United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Overseas Security Adviser

Job title: OverseasSecurity Adviser

Location:London (with short-term overseas visits as required).

****Type of contract: Permanent****

Salary:£53,970 (inclusive of allowances)

****Application deadline: 03 August 2015****

****Our business****

The Conflict, Humanitarian & Security Department’s Operations Team (CHASE OT) is contracted through Crown Agents by the Department of International Development (DFID) and the Stabilisation Unit (SU) to provide support services and an operational team delivering advice and assistance on humanitarian disasters and emergencies.

The Stabilisation Unit (SU), established in 2004, is jointly owned by the Department for International Development (DFID), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). The Unit’s role is to support countries emerging from violent conflict. The SU Deployments Team supports more than 150 concurrent deployments on behalf of HMG to a wide range of conflict affected and potentially hostile environments. The Team is responsible for the rapid deployment of properly prepared civilian experts in support of UK stabilisation efforts overseas.

Recent events and the developing role of the SU in coordinating cross-Whitehall activity in stabilisation contexts, including the deployment of Stabilisation Response Teams (SRTs) places the Stabilisation Unit (SU) at the centre of joint HMG risk-assessment and security management. Advice is required in dynamic security environments to support HMG teams deployed overseas. Crown Agents is recruiting an Overseas Security Adviser to work alongside the existing Senior Overseas Security Adviser to fulfill the increasing demand for risk assessment and security advice to deployed staff, consultants, contractors and Deployable Civilian Experts (DCEs). This will include locations where there is no established HMG security architecture

****Roles and responsibilities include:****

• Provide specialist security advice and support to all Stabilisation Unit activities and deployments to fragile and conflict affected environments, from planning and development through to operational delivery
• Produce risk assessments and draft submissions that can be used to inform both risk owners and deploying staff on the key risks and mitigations associated with deployments to specific locations
• Self-deploy, as necessary, to conduct security assessments and fact-finding in fragile and hostile environments
• Complete comprehensive written reports with clear recommendations for the mitigation of assessed threats and risks
• Undertake any other advisory duties as directed by the Senior Operational Security Advisor
• Provide a weekly verbal briefing to senior management on key security issues facing the Stabilisation Unit
• Deliver pre-deployment and post-deployment briefs for Stabilisation Unit deployees
• Provide security support as necessary to deployed staff, including the provision of additional advice and the staffing (where appropriate) of approvals for high risk travel in mission
• Initiate and manage information and threat warnings to deployed Stabilisation Unit staff, potentially within compressed timelines
• Provide out of hours security advice and support to the Senior Management Team
• Be prepared to deploy at short notice in a crisis response deployment that requires integrated security advice / management
• Maintain the Stabilisation Unit high risk deployments register
• Develop effective working relationships with colleagues, peers, external security professionals and overseas security managers that enhance the quality and breadth of security advice to the Stabilisation Unit
• Be prepared to work with MOD, FCO and DFID country teams as necessary to provide security and duty of care advice during the development of policy objectives for potential high risk deployments
• Maintain awareness of the political and security situation in deployment (and potential deployment) locations
• Assist the Senior Operational Security Advisor in drafting and maintaining the Stabilisation Unit’s standard operating procedures and policies for safety and security

****Essential Qualifications, skills and experience****

• Extensive experience of operating in hostile environments
• Recent and sustained track record of providing security and safety advice for personnel and infrastructure against a spectrum of threats
• A broad understanding of international security issues, current affairs and a working knowledge of relevant Health and Safety legislation
• A proven track record of support to deployed staff in a dynamic, operationally-focused environment
• The intellectual rigour and proven ability to synthesise information from multiple sources to provide effective security advice and assessments
• Able to embrace uncertainty and work with ambiguity
• Comfortable working to tight deadlines without sacrificing accuracy, and able to respond effectively to short notice assignments under pressure
• Able to anticipate operational safety requirements based on imperfect information and indicators
• Able to work both independently and as a team member
• Experience in the preparation and delivery of security & safety training
• Experience in producing written risk assessments under time pressure that reflect the realities faced by deployed staff
• A proven track record in briefing policy and operational requirements to senior management, staff and other parties concisely and effectively
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; unambiguous and succinct when dealing with complex ideas
• Able to be authoritative when necessary; withstanding challenge whilst sustaining effective working relationships
• Previous Whitehall / HMG experience would be highly desirable

****Application process****

For the full job description and application instructions, please visit www.crownagents.co.uk/jobs