View Vacancy – Head of HR, Finance, and Protocol

Main purpose of job:

The Head of HR, Finance, and Protocol position is a crucial to smooth running of the Corporate Services operation in New York, providing critical support to the Head of Corporate Services, and leadership to the wider Corporate Services Team. The position is key to ensuring a consistent delivery of quality and efficient corporate services to the UK’s Mission to the United Nations (UKMis) and the British Consulate-General (BCG), New York (comprising c.225 staff and 8 separate British Government Departments and partners).

This position leads a team of 4 Staff responsible for delivering HR, financial management, learning and development, business planning, protocol, and contract and vendor management. The team is part of a larger, 30 person, team which is responsible for delivering all aspects of operations for the British Government Offices in New York. The position will work closely with colleagues in New York, Washington DC, and London.

This is a challenging multi-disciplinary role with a broad set of responsibilities. The individual will need to juggle multiple demands in a fast-paced environment to deliver a quality service delivery to a broad range of stakeholders while ensuring compliance with US law and FCDO rules and regulations. The successful applicant will be need to be able to learn, understand, adapt, and implement complex and bespoke FCDO policies in the New York workplace setting. They must be able to lead, motivate, and drive improved outcomes across the wider team as well as gaining and then maintaining the confidence of senior managers through the advice and support they provide.

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

Leadership and Management:

• Ensure successful delivery of the day-to-day operation of the British Government office.
• Working with the Head of Corporate Services and Senior Stakeholders, reviewing business processes to identify new ways of working and deliver a more effective, efficient and professional operation.
• Direct line management of a team of 4 staff, responsible for delivering HR, Finance, and Protocol.
• Strategic oversight of financial planning and management, annual allocation bid preparation, monthly spend reconciliation and annual business planning for the British Consulate and UK Mission.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight of HR policy and its delivery in New York. Ensure HR policies and procedures are implemented fully and that managers and staff have the HR advice they need.
• Ensuring effective governance and accountability systems are in place (in relation to the jobholder’s area of responsibilities)

Finance and Budgeting:

• Oversee day-to-day management of the British Consulate and UK Mission’s budgets (totalling $7 million), ensuring spending remains within budget and maximises value for money.
• Ensuring that transaction processing, invoicing, collections and internal transfers are carried out within agreed time frames.
• Engage with the British Embassy in Washington DC, central Finance in London, and BCG & UKMis Deputy Heads of Mission to ensure budgets are allocated and tracked accurately and in a timely fashion.
• Responsible for ensuring the quality and timeliness of the Finance Officer’s budget reports, briefs, and financial analysis for Senior Leadership meetings and Management Boards.
• Implement existing corporate policies, compliance regulations, and best practices around finance and procurement.
• Manage external contracts with local suppliers and vendors, as necessary.

Human Resources:

• Oversee and implement HR policies, including terms and conditions of service, compliance with local labour laws, and adherence to FCO policies.
• Provide guidance to line managers and staff on HR issues and policies.
• Provide strategic advice to senior managers on HR matters and the implementation of HR Policies in New York.
• Advise senior management on sensitive staff matters, including management issues and dispute resolution.
• Ensure good morale in the office and engagement from staff at all levels; including engagement with LE staff committees.
• Oversee the induction, on boarding and departure processes, including completion of new hire paperwork, payroll set up/management, benefits, IT set up, protocol and accreditation.

Additional Duties:

– Liaise with teams in London and Washington on network policies, change management, procurement, operational and legal issues, audits and restructuring.

– Conduct internal/external stakeholder outreach and management related to policy changes and roll outs.

– Provide support for learning and development, knowledge management transfer, and succession planning.

– Provide support for and co-management of spending analysis and cost savings programs.

– Any other ad hoc duties as requested.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Combined Local budgets totalling USD7 million and ad hoc Project and Programme Budgets.

Line management of 4 Staff across HR, Finance, and Protocol.

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and/or five or more years of experience in a similar role.
• Strong leadership, staff management and service delivery qualities in a corporate services environment.
• Proven track record of resource management, operational delivery and managing office facilities.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to learn, understand and champion complex and bespoke rules, regulations and policies, including relating to finance and human resources, in a fast-paced and changing office environment.
• Budget management experience.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to follow through with minimal direction.
• Exceptional inter-personal and communication skills, with a strong ability to engage a broad range of staff and senior managers with confidence and authority.
• Ability to prioritise and deliver high quality results across multiple areas with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Must be fluent in English, written and oral.
• Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. *A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.

• Applicants must submit a one page cover letter, explaining their suitability for the role and a full resume covering employment history, responsibilities held in the past and experiences gained. The cover letter may be uploaded in the 600 word essay portion of the application or uploaded as a separate document. Resumes must be uploaded as a separate document.