Services Manager – your deputy) and, through them, to lead over 100 others, including: technicians, artisans, gardeners, drivers, and professional specialists.
• Lead on the overall employer proposition, including terms and conditions of service and pay and benefits for locally employed staff (LS), 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.
• Champion and embed a collaborative and inclusive culture.
• Support regional teams, influencing at a senior level to maintain and strengthen inclusiveness.
• Mentor and coach staff from across the High Commission, supporting their personal and professional development.

Delivery 40%

• Lead and monitor the delivery of services against the High Commission’s corporate services charter.
• Instil and monitor a customer-service approach to deliver corporate services. Actively monitor and respond to customer feedback from all staff and stakeholders (irrespective of grade). 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.
• Direct the management of the estate, 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.
• Oversee any change programmes across our estate and ensure delivery is to agreed timelines and standards.
• Act as the ‘intelligent client’, identifying requirements, appropriate service level agreements and key performance indicators to manage and monitor supplier contracts.
• Oversee the local delegated budget of £6m (and directly manage £5m of it) in accordance with corporate policies to ensure on-budget expenditure and value for money.

Resilience 10%

• Respond to operational crises, providing leadership and flexing team prioritisation as required.
• Ensure cross training within corporate services roles to provide resilience within the teams and across the region.
• Ensure well-being and engagement are maintained within the corporate services team, seeking regular feedback and embedding the values of resilience and respect.
• Once in place, work with the Regional Corporate Services Lead to plan long term resource and development needs.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

• Line management of 5 staff, countersign for 20 staff, and leadership of over 100 people.
• Responsibility for the Corporate Services budget – currently £5M

• Minimum 3 years of senior management experience working for an international organisation (either commercial, INGO, or diplomatic mission).
• Minimum 10 years’ experience at middle management or above in corporate services.
• Experience in managing cross functional teams
• Confidence to challenge and influence very senior stakeholders
• Extensive line management experience, and confidence in delivering difficult messages, with respect.
• A can-do attitude, with an openness to change and new ideas.
• Proven honesty and integrity. High levels of discretion.
• Extensive experience in managing suppliers and outsourced service delivery.
• Fluent written and spoken English.

• Assist in drawing up Contracts for Joint Corporate Services related Procurement
• Analyse procurement requirements and selects the most appropriate methods based on interpretation and assessment of established policies, practices, and experience
• Plan, organize and lead on the bid process including drafting and issuing letters, developing bid evaluation criteria for processes involved;
• Sit on evaluation committees, to ensure the integrity of the competitive process and exercises appropriate judgement and tact while ensuring to protect confidential information;
• Analyses, negotiates and prepares contractual agreements, ensuring appropriate terms and conditions are included to protect the interests of both BHC/DFID
• Run reports and complete housekeeping tasks.
• Help to resolve any discrepancies
• Liaison Officer for Post Medical Insurance Contract: In charge of the Medical Insurance cover for both the UKBA and Dependants, and for LESA and their Dependants: This is for both the Apex Health Insurance and the International SOS/WARA contracts.
• Ensure that standards are achieved and maintained through investing in the capability of the team. Also develop commercial capability of local based staff working with or having responsibility for procurement.
• Support staff at Post on low value procurement activity including optimisation of suppliers. Achieved through challenging assumptions, quantifying the need and providing advice and guidance, and driving low value procurements through GPC.
• Ensure compliance with legal and procurement regulatory requirements on all new supplier set ups. Monitor SLA for supplier set ups and engage with customers on any non-compliance with policies, rules and legal requirements.
• Create regular opportunities for staff and customers to help improve service quality and demonstrate a visible involvement. Work with the Hub’s procurement team to develop and to standardise new policies and processes to ensure compliance across board.
• Work with finance colleagues at post on developing processes and tools to ensure that procurement activity is accurately reflected in business plans and budgets.
• Any other related duties assigned by Line Manager.

• Excellent written and spoken English
• Experience in procurement and contract management
• Demonstrable market research skills within procurement framework
• Demonstrable stakeholder relationship management skills.
• Strong Negotiation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong customer service background
• High proficiency with MS Office suite
• A relevant degree from a recognised tertiary institution