Service Manager

FCDO Services

Milton Keynes

On-Site

Expires: Expiring in less than 4 weeks

Full time

£39,865 per year

Job summary

At FCDO Services we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings and courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government tech and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the global mission we’re on. In our world, it all matters.

Job description

Our Service Management community works with global customers, delivery experts and other stakeholders to ensure our services are of the very highest quality. Committed to meeting agreed outcomes, offering great value for money and aligning with business needs, we’re flexible, efficient and always ready to listen and adapt to the needs of our customers. Now, you’ve got the opportunity to join them.

Supporting customers globally.

Developing new ways of working.

Making an impact internationally.

It all matters.

Support, manage and develop a portfolio of vital services

When you join us as a Service Manager, you’ll be responsible for supporting a defined portfolio, and be committed to ensuring the services we offer are delivered with a strong customer focus and to the highest standards. Monitoring risks, providing clear insights, ensuring consistent day-to-day delivery and ready to make an ongoing contribution to continuous improvement, you’ll work collaboratively and flexibly as you promote consistency, resilience, knowledge sharing and best practice. Developing positive relationships with customers, suppliers, stakeholders and operational teams as you support our organisation’s ambitious plans, you’ll also ensure that the services you focus on are managed in accordance with agreed policies, standards, governance and contractual obligations.

You’ll have a wide range of additional tasks – these include monitoring performance, risks, compliance obligations and customer outcomes, contributing to improved efficiency, satisfaction and service quality, and maintaining accurate documentation, records, management information and performance reporting. Working to coordinate service change and transformation activities, and investigating any issues, risks or challenges that arise, we’ll expect you to make an active contribution to our capabilities by sharing knowledge and helping to build a collaborative and resilient Service Management community. In addition, you’ll respond to changing business priorities and support our overall resilience by operating flexibly across a range of customer portfolios and service areas.

Use all your skills as you work to defend the UK’s security interests

To be a success in this vital role you’ll have proven experience of building positive working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues, the ability to work in a high volume, complex service delivery environment, and be ready to support, encourage and coach other members of your team. Capable of contributing to change activities, service improvements and process updates, and of applying sound judgement while handling escalations and monitoring service performance, you should also possess the writing skills necessary to produce clear reports, reviews and operational updates for your senior colleagues.

You should hold – or being willing to attain – an ITIL Foundation qualification, and in addition to evidence of ongoing professional development, you should have a good awareness of service management principles, quality assurance frameworks and customer-focused service design. It’s important that you possess excellent numeracy and digital capabilities, and in addition to an understanding of risk, compliance and audit expectations linked to service delivery, you should have good knowledge of performance management, KPIs and how data supports operational decisions. In addition to these skills, a Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, PRINCE2 or similar qualification would be desirable, as would knowledge of digital or workflow management systems and financial processes such as budgeting or cost controls.

Discover the support you need to grow your career further

But we’re always looking to improve – just like you. That’s why when you join us, expect to receive a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement and a Civil Service Pension. Along with this, you’ll also have access to training and other development opportunities to help grow your career with us. Our offices have an on-site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, and we offer interest-free loans on season tickets and bikes to help you get there. It's a great set of benefits made to support all you do, and all you need.

Want to see your future team’s work in action? Step into our Virtual Embassy and select a guide to take you round to see how we deliver for government customers and how you could help. Explore the embassy now at virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

Every single colleague must be security cleared before joining us. If you’re successful in your application, we’ll ask you to undergo our vetting process. You can find out more about this at fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/how-to-apply/

To find out more about our benefits and our organisation, please visit fcdoservicescareers.co.uk.

It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world

The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And why we’re recognised as a ‘Carer Confident’ workplace. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Person specification

We are looking for people with:

Qualifications

ITIL Foundation qualification (or willingness to achieve).
Evidence of ongoing professional development related to service delivery, operations or organisational processes.
Good literacy, numeracy and digital capability in an operational environment.

Knowledge

Awareness of service management principles and quality assurance frameworks.
Understanding of risk, compliance and audit expectations linked to service delivery.
Basic understanding of performance management, KPIs and how data supports operational decisions.
Awareness of continuous improvement and customer‑focused service design.

Experience

Experience building effective working relationships across teams.
Operational experience within a service delivery environment, ideally high volume or complex.
Experience supporting team delivery or coaching colleagues (formal line management not essential).
Experience contributing to change activity, service improvements or process updates.
Experience handling escalations and applying sound judgement within policy.
Experience producing clear reports or operational updates for managers.
Experience monitoring service performance and contributing to service reviews, reporting, or governance activities.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Managing a Quality Service
Communicating and Influencing
Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

Awareness of service management principles and quality assurance frameworks.
Experience building effective working relationships across teams.
Experience contributing to change activity, service improvements or process updates.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,865, FCDO Services contributes £11,548 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Learning and development tailored to your role.
Annual leave starting at 25 days.
9 days per annum public and privilege days
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
A Civil Service pension.
Free shuttle bus available between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this role, you will be asked to provide your CV, a personal statement, and provide answers to some job specific/Technical questions.

Your CV and personal statement will not form part of the assessment they will provide an insight into your work history and experience.

Your CV should include:

No personal identifying details
Career history with key responsibilities
Skills and experience
Achievements
Qualifications

Your personal statement should outline your interest in the role.

Candidates will only be sifted on answers provided to the technical/ job specific questions which are outlined in the application form.

Those that are successful will be invited to a face to face interview

At the interview you will be asked a blend of questions on technical skills and behaviours.

The candidate will need to complete a presentation along with the interview questions.

Candidates who are judged to be close to meeting the criteria may be considered for other positions in FCDO Services which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£39,865 per year