Career Opportunities at British High Commission Nairobi

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities) 1 
Main purpose of job:

• This is an exciting opportunity to work in one of Nairobi’s biggest Foreign Missions, supporting the planning and delivery of events for the High Commissioner (HC), two Deputy High Commissioners’ (DHCs) and other High Commission events. The job holder will be expected to work with the Residence & Events Manager to plan and deliver a wide variety of small, medium and  major events for the High Commission.
• The individual will need to be extremely organised and efficient in planning and executing events in a high pressured environment. S/he should have good communication skills, the ability to work closely with colleagues, have the ability to prioritise work, work flexibly and be able to identify, develop and apply new systems as well as apply BHC policy to ensure value for money and consistency to maximise the efficiency of our events planning and delivery.  They will need creativity to deliver high impact events, and strong attention to detail.  The job holder needs to have good attention to detail to ensure all events are delivered to a consistent standard. They will also need to be able to manage a budget and deliver an event, managing associated costs, within the allocated budget.
• A  core aspect of this role involves working closely with teams to design the format of events, compile relevant guest lists for various events, sending invitations, following up on responses and managing an up-to-date contacts database  as well as maintaining information on attendance at different events. The jobholder will  develop clear guidelines for internal use to advise staff on different options for hosting events, including the different BHC venues available. The job holder will be expected to advise staff on different layouts and formats for events, advise on catering options including securing a range of quotes for different services, develop a list of trusted suppliers, ensuring value of money and quality of service.  The job holder will need to be proactive in identifying opportunities to deliver high quality events to a consistent standard which represent good value for money. For certain large scale events the job holder, in conjunction with teams in the mission,  will be responsible for approaching and liaising with potential sponsors and putting in place the sponsorship arrangements.
• The job holder will be responsible for ensuring the High Commissioner and/or the Deputy High Commissioners have what they need for the events e.g. speeches, running order and working with the communications team for media coverage as appropriate.  The job holder will be expected to make arrangements for receiving guests, checking invitations, and ensuring the smooth running of events. As such occasional evening work is required. They will play a key role in the design and execution of high impact events.  The job holder will also need to develop good working relationships with the security and residence teams. The job holder will lead on sponsorship of High Commissioner and Deputy High Commissioner events when necessary.
• This role will also require working closely with the High Commissioner, his Diary Manager, the Personal and Executive Assistants to the Deputy High Commissioners, Visits Officer and Residence & Events Manager to deliver a timely manner and to a high standard.
• The job holder will have direct contact with a wide range of external guests and as such should have excellent customer service skills including the ability to engage professionally and effectively with the High Commissioner’s and the High Commission’s high-level contacts as well as deal politely and professionally with all guests.  They will also need strong relationships with external suppliers, Residence staff, and the High Commission’s Corporate Services team. 
• We are seeking  someone who will bring an enthusiastic, energetic and creative approach to this role.

Roles and responsibilities:

Event Coordination (90%)

• Working closely with the Residence & Events Manager on planning all events at the High Commissioner (HC) and Deputy High Commissioners (DHCs) Residences including: venue selection and coordinating all logistics for the event.
• Work with teams to develop the format and objectives of events
• Proactively co-ordinate and develop guestlists , programmes & seating plans for events at the HC/DHC Residences, ensuring adequate timelines for preparation.
• Managing the guestlist and check-in of events at the HC/DHC Residences by coordinating with the Residence Manager, Senior Responsible Officer, Security and supporting team members. Identifying and coordinating BHC staff (when needed) to manage the check-in and welcome of guests at larger receptions.
• Maintain oversight of the events forward look including communicating this to the BHC’s leadership. Working with the Diary Manager and Deputy High Commissioner’s PAs to ensure that events are deconflicted and hosted by the most appropriate person.
• Ensure the HC/DHC have what they need for the event, including running orders and timings for events and speeches. Ensure papers are printed and supplied to the HC/DHC in a timely fashion.
• Brief the Internal Communications team on upcoming events to ensure appropriate media coverage where appropriate.
• Maintain the BHC’s contacts database to ensure all contacts are kept up to date and full, accurate details are held relevant to achieving the UK-Kenya objectives.
• Maintain records of guests invited to different events. This will involve advising the HC/DHCs and section leads on the feasibility of proposed events, providing guidance on preparation of guest lists and programmes and deconflicting guest lists where there are events close together.
• Working with the Chief of Staff and Residence & Events Manager, review past events every quarter and proactively propose events where gaps are identified that align with our priorities in the  Country Business Plan, the BHC’s soft power agenda and Strategic Partnership.
• Develop a list of approved suppliers for all services around BHC hosted events.

Other duties (10%)

• Working closely with the Residence & Events Manager, provide additional support to the Residence based on on-going demands.
• Work with the Residence & Events Manager and DHC PAs to review events guidance ensuring that it is up to date, relevant & clear on the requirement from SRO’s to ensure seamless event delivery.
• Manage Official Club Membership for HC/DHCs including scoping out other entertainment venues (when needed) ensuring value for money. 
• Provide leave cover for the Residence, Events Manager and Visits Officer
• Other corporate duties as required.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Excellent customer service skills
• The ability to work independently and to react to situations, which may arise without close supervision
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, Teams and Internet)
• Must have high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations. This position requires poise, tact, diplomacy and discretion
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral are required.  Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels, clearly and confidently
• The ability to develop and use effectively a personal network
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to handle the pressure of juggling multiple competing tasks and demands
• Experience of working with cross-functional teams
• Good judgement and strategic awareness
• Flexible, adaptable and pro-active with good problem solving and organisational skills
• Ability to work confidently with senior management and people from diverse backgrounds

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Experience of working in a similar environment with exposure to international dignitaries, senior officials and business leaders
• Food & Beverage knowledge
• Hospitality experience
• Experience of working for an international organisation

Required behaviours 1 

• Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together

Application deadline 1 

25 March 2024

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Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities) 1 
Main purpose of job:

The Job Holder will manage all aspects of the High Commissioner’s (HC’s) diary, working closely with Chief of Staff, the PAs to the Deputy High Commissioners, Visits Officer and Events Coordinator to make the best use of time available for priority issues ensuring all logistical/administrative arrangements are in place.

The Job Holder will arrange meetings and plan through short-notice changes in response to daily and weekly diary management. This position requires attention to detail, ability to prioritize and deconflict diary requests by presenting options to the Chief of staff for discussion. The job holder will be required to spot opportunities which present most effective use of HC’s time. They should also have good organisation skills, enthusiasm and a willingness to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances. It also requires proactivity, excellent communication and good collaboration skills.

The Job Holder will work closely with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and build close relations to leverage on a daily basis, while learning the HC’s preferred working styles, prioritising and adapting to the fast-paced nature of the HC’s office.

Roles and responsibilities:

Diary Management (80%)

• Managing the HC’s Diary: screening, accepting and declining invitations and working with the Chief of Staff and others in the HC’s Office and across the Mission to identify priorities and fit in meetings. The job holder will need excellent organisation skills to reschedule and adjust the diary at short notice, therefore they will need to be able to understand which meetings to prioritise and liaise with colleagues to update on programme changes.
• Ensuring that every entry in the diary is clear, with information on who the meeting is with, duration of meeting, agenda and running order, contact information for external meetings and any useful information of the meeting. Ensure weekend events/meetings are well captured with all the relevant detail.
• Work closely with the Events Coordinator and Residence Manager to ensure all events at the residence are agreed with the HC and communicated in advance including the role of the HC at the given event, ensuring speaking points are comissioned and ready for inclusion in the HC’s briefing pack.
• Share HC’s diary forward look with the Leadership team every Friday preceding the coming week including what will be required from given leads (for both internal and external meetings).
• Support the DHC PA manage the Note Verbale inbox, including sending Note Verbales for teams across the mission as requested.
• Manage HC’s paper and electronic correspondences and provide cleared responses as required. This will involve receiving, sorting and prioritising physical mail from post room, and redirecting as appropriate to the responsible teams and maintaining a log to ensure responses are issued in a timely fashion.
• Lead on the management of the key events calendar, liaising closely with the Devolution, Governance and Politics Team to ensure all high level/ diplomatic events are captured and clarity on HC attendance sought.
• Ensure all physical and hybrid  meetings chaired by the HC have a room booked and are connected on the VTC prior to the start of the meeting.
• Working with the Chief of Staff, ensure all action points for the weekly Team Leaders meeting are captured and follow-up done.
• Receiving visitors: Meet and escort HC’s guests into the Mission, liaising with security team as required.
• Leadership Leave Tracker: Commission leave tracker for the Team Leaders working closely with the Crisis team to provide consolidated info on team leave cover (especially during key holiday periods). Map leave periods for Senior Leadership Team on High Commissioner’s diary and flag overlaps and gaps, ensuring there is Senior leadership cover at post at all times.
• Manage HC correspondences from Nairobi Inquiries mailbox by responding to various queries and forwarding other inquiries to the relevant teams and tracking replies to ensure they are issued in a timely manner.
• This role requires flexibility due to the need to work outside of conditioned hours e.g. during in response to short notice diary changes and demands on the HC’s time.  Time off in lieu can be agreed with the line manager.

Travel (10%)

• Organise HC’s regional and international travel supporting the Chief of Staff.
• Book all hotels and travel for the HC, driver and bodyguard and ensure reconciliation is done and approved on time.
• Ensure HC’s drivers and bodyguards are well synched and informed of HC’s external movements within and outside Nairobi.

Line Management: (10%)

Oversight and management of the HC’s drivers which includes:

• Line management of the two HC drivers, including supporting their professional development and training plans. Oversee the work undertaken by the drivers to ensure quality remains high.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Excellent customer service skills
• The ability to work independently and to react to situations, which may arise without close supervision
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, Teams and Internet)
• Must have high level of interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential information. This position requires poise, tact, diplomacy and discretion
• The ability to develop and use effectively a personal network
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to handle the pressure of juggling multiple competing tasks and demands

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1 

• Strong communication skills, both written and oral are required.  Must be able to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels, clearly and confidently.
• Experience of working with cross-functional teams

Required behaviours 1 

• Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Working Together

Application deadline 1 

22 March 2024