Security Sector Programme Officer

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Job Category  Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory Political
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

The British Consulate General in Jerusalem is seeking an individual for the position of Security Sector Programmes Officer, Grade – B3 (L).

Purpose of the job:

This is an exciting position supporting delivery and management of the Palestinian Authority Security Force elements of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem’s Support to the Security Sector programme. This is part of the Consulate’s £8.7 million Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) programme. The job holder will be part of the British Support Team (BST), which is based in Ramallah, and provides capacity building and institutional development support to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces. The successful candidate will provide financial, logistical, programming and administrative management advice and assistance to the British Support Team’s projects, working to the Brigadier (Director level) Team lead. Due to the nature of the projects, this officer will also engage extensively yet remotely with the UK’s Ministry of Defence, elements both at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and also staff in London.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Programme management of security sector support projects as part of the British Support Team. This will involve supporting full, effective spend of the BST’s budget and taking full responsibility for documenting this spend and accounting for it.

• Scrutiny of financial information received from partners and team implementers to construct detailed financial reporting, and resolving problems to ensure effective spending on behalf of the Brigadier (Director level).

• Drive rigorous project management approaches to monitoring and evaluation of the projects’ impact, ensuring value for money, risk management, and external communications of the projects’ activities, specifically fiscal reporting to the British Consulate General in Jerusalem and UK’s Ministry of Defence, London.

• Daily Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) programme advice and assistance to the British Support Team lead including monitoring and evaluating.

• Secretariat function for the British Support Team Programme Management Board to include drafting, updating, amending and staffing of business cases, and provision of other administrative support that enables full delivery of the projects’ aims.

• Identifying, recommending, and implementing agreed improvements, particularly with regard to value for money, so that projects deliver the greatest possible benefits for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the UK.

• Organising and attending project-related events, encouraging experience sharing between project partners, and staying abreast of relevant political and other developments.

• Assisting in coordination with other donors, particularly the UK’s Department for International Development, and assisting in BST international and national engagement with other donors and security sector actors.

• Respond flexibly and actively to evolving priorities and needs.

Key Competences Required for the Job:

• Delivering Value for Money - The efficient, effective and economic use of taxpayers’ money in the delivery of public services. Seeking out and implementing solutions which achieve the best mix of quality and effectiveness for the least outlay.

• Collaborating and Partnering - People skilled in this area create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the organisation to help get business done.

• Making Effective Decisions - Effectiveness in this area is about being objective; using sound judgment, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice.

• Leading and Communicating - Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. It’s about supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of citizens.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

Essential:

• Fluent communication skills in English and Arabic language (both written and spoken, this will be tested).
• Experience in briefing to Director level on at least a daily basis in terms of fiscal advice and assistance for the funded programme.
• Experience of managing budgets of this size and complexity with an expenditure in excess of 250,000 GBP monthly and working with financial information.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation, and formal (and Quarterly) reporting to Ministry of Defence Head Office level of a multi-agency and multinational security sector reform programme.
• Minimum five years’ experience of successfully delivering programmes/projects in an international political/development context, preferably in a bilateral or multilateral aid agency, with a focus on the security sector.
• Highly organised and able to work in a diverse, high-performing environment and to Director level.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to build productive working relations with project implementers and wider stakeholders
• Proven ability to take responsibility for own work, with a track record as a team player
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills are required to deliver projects in a dynamic environment
• Literacy in Microsoft Office for Mac (Apple) packages, specifically MS Excel relational spreadsheets for the budget and MS Word for reporting
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

Desirable:

• Knowledge of politics and society in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
• Experience working or advising on the Palestinian security sector
Required competencies  Making Effective Decisions, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering Value for Money
Application deadline 9 February 2018
Grade B3 (L)
Type of Position Fixed Term, Full-time
Working hours per week 38
Region  Middle East & North Africa
Location (City) Jerusalem
Type of Post British Consulate General
Number of vacancies 1
Start Date 1 March 2018
Other benefits and conditions of employment

Working Hours:

The position is full-time, fixed term at 38 hours a week with considerations of flexibility depending on circumstances.

This position is valid until the end of the financial year on 31 March 2019 only. It is expected that a similar programme portfolio will continue in the next financial year, but it is not guaranteed. If the job holder’s contract is extended, flexibility will be required as the programmes team restructures for the new financial year.

Eligibility:

• The successful candidate must hold, or be able to secure, a local work permit.

• The successful candidate must be able to travel around the West Bank. The ability to travel to the Consulate building in East Jerusalem will be an advantage, but not essential.

• The job holder will be based in Ramallah at the British Support Team offices.

To Apply:

Interested candidates must attach the following documents when applying online.

1. A covering letter.

2. An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), of no longer than four pages.

** (Your application must include examples of when you have demonstrated the competencies outlined above in the cover letter or motivation section in the application form. Applications that do not include this information will be rejected).

All applications must be received before 23:55 (Local Time) on 9 February 2018.

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Due to the large amount of applications we receive only those shortlisted for assessment/interview will be contacted.

The start date mentioned in the advert is an assumed start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances and reference checks.

The British Consulate General is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staffs recruited locally by the British Consulate General are subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local employment law.

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