Director Operations
British Council
Total years of experience :20 years, 0 Months
Build and maintain effective channel of communication with staff and management to continue seamless
functions. Foster a collaborative work culture with sharp focus on diversity, cultural change,
communications, and performance management. Definerequired competencies, and resolve sensitive
employee relations issues through focusing on employee’s engagement and interest. Deliver active
functional support in planning of change management process, also identify opportunities for improvement.
Oversee and manage finance related functions, including budgeting, expense monitoring, asset and
inventory management as well as quarter reviews and reporting. Leveraged key skills and experience in
equality diversity and inclusion executing, also controlled reporting process using framework tools and
standards, also led equality screening and impact assessments before introducing new policies, procedures.
Selected Contributions:
• Increased employee’s performance and achieved desired results by devising and implementing
compensation strategy. Organised training and development sessions for both new and existing
employees to improve performance, skills and capabilities.
• Initiated performance management cycle which aided in managing and achieving short term and long
term goals. Negotiated office contracts as per procurement policy, and employed strategic approach
to achieve results. Delivered advice on local legislation in reference to private sector labour law.
• Expertly managed and controlled multi sector and multi donor projects and partnerships, including
EU, DFID, FCO, also steered efforts in project design, monitoring andevaluation of budgets, capacity
building ofimplementing partner and relationship at senior level includingministers.
• Developed and executed a recruiting strategy which aided in augmenting overall employment
process.Created and executed an HR information system used by BC Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon, and
rendered expert services as a senior advisor and business partner to manage HR operations.
• Structured procedures to manage financial and enterprise risk including incident management
andbusiness continuity. Successfully controlled critical functions associated with information
governance and management, procurement management and health & safety management.
Upheld superior level of expertise while designing negotiation and agreement for staff pay awards.
Contributed to the successes of strategic initiatives by developing learning and development plans.
Created, employed and evaluated staff survey action plans.
• Created a high achievers operational team that is capable to deliver, score high results and became
the centre of expertise locally and regionally.
• Strategic approach to premises and developed maintenance plans and cost efficiency programmes
that reduced the running costs.
• Developed regional environmental network and achieved 70% regional growth in the environmental
framework levels.
• Planned and delivered training to staff on performance management, and provided guidance on
generating end of year evaluation summary. Spearheaded employee wellbeing programme, and
conducted sessions on raising awareness and professional nutrition advice.
• Developed best practices on formulating financial reports, training of regional Business Support
Servicesand HR teams.
Fuad Barakat••• Page 2
• Planned and delivered full automation to HR processes and practices and designed a regional HR
online solution to MENA countries.
• Achieved high ratings in audits (financial, IT, premises and security), and security planning as well as
shared with MENA countries.
• Closely analysed staff surveysresults, and initiated internal job shadowing programme. Facilitated and
encouraged line managers for performance improvement meetings.
• Achieved the highest regional score in the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Framework.
• Developed best practises on Information Management and achieved the highest level on information
management and security.
Proficiently managed both Near East and North Africa region through successful implementation of