View Vacancy – OMN – Head of Estates (HEO)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Operations and Corporate Services)

Job Subcategory

Estates

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

The British Embassy in Muscat is part of a worldwide network that represents the UK’s political, economic, security, and consular interests overseas. We are seeking a highly motivated and proactive individual for the position of Head of Estates under the Corporate Services Team, at the grade of Higher Executive Officer (HEO) on a fixed-term contract of one (1) year, with a possibility of renewal.

To provide senior strategic leadership and overall accountability for the delivery of estates, accommodation and logistics services at British Embassy Muscat. This will include managing an enhanced estate with a number of Government Departments and ensuring delivery of 1HMG service level agreement. The role ensures that the Embassy estate is safe, compliant, operationally effective and delivers value for money, in accordance with FCDO policies, processes, UK health and safety standards, and local regulatory requirements.

The jobholder leads and oversees all construction, maintenance and accommodation activity, including the management of complex and high‑value contracts, forward planning, and risk management. The role requires strong leadership, professional judgement, effective estates management, good communication skills and the ability to provide clear assurance and advice to senior stakeholders.

This role reports to the Head of Corporate Services, with a requirement to deputize when required.

Roles and responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Provide clear strategic direction and leadership to the Estates, Facilities, Transport and Technical teams, ensuring alignment with FCDO priorities, processes, standards and operational needs.
• Foster a high‑performing, inclusive and professional working culture, supporting staff development, wellbeing and performance management.
• Lead organisational change within the estates and logistics function, ensuring readiness for future operational requirements, sustainability objectives and capital programmes.
• Provide senior‑level advice and assurance to the Head of Corporate Services and senior leadership on estates performance, health and safety, risk exposure and value‑for‑money.
• Lead the Post Platform Committee (PPC), providing evidence‑based recommendations and clear justifications.
• As the deputy in the team, assisting HCS to run the team and taking on works / projects as required for the Department and cover the head of team role as required.
• Prepare and respond to any audit and assessment requests, ensure compliant record keeping.
• Ensure that a proactive risk management approach is taken to all work, ensuring compliance with UK and local standards.
• Responsible for estates contingency plans and act as the coordinator in crisis situations.

Estates Management

• Lead, deliver and communicate all London‑led and local estates policies across the Embassy estate, ensuring alignment with FCDO standards and effective engagement with all stakeholders.
• Hold overall accountability for Health & Safety governance across the estate, acting as the appointed H&S Administrator and Fire Safety lead, ensuring training, compliance records, risk management and statutory obligations are fully met.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all estates, accommodation and technical operations, ensuring the estate is safe, compliant, operationally effective and continuously fit for purpose.
• Lead and manage all estates‑related procurement, tendering and contract delivery, ensuring full compliance with FCDO procurement guidelines, strong commercial governance, KPI management and value‑for‑money outcomes.
• Maintain oversight of all external contractors and service providers, ensuring contract performance, safety standards and quality requirements are met and risks to the Post are effectively managed.
• Own and oversee Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM), estates projects and small works programmes, ensuring delivery through effective project management, technical assurance and liaison with FCDO stakeholders (ESD, FMCU, FCDOS).
• Exercise strategic oversight of the residential accommodation portfolio (Embassy, Ambassador’s Residence, MQ houses and rented apartments), ensuring compliance with FCDO safety standards and effective provision of furnishings, appliances and equipment.
• Advise senior management and London on estates‑related risks, cost effectiveness, affordability and value‑for‑money, providing evidence‑based recommendations, including through leadership of the Post Platform Committee (PPC).
• Lead sustainability and environmental initiatives across the estate, ensuring alignment with FCDO global targets and incorporating sustainability into estates planning and delivery.
• Maintain ownership and integrity of estates data and governance systems, including asset registers, Forward Maintenance Register and estates databases (Planon / Pyramid), ensuring accurate reporting, forecasting and audit readiness.
• Hold delegated budgetary responsibility for estates, maintenance and related expenditure, approving purchases and controlling spend through effective financial planning and oversight.
• Provide effective communications and guidance to all staff across the estate, including on 1HMG platform.

Maintenance and Technical Oversight

• Overall responsibility for routine building maintenance across the Estate
• Oversight of the operation and maintenance of the estate, ensuring that systems are maintained and services delivered in accordance with FCDO policies and technical standards, whilst delivering value for money.
• Ensure clear, consistent communication with contractors and service providers, cascading maintenance standards, service expectations, safety requirements and performance reminders, and addressing issues promptly through formal instructions, meetings and documented follow‑up.
• Management of the Hard /Soft Facilities Maintenance

Health & Safety

• As the lead on estate related health and safety activity, ensure implementation of FCDO’s H&S policies and risk management procedures. Oversight of posts’ health and safety compliance records.
• Act as the focal point for staff H&S queries and promote the Embassy’s health and safety mission statement
• Lead with respect to fire safety as the appointed Fire Safety Manager

Budget responsibility and accountability

• Overall accountability for estates, maintenance, furniture and project budgets.
• Profile, monitor and control expenditure to deliver within approved budgets.
• Approve estates‑related purchases and ensure financial probity and transparency.

Procurement

• Lead on all procurement and tendering where expenditure relates to the estate. Ownership of all purchasing/ contract’s delivery, ensuring actions are carried out according to the FCDO Procurement guidelines.
• Maintain and monitor performance of commercial contracts through operating procedures and Contractual KPI Management, and Service Level Agreements.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required as specific responsibilities could change in the future, and this would be at the discretion of the line manager. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs.

Key Behaviours:

Candidates will need to demonstrate the following behaviours and the Embassy values during the interview:

• Leadership – Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.
• Making Effective Decisions – Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
• 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.

Our Values:

The British Embassy Values (Trust, Respect, Integrity and One Team) are important in helping us to deliver for the UK internationally. Wherever we work in the world, we share a set of values that guides our decision-making, sets standards for our behaviour and helps us deliver the UK”s national interest internationally.

• Trust: Be reliable, open, and dependable in our actions and communications.
• Respect: Acknowledging each other’s skills, opinions, and experiences and honouring each other’s ideas, beliefs, and culture.
• Integrity: Taking responsibility for our decisions and actions and standing up for what is right, not what is easy.
• One Team: Being kind, helpful, supportive, open to challenge so that we can all work at our best towards achieving the same goal.

These values are underpinned by the UK Civil Service values (Integrity, Honesty, Objectivity, Impartiality) and complemented by values all One HMG colleagues bring from their own department, service or administration.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• 6-10 years of experience in Estates, Facilities Management or Engineering sector.
• Holds a bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Property Management, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification or professional accreditation (e.g. IWFM, RICS, CIOB, NEBOSH).
• 6-10 of experience leading and managing a diverse and multi-disciplined team by demonstrating excellent staff management skills and effective communication skills.
• Experience of working strategically with Project Management and Development best practices.
• Knowledge/ Background/ Certification of Health and Safety and risk management practices in the workplace.
• Strong experience in budget ownership (accurate forecasting, timely payments, and embedding excellent value for money in all activities).
• Strong analysis, organisational, and time management skills.
• Flexible, decisive, and resilient under pressure, with a proven track record of delivering results regularly within tight deadlines.
• Excellent customer care skills and the ability to respond to a range of customer needs.
• Excellent interpersonal and active listening skills, with the ability to cultivate and maintain a range of contacts at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and spoken. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both orally and in written communication.
• IT literate and well versed in the use of Microsoft Office applications, particularly MS Excel.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Familiarity with UK fire safety and health and safety laws.
• Experience working in an international organisation or large company in a similar capacity in the Middle East.
• Experience in using Oracle-based finance and procurement management system.
• Arabic language skills.
• Previous experience working with the FCDO or other UK Government departments.

Required behaviours

Leadership, Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together

Application deadline

7 June 2026

Grade

Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Type of Position

Full-time, Fixed Term

Working hours per week

35

Duration of Post

12 months

Region

Middle East & North Africa

Country/Territory

Oman

Location (City)

Muscat

Type of Post

British Embassy

Number of vacancies

1

Salary Currency

OMR

Salary

1,394.72

Type of Salary

monthly

Start Date

9 August 2026

Other benefits and conditions of employment

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as long as you:

• Have (or be willing to obtain) the right to live and work in Oman.
• The British Embassy provides Visa Sponsorship. The successful candidate will be required to transfer their visa under the Embassy”s sponsorship.

Working Conditions and Remuneration:

The Embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package for the role, including a non-negotiable salary of 1,394.72 Omani Riyals per month inclusive of all allowances; and use of on-site recreational facilities including a swimming pool and social club.

This role is for a full-time employment, on a fixed-term basis of one (1) year with a possibility of renewal, subject to 3-month probationary period. Conditioned working hours are 35 hours per week. Standard working hours are from 0730 to 1430 Sunday to Thursday.

The jobholder will be required to travel regionally and within country from time to time as needs arise.

Holiday entitlement is 30 days per year (on a pro rata basis) following successful completion of a 3-month probation period. Holidays that have already been booked will be honoured. There are also national holidays determined annually by the Embassy, which usually total 14 days per year.

The FCDO offers a comprehensive L&D package via an internal learning platform. Specific L&D opportunities may be available, upon discussion with the Line Manager.

Employment in the advertised position is dependent on the potential employee having or acquiring valid UK security clearance. Security clearances can take several weeks to process. Inability to obtain a clearance will preclude employment. Loss of a security clearance at any time will lead to termination of employment.

Additional information

How to apply:

Interested candidates must include 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2) a motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and 3) examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.

Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.

Applications must be submitted before 23:55 (Oman local time) on 07 June 2026.

Applications submitted after the stated deadline will not be considered. Telephone applications and enquiries will not be accepted.

Internal candidates (i.e., those who are currently employed by the British Embassy Muscat) applying for this position should consider informing their current line manager upon submission of their application.

Process:

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two-three months. The security clearance process includes checks available in country and with UK, dependant on the security level required for the role and the candidates’ profile and UK footprint. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful at interview may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of six (6) months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances and reference checks.

The successful applicant”s employment will only be confirmed after the completion of any security clearance/checks. The checks can take several weeks to complete, and the applicant will only be employed if the UK security clearance is granted.

The FCDO operates an agile approach to delivery. To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The British Embassy Muscat is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staffs recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Muscat Employment Law.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.