Residence Manager EO - (31/24 CPT)

Main Purpose Of Job

The British High Commission (BHC) to South Africa oversees the UK Governments operations in South Africa across the following locations:

• The British High Commission (BHC) Pretoria
• The UK Visas & Immigration Office in Pretoria
• The UK Department for Business and Trade in Johannesburg (DBT)
• The British Consulate General Cape Town

The British High Commissioner is the UK Governments representative to South Africa and leads Britains bilateral relations with South Africa and heads-up the BHC, and all its staff and operations at all these locations.

The position of BHC Residence Manager in Cape Town ensures the efficient and effective management of the High Commissioners Official Residence in Cape Town and manages the team of Residence staff. This involves working closely with the High Commissioner (HC), his Private Office, the Deputy High Commissioner, Consul General CPT, the Visits, Events, Public Diplomacy and Corporate Services teams, as well as many other teams across the BHC.

The role has overall responsibility for delivering the Residence as a prime platform for UK Government activity in Cape Town, including: promoting the Residence as a venue; effective oversight of all maintenance, health and safety and security procedures and works; and, ensuring functions and events at the Residence are delivered to the highest standard and that house guests enjoy an exceptional level of service.

Managing the Residence team effectively to help deliver these core responsibilities is a major component. Building a rapport with and delivering a strong service to the High Commissioner is essential and the jobholder needs to have the ability to do this to an exceptional level.

In some instances, the Residence Manager Cape Town will also provide additional Residence Management support and advice to the United Kingdom Trade Commissioner for Africas Official Residence in Johannesburg and the High Commissioners Official Residence in Pretoria. This will require travel to Johannesburg or Pretoria. (Travel costs are covered.)

The Residence Manager needs to be willing to work flexibly to plan and deliver events in the evenings, and potentially occasional weekends. Work hours can be long and erratic on occasions. These are off-set by other times when workload is lighter, which ensures overall contracted hours are constant over a period of time. Overnight accommodation, including regularly during busy periods/ late or early hours, is available as needed for the successful applicant.

Roles And Responsibilities

The below roles and responsibilities are general guidelines. They are not limited to the detail below and are subject to change without prior consultation if circumstances, structures or priorities alter.

Management Of Residence Staff

Manage a team of 2 staff, including:

• Formal line management processes and performance appraisal;
• Coaching and guidance on delivery of tasks, on standards and procedures, and on representational duties; and,
• Ensuring a strong performance by the team, in particular in the areas of delivering a quality service, engaging stakeholders, communicating, and working with others and teamwork.

Ensure the delivery of official events and functions and the hosting of official visitors at the Residence:

• Research and approach suppliers, including catering, event, audio-visual and other similar suppliers, for in-house and external events. Maintain relationships with such supplies and ensure they are used effectively to deliver high standard, quality events and functions, which offer good value for money.
• Oversee delivery of all events and functions at the Residence, providing a project management style function from conception of event/ function to delivery, managing the Residence team and liaising with colleagues, suppliers, contractors and stakeholders to ensure successful delivery of all events and functions.
• Light catering and food preparation for small scale and lower profile events. Though this is desirable if the applicant is able to fulfil this requirement it will attract some additional remuneration.
• Ensuring effective communication with all stakeholders about events and functions, maintaining comprehensive and accurate records of events and functions held and providing timely and accurate returns to corporate services colleagues.
• Ensure accommodation for house guests is of a high standard and offers a quality stay for visitors. Maintain and update information on services and support for Residence guests, visitors and users.
• Ensure supplies for events, functions and hosting guests are managed well, replenished, accounted for and deliver value for money.
• Through leadership, coaching, training and guidance - as well as direction and quality control of external suppliers - ensure excellence in service and standards in delivering events and functions, including food and beverage selections, orders or service, guest lists, invitations, seating plans, programmes, presentation and decorations.
• Keep a daily updated diary of upcoming events at the Residence and coordinate with High Commissioner's Private Office and Visits, Events & Public Diplomacy teams to ensure a coordinated approach.

Management Of Residence Buildings, Grounds, Gardens, Stock And Facilities

• Regularly update inventories of stocks, furniture, fittings, equipment and other similar items, and ensure timely and accurate returns on all these to Corporate Services colleagues.
• Maintain a thorough overview of all maintenance, repairs, fixes and other upkeep required at the Residence and throughout its grounds, liaising with Corporate Services and Technical Works colleagues on works to address these issues.
• Assure works by contractors are carried out to a high standard, are cost-effective and completed on time. Research and approach new suppliers for the full range of maintenance tasks to ensure we are using the best and most cost-effective suppliers at all times.
• Fire Safety and Health and Safety Officer for the Residence, ensuring all fire and health & safety checks, systems and procedures are regularly reviewed, tested, updated and are always in full working order. Liaison with corporate services, technical works colleagues and external contractors to ensure fixes, servicing and other issues with such systems and procedures are completed to a high standard and in a cost-effective and timely way.

Management Of Residence Budget (approx. ZAR 600, 000)

• Manage expenditure from Residence budget to cover events, functions, general daily running of the Residence, maintenance and other upkeep.
• Ensure suppliers and contractors used for services are good quality and offer VFM. On larger items seek competing quotes and assess rival suppliers quotations and make recommendations for corporate services colleagues on the best options.
• Monitor works and contribute to the finance processes to ensure suppliers and contractors are paid on time and the correct amounts, and full financial procedures are followed properly.
• Account for all expenditure effectively and plan future expenditure to ensure funds are available for what is needed and to provide Finance managers with accurate forecasts for when likely expenditure will fall.
• The FCDO operates an agile workforce. To facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require.

Promotion of the Residence as a venue for official events and functions:

• Within the scope of British Government policy guidance on use of Residences, work with colleagues to help profile the Residence as a desirable venue for events particularly with NGOs and business and other partners, including helping with lists of potential contacts, planning and undertaking outreach, and contributing to ideas on how best to present the Residence.

Resources Managed (staff And Expenditure)

2 x Staff managed; approx. ZAR 600, 000 budget managed.