Business service manager

Business service managers are reponsible for the provision of professional services to companies. They organise the provision of services tailored to the needs of the client and liaise with clients to agree on the contractual obligations for both parties.

The following job titles also refer to business service manager:

professional services executive
business service executive
corporate services consultant
corporate service manager
professional services consultant
actuarial advisory services manager
service operations manager
professional services manager
post-office manager

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as business service manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Business service manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to business service manager.

programme funding manager
licensing manager
secretary general
airport planning engineer
strategic planning manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of business service manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of business service manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of business service manager.

Office administration: The paperwork processes related to the administrative areas of an office environment. The activities or processes may include financial planning, record keeping and billing and managing the general logistics of an organisation.
Strategic planning: The elements defining the foundation and core of an organisation such as its mission, vision, values, and objectives.

These skills are necessary for the role of business service manager.

Conclude business agreements: Negotiate, revise, and sign mercantile and business documents such as contracts, business agreements, deeds, purchases and wills, and bills of exchange.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Identify financial resources: Estimate administrative and communication costs, artist fees according to existing applicable agreements, rental costs, and production costs.
Programme work according to incoming orders: Schedule tasks based on incoming work; anticipate the total amount of resources required to complete the work and assign them accordingly. Assess the required working hours, pieces of equipment, and workforce needed taking into account the available resources.
Manage administrative systems: Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.
Maintain professional administration: File and organise professional administration documents comprehensively, keep customer records, fill in forms or log books and prepare documents about company-related matter.
Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
Consult with business clients: Communicate with clients of a business or business project in order to introduce new ideas, obtain feedback, and find solutions to problems.
Implement strategic management: Implement a strategy for the development and transformation of the company. Strategic management involves the formulation and implementation of the major objectives and initiatives of a company by senior management on behalf of the owners, based on consideration of available resources and an assessment of the internal and external environments in which the organisation operates.
Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
Ensure compliance with purchasing and contracting regulations: Implement and monitor company activities in compliance with legal contracting and purchasing legislations.
Maintain contract administration: Keep contracts up to date and organise them according to a classification system for future consultation.
Identify necessary human resources: Determine the number of employees needed for the realisation of a project and their allocation in the creation, production, communication or administration team.
Develop business plans: Plan, write and collaborate in the implement business plans. Include and foresee in the business plan the market strategy, the competitive analysis of the company, the design and the development of the plan, the operations and the management aspects and the financial forecast of the business plan.
Identify clients’ needs: Identify the areas in which the client may require aid and investigate the possibilities for meeting those needs.
Make strategic business decisions: Analyse business information and consult directors for decision making purposes in a varied array of aspects affecting the prospect, productivity and sustainable operation of a company. Consider the options and alternatives to a challenge and make sound rational decisions based on analysis and experience.
Implement strategic planning: Take action on the goals and procedures defined at a strategic level in order to mobilise resources and pursue the established strategies.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of business service manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Communication: Exchanging and conveying information, ideas, concepts, thoughts, and feelings through the use of a shared system of words, signs, and semiotic rules via a medium.
Organisational policies: The policies to achieve set of goals and targets regarding the development and maintenance of an organisation.
Facilities management in the organisation: The principles and methods of facilities management as applied to individual organisations, best practice techniques, management implications of outsourced and in-house services, main types of contractual relationships in facility management and innovation procedures.
Contract law: The field of legal principles that govern written agreements between parties concerning the exchange of goods or services, including contractual obligations and termination.
Human resources department processes: The different processes, duties, jargon, role in an organisation, and other specificities of the human resources department within an organisation such as recruitment, pension systems, and personnel development programs.
Company policies: The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.
Communication principles: The set of commonly shared principles in regards with communication such as active listening, establish rapport, adjusting the register, and respecting the intervention of others.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of business service manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Apply system organisational policies: Implement internal policies related to the development, internal and external usage of technological systems, such as software systems, network systems and telecommunications systems, in order to achieve a set of goals and targets regarding the efficient operations and growth of an organisation.
Apply company policies: Apply the principles and rules that govern the activities and processes of an organisation.
Carry out strategic research: Research long term possibilities for improvements and plan steps to achieve them.
Coach employees: Maintain and improve employees’ performance by coaching individuals or groups how to optimise specific methods, skills or abilities, using adapted coaching styles and methods. Tutor newly recruited employees and assist them in the learning of new business systems.
Assist in developing practices for well being of employees: Help in policies development , practices and cultures that promote and maintain the physical, mental and social well-being of all workers, in order to prevent sick leave.
Control financial resources: Monitor and control budgets and financial resources providing capable stewardship in company management.
Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
Negotiate sales contracts: Come to an agreement between commercial partners with a focus on terms and conditions, specifications, delivery time, price etc.
Plan facilities management policies: Create facilities management procedures in line with organisation’s strategy, identify appropriate resources and set up key responsibilities and mitigate risks in delivering facilities management objectives.
Negotiate service with providers: Arrange contracts with providers concerning accommodation, transport and leisure services.
Manage contracts: Negotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, agree on and document any changes.
Manage physical resources: Manage the physical resources (equipment, materials, premises, services and energy supplies) required to carry out planned activities in the organisation
Promote facilities management services: Assess the market trends and organisations’ needs in order to proactively communicate and advertise your facilities management services to future clients.
Analyse staff capacity: Evaluate and identify staffing gaps in quantity, skills, performance revenue and surpluses.

1219 – Business services and administration managers not elsewhere classified

 

 

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References

1. Business service manager – ESCO