View Vacancy – Estates Officer

Main purpose of job:

Organise with Estates Coordinator daily duties of the section, including maintenance and programmed / future projects within the Estate, providing the best possible service in accordance with FCDO rules, Accommodation Policy and Corporate Services Charter. Ensure correct tendering and procurement procedures, accurate forecasting, good maintenance, stock control/inventories and value for money for the management of the Estate.

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

This is a key role in the busy Corporate Services Section supporting the Embassy Back Office. The Estates Officer will have both a managerial and administrative role in day-to-day operations.

The Estates Officer works directly with the Corporate Services Team, UK based and local staff, property owners and Head of the Residence to plan and execute the overall management of properties and services, ensuring a high-service level response, while complying with policy, timing and budgetary restrictions.

Within the main responsibilities, the Estates Officer will be required to:

Maintenance:

• Identify, evaluate and suggest works in our Estate and coordinate with the rest of the team.
• Receive and answer phone calls/e-mails from customers with maintenance requests, including emergency calls. Organise repairs accordingly.
• Control of the works request cycle (reactive and preventative maintenance) including originating, receiving and registering work requests; acknowledgement and delegating works to relevant suppliers.
• Provide office maintenance services.
• Take charge of the Estates mobile phone, answering and dealing with incoming calls and requests, during office hours.

Move in/move out process and Assets Control:

• Deal with march in/out of all UK staff on arrival and departure.
• Register information onto Pyramid, particularly properties/UK staff core data.
• Inventories control, ensuring the correct labelling of items.
• Dispose of all surplus furniture (office and residential).
• Prepare properties for occupation/release; carry out any necessary works before officers arrive and after they leave, keeping a clear communication with customers and suppliers.
• Liaise with moving companies.
• Initiate property hunts to find appropriate accommodation that meets UK standards.

Procurement:

• Ensure Post has an efficient and professional Agreed Supplier List with the Procurement Hub in Mexico. When necessary, widen suppliers’ network.
• Raise requisitions and receive goods and services in Prism. Housekeeping of Purchase Orders.
• Invoice processing. Deal with suppliers’ queries on payments. Suppliers’ set up.
• Account for own Global Procurement Card expenditures.
• Procure, record in Post inventory and supply residential/office furniture that complies with UK Health and Safety Standards.
• Purchase of general suppliers in shops and/or online.
• Tender and manage Estates term contracts.
• Imprest holder.

Finance:

• Prepare and monitor Estates forecast.
• Participate in Mid Term Financial Planning exercise.

Other duties:

• Be an active member of the Post Housing Committee (PHC) and participate in Health and Safety Committee, acting as note taker when required.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Corporate Services imprest holder of ARS 20,000, approximately.

• Experience in procurement;
• Customer service;
• Project management;
• Negotiation;and
• Dealing with suppliers.

Language requirements:

Language: Spanish and English (proficient in spoken and written English and Spanish). 

Skills: People skills are the most important requirement for this position. More specific people skills encompass:

• The ability to communicate well with customers and with other team members;
• A polite, friendly and tactful manner, when handling complaints or enquiries or solving problems;
• Administrative, organisational and project management skills;
• The ability to work under pressure and prioritizing;
• Good teamwork skills.

The Estate Officer should be effective at problem solving, detailed oriented, proactive, self-starter, innovative, good at multitasking, flexible and have the ability to adapt to changing work conditions, and resilient.