View Vacancy – BMA – Events and Residence Manager (AO)

The British Embassy Bahrain has a vacancy for Events and Residence Manager, job grade Administrative Officer (AO).

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the public-facing representational work of the Embassy, coordinating and executing all official events taking place at the Embassy and Ambassador’s Residence.  

Duties and responsibilities:

1) You will deliver first rate events, reflecting well on the Embassy and delivering on UK Government objectives, by:

• working with the Ambassador and embassy colleagues to plan effective events in sufficient time to enable their design and delivery.
• managing the budgets of events to ensure value for money and delivery to the agreed budget, and forecasting and reconciling spend accurately against the annual budget.
• reconciling all purchases in the required timeframe and with all supporting documentation.
• invoicing customers where necessary, ensuring timely payment.
• maintaining the events storage areas, keeping an inventory of all events assets, and ensuring they are well maintained, stored, and re-supplied.
• maintaining supplier, procurement, audit and other documentation in line with Embassy rules.
• producing and managing guest lists and invitations for each event, as well as developing and maintaining a master contact list ensuring it is kept up to date.
• preparing function forms and organising event briefings for each event (at least 24hrs in advance).
• liaising with embassy and external contracted staff, maintaining good contacts with caterers and service providers, and constantly assessing the market for quality and value for money offers.
• attending any larger events, for which time off in lieu can be claimed, to ensure the event runs smoothly.
• managing the overall event schedule to ensure deconfliction and feasibility of each event within available resources.
• chairing events delivery committees in the Embassy, for example on the King’s Birthday Party and annual carols.

In addition you will help to generate income from events delivered for external stakeholders wanting to pay to use Embassy facilities, advertise this opportunity, and also lead on generating sponsorship for events that offer our partners a profile opportunity.

You will be expected to ensure a level of quality in the events delivered. You will manage risk, finances, staffing, and logistics, but also show creative flair in the planning and delivery of events.

2) You will oversee the Residence, that runs to a very high standard of hospitality and presentation as the Embassy’s foremost venue for influence and delivery, by:

• leading a team of three (Chef and household stewards) to manage all the upkeep and service standards of the venue.
• reporting immediately all maintenance issues to the corporate team.
• maintaining and reporting to London on the Government Art Collection.
• overseeing cleanliness and sanitation of the top standard.
• ensuring food from the kitchen of the highest quality on an Ambassador’s table in Bahrain.
• directing the staff in keeping inventories of all Residence assets and an accurate stocktake at all times of food and beverage.
• overseeing all purchase and procurement processes of perishable and non-perishable goods.
• working with the chef to ensure that food suppliers are providing us with the best quality and value for money.
• liaising with chef on catering requirements with particular regard to cost and specific food and drink requirements, taking into account allergies, religious restrictions and local preferences.
• working with chef on the introduction of new dishes (with tasting sessions) while ensuring that menus showcase British style food as far as possible.
• keeping a diary of residence activity and brief the staff in advance on the inputs required, including planning menus and producing menu cards for dinners and events.
• managing the staff to keep them fully utilised, morale high, and support their development.
• managing performance to ensure Residence staff uphold high standards of presentation and performance, also maintain their leave and sickness records.

This is a space that will occasionally host Royals but is also a family home. You therefore need to manage an operation that supports the Ambassador and his family while also offering the British tax payer the highest quality of representation appropriate to the available resources.

Others

• Work on any additional adhoc duties as and when required.
• Cover the Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador’s PA when they are absent

Resources Managed

• Residence Team – 3 Staff (x1 Chef, x2 Residence Stewards)

This is not an exhaustive list but covers the key set of tasks and responsibilities. The jobholder may be asked to carry out other ad-hoc duties upon discussion with the line manager. The jobholder will be expected to do all tasks within their level of skill and ability. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs.

Key behaviours required:

• Managing a Quality Service: Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise, and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
• Working Together: Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources, and support.
• Delivering at Pace: Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
• Making Effective Decisions: Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.

• Experience of managing processes or projects.
• People management experience.
• Fluent in English language, both written and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to engage at all levels internally and with external contacts, and collaborate effectively across Embassy teams.
• Excellent organisational ability and an attention to detail, with the ability to manage, plan, prioritise and deliver tasks and workloads.
• Strong work ethic and demonstrates high level of professionalism.
• Excellent customer service skills. Demonstrates courtesy and consideration in dealing with customers and other stakeholders.
• Strong IT computer skills and in using MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Ms Teams).