British High Commission International Network Business Manager SEO Jobs in South Africa
Main Purpose of Job:
Do you have what it takes to coordinate a large department’s business support systems across multiple regions? Read on! This is an exciting opportunity to join the British High Commission in South Africa, working within a dynamic and fast-paced team. UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) is an operational arm of the UK Home Office, delivering the UK’s visa service to millions of customers across the globe, and this key management support role sits within UKVI’s “International Network”.
The incumbent will be responsible for developing and delivering a wide range of support services, and appropriate systems, that enable the global International Network to operate efficiently and effectively. You do not need to have managed operational activity of large teams, but you will know how to provide planning and management support services to sustain operational delivery and be able to demonstrate this.
This will include:
Management and control of the UKVI International Network pay budgets and forecasts, acting as the first line of financial support and compliance.
Management and control of operational budget expenditure, fostering a culture of fiscal awareness and value for money.
Deploying and managing resourcing strategies and maintaining responsibility for the service contracts that sustain delivery of our International Network on the UK government’s overseas platforms.
Development of People Plans and learning and development activity.
The job holder will deliver consistent, high-quality advice and support to the UKVI International Network Senior Leadership Team (SLT) across the globe, ensuring they receive everything needed to develop, increase, and sustain the team’s performance and drive continuous improvement. The Business Manager will provide leadership and guidance for several support staff across multiple regions.
As a member of the International Network SLT, the Business Manager is expected to champion UKVI’s wider organisational strategy, and feed into creating and delivering a shared vision for the future of the Network.
Roles and responsibilities:
Resource Management
Ensure that the organisation has the adequate and suitable resources to complete its activities in line with the International Network Business Plan and support the Head of DMC in Pretoria to ensure that the Africa region is fully resourced to meet operational requirements in line with centrally agreed/ planned forecasting that protects customer service standards.
Work closely with International Network Heads of Region and colleagues in UKVI HQ to set and monitor UKVI’s regional pay budgets for International Network headcount. Continuously assess overall budget performance against objectives and implement adjustments as needed.
Develop and control a globally consistent strategy to Reward and Recognition and implement across the International Network, monitoring expenditure against pay budgets.
Foster a culture of budget awareness across teams and approve major operational or capital expenditure when necessary, escalating platform issues to the Head of Network.
Collaborate on the creation of the International Network’s resource plan annually, using detailed data analysis of return on investment to create a plan that will result in tangible efficiency and productivity benefits to the operation.
Maintain liaison with central UK Resourcing Team in-year to inform a flexible resource plan.
Coordinate International Network annual conferences, maximising attendance and delivering value for money.
One-HMG Contract Management
Inform, influence, and support the delivery of corporate services provision to UKVI on the South Africa platform by managing Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) corporate relationships which impact on service delivery, monitoring their performance against our service level agreements. This includes, but may not be limited to, the successful provision of estates, Country Based Staff HR policy advice, performance pay and payroll administration.
Guide and assist International Network Heads of Region and/or other grade support staff in other locations with similar local issues relating to the provision of corporate services for International Network staff on FCDO platforms. Single point of coordination for platform or service provision issues that have an overarching or global impact on International Network delivery.
Data and Performance Management
Work in close partnership with South Africa operational team and the Planning, Performance & Resourcing team in HQ to support the Head of Pretoria DMC in ensuring data quality and MI for the operation and driving business value through data analytics.
Ensure that the data in the organisation for UKVI Africa and its main data hubs (headcount, finance/budgets, staff performance, demand tracking) is accurate, complete, timely and can be queried with access to historical data.
Act as a point of coordination to guide and advise other Business Support Leads in other regions.
Interpret and analyse data to inform management decisions as needed.
Change Management
Support the Head of Region in Africa and Head of Pretoria DMC on an ad hoc basis to ensure thorough and clear support and guidance is given to staff in the event of DMC closure.
Understand local Terms and Conditions of Service in each of the network locations and support wider change management within the International Network outside of operational DMC countries/cities. Coordination and support to Heads of Region when managing downsizing of International Network through digital transformation.
International Network People Lead
Lead on the International Network Staff Guidebook, ensuring it is regularly updated to reflect policies and is consistently applied in all Posts. Act as single point of resolution where policies converge or differ.
Support International Network leads in transforming analysis of People Survey results and outputs of focus groups into a 2024 People and Learning and Development Plan, ensuring that these are fit for purpose and accessible to the diverse range of staff/ contract types in all Posts. Track delivery against the plan.
Develop a functional cross-network People Group and support other staff to lead regular meetings. Promote wellbeing initiatives ensuring all staff are aware of BHD definitions and policies and know how to raise issues.
Lead on internal cross-network communications, including monthly email team update, monthly all-staff call.
Engage in ongoing analysis of the impact that UKVI people practices and policies have on the employee experience with a view to developing strategies and frameworks that foster a culture of employee engagement and enhance job satisfaction.
Ensure consistency of application of policies and processes across the global network. Ensuring FCDO and HO HR and Performance Management responsibilities are met. Aligning approaches where possible but following lead policy as required.
Business Continuity Planning
Work closely with UKVI Central lead to jointly implement a global standardised business continuity strategy.
Lead on activities to promote network preparedness, including identification and treatment of risks, mitigations, and contingency plans.
Ensure that continuity plans, and risk registers are up-to-date and fit for purpose.
Resources managed (staff and expenditure):
Full accountability for management of UKVI’s regional pay and operational expenditure budgets for Africa and the International Network.
Essential qualifications, skills and experience
Candidates must demonstrate previous experience of managing key operational support systems for a large department or organisation; budgets, forecasting, continuity planning, staff resourcing, recruitment, people development
You will be able to motivate others with ability to drive change and focus on organisational culture
Microsoft Office proficient with ability to manipulate data
Previous experience and/or knowledge of visa operations would be highly beneficial, as would experience of working in any government operational environment
Understanding of HMG finance practice highly desirable
Working understanding of partner platform agreement with FCDO highly advantageous
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; British High Commission International Network Business Manager SEO Jobs in South Africa
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