Corporate Services Assistant (Driver/Messenger) - Foreign & Commonwealth Office

The Corporate Services Assistant will be an integral part of the Transport and Estates team as well as working on a regular basis with other Corporate Services Departments. Working closely with colleagues to deliver a pro-active, customer focused, service in South Africa.

The primary duty is to transport passengers to and from destinations in a comfortable, safe and efficient manner including some estates function. Meeting those goals entails additional responsibilities, tasks, knowledge, and attention to detail, presentable and well spoken.

The successful applicant will be expected to have a pleasant and polite personality and be able to work as part of a team.

The job requires someone with a patient attitude, as the tight deadlines and busy traffic can often add a lot of stress to a driver’s duties. Presenting themselves in a professional way at all times.

The successful applicant will be based in Cape Town at the British Consulate.

Roles and responsibilities:

The below roles and responsibilities are general guidelines. They are not limited to the detail below and are subject to change from time to time with prior consultation.

• To provide a highly efficient customer service role in the area of transport. This may include duties such as collecting customer feedback, accommodate swipe booking changes and appropriate guest interaction during drives.
• Ensuring the vehicle is well maintained, clean both inside and out before each trip and report any defects. Duties include cleaning of the vehicles, taking the vehicles for regular services or repairs and performing the K53 pre-trip inspections before each drive (I.e. No leaks or obstructions under the vehicle; seat belts & doors in working order; mirror & windshield secure; wiper blade up-perished; tyre tread & pressure checked & wheels secure; water, oil, brake fluid & fan belt checked; left side or car same as previous; licence disc valid & petrol cap secure; back window & tail lights secure, not cracked and boot securely closed; signal and head lights in working condition.).
• Provide and confirm journey information to passengers well in advance. Work in partnership with the team and/or suppliers if unexpected changes occur and keeping the customer informed at all times.
• Ensure that vehicles are prepared, fuelled and secured in advance of VIP visits. Also ensure that all aspects of each VIP visit are well communicated, co-ordinated and delivered. You may also be required to drive the Head of Mission and other high profile guests from time to time.
• Adhere to the South African traffic laws and regulations at all times.
• Ensure the customers safety at all times to the best of your ability and work in partnership with the Diplomatic Police should a challenge occur.
• Conduct all round vehicle checks on a daily basis. This may include duties such as ensuring that the vehicles are securely stowed, vehicle keys are securely locked away, and visual vehicle inspections such as spare wheel, wheel jacks, etc. are in working order.
• Transport Administration duties. These duties may include maintaining an accurate record of all bookings, journeys, mileage records and fuel consumption.
• Familiarise, understand and adhere to the British High Commission South Africa’s Transport Policy and Corporate Services Charter. These documents underline the agreed service level agreements between Corporate Services and all other departments as per the Memorandum of Understanding.
• Report to the Transport Supervisor daily; attend weekly transport meetings and monthly Corporate Service Department meetings.
• This position will be required to perform adhoc duties from time to time that may include purchasing for other departments, transporting documentation and/or diplomatic bags and assisting with duties other than transport-related functions.
• General administration duties such as updating personal leave records, activity recording, responding to emails, reconciling Corporate Credit Cards and Government Procurement Credit Cards within the agreed timelines, expense claim forms, I-expenses, etc.
• Substitute for the Transport Supervisor during periods of leave. Therefore need to be computer literate, fluent in English and be able to coordinate transport bookings.
• Estates' Duties include but are not limited to supporting the Estates team with PCA checks, payments, etc.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Office-issued mobile phone and Corporate Credit Card.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Must have a C1 with PDP Drivers Licence
• Driver/Chauffer Experience essential
• Geographical knowledge
• Good communication skills are essential
• Computer literacy and basic administration skills required

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Customer focus
• Good grooming and personal hygiene
  Good interpersonal skills
• Valid Passport