Director of Government Relations

Company Description

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By joining an Accor brand, every chapter of your story is yours to write and together we can imagine tomorrow's hospitality.

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Scope and Objectives

Help the Company meet legislative goals by creating policy proposals and working with government agencies and employees to manage and control the process of all activities that are related to the Government offices, visas and licenses.

Assure that responsibilities are executed in a timely manner and provide the management team with efficient reports that highlights opportunities and avoid obstacles.

Ambassador of the company’s wellness and sustainability culture promote its awareness amongst team members by leading by example and develop activities and programs that consistently embrace and reflect the company’s culture.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manages the immigration process for all employees and visitors. This includes visa acquisitions, blood typing, medical health screenings, and fingerprinting.
• Provide Arabic translation services and on-call services for traffic violations, arrests, incarcerations and traffic accidents.
• Provide counsel and recommendations to upper administration when Qatar law and customs are involved. Point of contact with Qatar foundation for problem solving and expediting immigration concerns.
• Responsible for the acquisition of residential housing through successful negotiations; financial and technical.
• Manage, plan, and oversee the contracting for utility installation and professional services for housing.
• Maintain effective communication with all levels of the organization.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with government offices, colleagues and managers.
• Promote a friendly, dynamic and collaborative work environment that includes, open communication, teamwork, participation, trust, respect, professionalism and fun.
• Attend and participate in meetings and committees as required.
• Work towards exceeding company’s business targets.
• Take a positive and resourceful approach to every project.
• Maintain effective communication with all levels of the organization.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with government offices, colleagues and managers.
• Promote a friendly, dynamic and collaborative work environment that includes, open communication, teamwork, participation, trust, respect, professionalism and fun.
• Attend and participate in meetings and committees as required.
• Work towards exceeding company’s business targets.
• Take a positive and resourceful approach to every project.
• Manage the allocated petty cash expenditure through maintaining original receipts and through timely preparation of expense report.
• Process government transactions and organize visits to government agencies in an efficient and timely manner to minimize cost and avoid penalties and additional fees.
• Establish and maintain productive working relationships with key and operational government offices including: Ministry of Interior, Municipality, Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Ministry of Business and Trade, Consumer Protection Department, Customs, Airport Authorities and other Ministries and agencies, in order to assist with the efficient processing and approval of requests and formalities.
• Liaise with municipality, economic department and any other government department in relation to setting up licenses including resort trade license, chamber of commerce certifications of registration, civil defense certificate, etc.
• Work closely with Talent & Culture and Administration teams to ensure the timely completion and execution of relevant government and administrative formalities.
• Keep the Talent & Culture team informed of significant changes and issues that may jeopardize the achievement of company goals, and those that are not being addressed adequately.
• Organize the preparation and maintenance with respect to visa documentation related to new hires, separations of employment, transfers of sponsorship, renewals.
• Organize attestation of certificates and legal translation of documents and other activities related to immigration and labor.
• Obtain sponsorship reports from immigration, labor office and sponsorships, and re-submit to immigration and labor office with relevant support documents.
• Provide guidance to candidates in regard to the work permit documentation required and the process to follow.
• Obtain necessary approval from management for issuing exit permits to staff as and when required.
• Resolve immigration related issues in a timely manner.
• Attend to employee queries regarding details of immigration formalities, and entitlements.
• Process immigration requirements in the most effective and efficient manner to expedite on boarding of new employees including pre-approval of nationalities and gender for pre and post opening.
• Update relevant business areas with issues, risks, and statuses of immigration/government processes and provide relevant solutions.
• Ensure immigration processes are completed in minimal time including Resident Permits, Drivers Licenses, Visas, CID procedures etc.
• Maintain employee files and documents relevant to immigration and relevant forms for all types of immigration transactions.
• Direct the preparation and maintenance of reports as are necessary to carry out the function of immigration. Prepare periodic reports to Executive Talent & Culture Director for management updates or relevant authorities, as necessary and as required.
• Monitor the implementation of an improvement process for all immigration and labor records to be tracked and maintained through the resort system.

Supportive Functions

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor based upon the particular requirements of the company.

• Ensure the safekeeping of all team members passports
• Ensures that all food handlers are having occupational health cards and ensures that expiring cards are renewed on time
• Maintain and update the police report in the system
• Carry out the fire, safety and evacuation procedures as required by the hotel fire policy
• Comply with hotel standards in relation to hygiene and personal presentation
• Any other tasks assigned by General Manager or Executive Director of Talent & Culture

Other Duties

Assimilate into The Raffles & Fairmont culture through understanding, supporting and participating in all elements. Demonstrate working knowledge of the service standards.

Regular attendance in conformance with the standards, which may be established Accor from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position.

Specific Job Knowledge, Skill and Ability

The Government Relations Manager must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable adjustments.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to effectively deal with a variety of audience, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy.
• Strong computer literacy including knowledge of Windows XP and Microsoft Office Suite of products including Word

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to effectively deal with a variety of audience, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy.
• Strong computer literacy including knowledge of Windows XP and Microsoft Office Suite of products including Word

Minimum Competencies

• Working knowledge of Qatari culture, customs and laws
• Fluent in speaking, reading, and writing of Arabic and also English speaking.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Organizational and planning skills, including ability to prioritize work, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, set goals and enforce deadlines, while maintaining flexibility to reassess and prioritize goals;
• Ability to function competently in a team environment;
• Ability to take initiative, reasoning and problem-solving skills;
• Working knowledge of Qatar Foundations
• Multi-lingual