The Office of His Excellency The Governor-General & Staff is directly responsible for the management and operations of King's House both as the official residence of the Jamaican Head of State and as a Department of Government. It is charged, pursuant to Section 31 of the Jamaican Constitution, with providing executive and administrative support to the Head of State in the execution of his constitutional, statutory, ceremonial and social duties.

The Office is headed by the Governor-General's Secretary, the Chief Executive Officer who reports directly to the Governor-General but has a functional relationship with the Financial Secretary in the Ministry with responsibility for Finance. The Governor-General' s Secretary is also the Clerk to the local Privy Council, established under Section 82  of the Constitution to advise the Governor General in relation to the exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy in relation to persons who have been convicted and sentenced in a Court of law in respect of criminal offences, as well as in relation to appeals (References) from public officers and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force against recommendations made by the respective Services Commissions for disciplinary action to be taken against such officers and members.

The duties and responsibilities of the office of Governor-General's Secretary may be summarised as primarily the interpretation of -

1. the status of the Governor-General as the representative of Her Majesty The Queen within the framework of the Jamaican Constitution;


2. the relationship of the exercise of the Governor-General's functions to his executive authority;


3. the true classification of the nature of that authority as provided for by the Constitution or by any other statute or legal mechanism;


4. the discharge of those functions on the recommendation or advice of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Privy Council or any other body or authority or, where stipulated by the Constitution or statute, in the Governor-General's own discretion.
   

The Office of His Excellency The Governor-General has a current staff complement of approximately 79 employees, and the main areas of work are:

1. General Administration - This includes General Management, Protocol and Ceremonials, Human Resource Management, Finance & Accounts, Systems and Information Technology, Property & Estate Management and Records & Inventory Management.


2. Personal Establishment - This includes  areas such as Special Events, Public Relations & Communications, Domestic and Housekeeping Affairs.

The posts held by staff on the Personal Establishment are not listed in the Civil Service Establishment Act.

The Office is funded solely by the Government of Jamaica and receives an annual allocation from the Consolidated Fund. The Annual Capital Budget is allocated in the Vote to the Ministry of Agriculture, while the Recurrent Estimates of Expenditure are managed directly by the Office, with oversight responsibility vested in the Ministry with responsibility for Finance.

Additionally, the King's House Foundation a limited liability company incorporated in September 1993, whose objects include, inter alia, the raising of funds for the preservation, restoration, beautification and improvement of King's House as the official residence of the Head of State, undertakes from time to time, projects aimed at fulfilling its objects.

The Office of His Excellency The Governor-General & Staff is extremely conscious of and committed to the unique role that it must play in fulfilling  its mandate so aptly enunciated in its Mission Statement, which states:

"To consistently execute the administrative functions of the Office of His Excellency The Governor-General & Staff to the highest standard of professionalism thereby facilitating the Head of State in the performance of his constitutional, legislative, ceremonial and social duties."