About us
We are FCDO Services. Working with government-level customers in the UK and overseas, we provide a wide range of secure services, including logistics, construction, digital solutions, translation, counter-eavesdropping services, and more.
We have 1150+ colleagues worldwide
From building and repairing embassies to securing government servers; transporting government deliveries to translating for diplomats; it’s vital work that protects our nation’s interests all over the world.
Yes – our organisation was known as FCO Services until 2 September 2020, when our parent organisation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, officially became the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. At the same time, we changed to FCDO Services, maintaining our historic bond.
Our work takes an impressive range of skills. There are Architects designing government buildings, and Systems Architects imagining the ICT inside. Building Services Engineers installing air conditioning, and Cybersecurity teams keeping data airtight. From Electricians to HR experts; Procurement teams to Project Managers, we’re all essential to the work we do.
Ultimately, our projects are what make government services possible. We ensure government bodies work in well-protected, well-designed buildings, and that they have impregnable, cutting-edge technology. That means they’re free to do their job, whether it’s diplomacy, consular aid, national security, or the day-to-day work of running a country.
We have two UK locations:
Hanslope Park and King Charles Street
Teams can be based both at home and overseas
We have permanent teams at 60+ global postings
We also operate out of four Regional Hubs around the world
FCDO Services is part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and set up as what’s called a trading fund. If you don’t know the term, it means that although we’re civil servants working within government, we generate our income by mainly providing services for the rest of the FCDO (our biggest customer), other government departments and friendly foreign governments. It means we’re in government, by government, for government. Our priority is to provide secure technical support to the FCDO and other customers in overseas posts. We control our own budgets and revenue, and we invest surplus funds back to grow our business and feed into the FCDO as our owner.
That means, when you join us, you’ll find the sense of purpose that comes with public sector work, as part of an organisation that’s commercially-minded.
Even though we are proud to be part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), joining us is not a short-cut or career route into other parts of it, such as the diplomatic service, where separate recruitment processes are applied.
We began as a FCDO department, but since 2008 we’ve had more autonomy as a trading fund. Although we are commercially minded, we are driven by civil service values and providing excellent services to our customers; not by profit.
We provide services any business might need. Construction. Logistics. IT. But because we work for governments, there’s tight security involved – no matter the project. Digital solutions, for example, have to be robust enough to keep a whole nation’s data safe. Drivers have to ensure their delivery arrives securely. Whatever your role, you’re making sure our standards are above reproach, protecting the national interest.
Our reach is worldwide, with many of our people living and working abroad. However, most of our employees are based in two key UK locations:
Our main site, near Milton Keynes
Our central London location
We protect people, information, and assets all over the world – and not just through our work for governments. Through our CSR efforts, we’re making a big impact for a brighter future:
On site at Hanslope Park (Milton Keynes), we don’t just have free parking. As of last year, we now have charging bays for colleagues with electric vehicles, giving everyone the convenient facilities they need to make the switch to greener transport.
As part of #BeyondPlastic – a joint effort with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – we’ve banned avoidable single-use plastics. We swapped plastic cups (285,600 of them per year) for paper and reusable glasses. We switched to biodegradable cutlery and containers. And thanks to a 50p latte levy for using your own mug, we drove reusable coffee cup usage from 3% to 46%.
In partnership with the National Offender Management Service, we helped inmates of HMP Bullingdon to find work within the prison, laundering 39,892 of our Diplomatic Bags. As well as doing meaningful work and earning a small income, the team even helped us reduce our environmental impact, cutting the number of new bags needed.
We operate and deliver for 250+ government buildings worldwide
70% of our products and services are delivered to our overseas customers
Want to join FCDO Services but can’t see a live role to suit you? Great news: you can sign up for job alerts or add your CV to our talent pool and we’ll be in touch when something comes up.