View Vacancy – Estates Manager (ALB24.293)

The British Embassy Tirana has a vacancy for the position of Estates Manager, job grade Executive Officer (EO), on a fixed term contract for two (2) years.

We are seeking an experienced candidate who will work with the Head of Corporate Services (HoCS) to establish the Estates Team as a centre of excellence serving a diverse staff base. The jobholder has responsibility for adherence to health, safety, and welfare for the benefit of all staff at the Embassy.

The Estates Manager will play a key role in delivering Estates services, providing day-to-day management of the Estates Team. The jobholder will lead estates projects, operations and supplier management to ensure a safe and compliant platform for all staff. Responsible for health and safety policy and operations.

What will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

Estates Management 50%

Set priorities to maintain the estate so that they meet relevant UK Health and Safety standards and enable staff to operate from, and live on, a fit for purpose platform.

Working with the Estate Compliance Officer and Regional Technical Lead (RTL), develop and deliver a planned and preventative maintenance programme covering the entire estate and establish a means to triage and prioritise ad hoc or urgent requests.

Working with the Estate Compliance Officer and Technical Works Officer (TWO), maintain the new asset register and forward maintenance register (FMR). Understand how to leverage and use funding from Local Budget and from HQ to ensure estate maintenance standards are met. Taking advises from the UK-based Technical Works Supervisor and the Regional Technical Lead.

Set strategy and comply with policy on UK staff accommodation units. Working with the Post Housing Committee (PHC) and Head of Corporate services, reach decisions on allocation and use of accommodation within the guidelines and constraints of the FCDO Estates Policy, adjusting the estate holdings as required in advance.

Update Estates Accommodation handbook reflecting central policies and best prcacticies.

Member of the Post Housing Committee (PHC), ensuring that appropriate action is taken to address issues raised. Provide quarterly briefings to Health and Safety Committee (HSC) about Post’s exposure to liability and risk, recommending remedial action where appropriate.

Finance and contract management 10%

• Overall responsibility for estates related budgets of maintenance, machinery, equipment, furniture, and utilities. Effective financial management, ensuring that budgets are monitored, profiled, and spent in accordance with estates priorities.
• With Finance & Procurement Manager, tender, manage and oversee all estates procurement and suppliers to ensure service level agreements are met.
• Responsible for operational management of all estates contracts, reporting back to Head of Corporate Services on delivery standards and assessment of works against KPIs set.

Communication and engagement 10%

• Working alongside Head of Corporate Services, ensure that estate works that affect colleagues are properly planned and communicated. Work collaboratively with a range of contractors (UK and local) and understand how projects are effectively managed.
• Engage with Embassy senior management on a regular basis, seeking feedback and demonstrating continuous improvement.
• Seek and act on customer feedback and use this to drive continuous improvement in estates management.

Health & Safety 25%

• Maintain a safe, compliant and supportive working environment for all staff and diplomatic families.
• Oversee health and safety activity, owning policy, guidance and monitoring standards.
• Act as fire safety manager.
• Ensure that a proactive risk management approach is taken to all work, ensuring compliance with UK and local standards.
• Prepare and respond to any audit and assessment requests, ensure compliant record keeping.

Essential

• High-level of written and spoken proficiency in both English and Albanian at a minimum of C1 level (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages*)
• A bachelor’s degree.
• Relevant experience in a similar estates/ facilities management customer-facing role, ideally for at least three (3) years.
• Highly organised and able to deal with challenging situations, confident in handling day-to-day tasks and decisions
• Confident and clear communicator. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both verbally and in written communication.
• Strong IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills, with very good attention to detail.