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tendersglobal.net
View Vacancy – OPT – Political Officer (EO)
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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
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Political
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The British Consulate General in Jerusalem (BCGJ) is a sovereign post which leads UK engagement with the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), in support of HMG objectives. BCGJ is a close-knit office with a strong culture of collaborative working and supportive relationships in a politically challenging context. The Consulate General has an opportunity for a Political Officer, job grade Executive Officer (EO).
The successful candidate will provide analysis, advice and reporting on a wide range of Palestinian political and human rights issues. They will be responsible for ensuring that the Consul General, colleagues within the Consulate-General, the wider Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Other Government Departments have a good understanding of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). They will build a wide network of contacts and use their own political analysis to help inform the UK’s understanding of Palestinian political developments and impact of the Occupation.
This is a busy and interesting role within the Consulate-General, which we are looking to fill with an individual who is motivated, proactive and creative. The role provides an excellent opportunity for someone with a keen interest in politics, who would like to develop their analytical and communication skills.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Conduct analysis and write reports on developments in Palestinian politics and human rights in the West Bank including East Jerusalem (working alongside a Gaza Political Officer).
- Negotiate and agree reports on the impact of the occupation with colleagues from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv.
- Pro-actively create and maintain a strong network of political and human rights contacts to assist with political analysis and reporting, e.g. PA, PLO members, Palestinian youth, UN, NGOs, Palestinian human rights organisations, think-tanks. Represent the British Government during official meetings.
- Provide regular advice and briefing to the Consul General, visiting British Ministers and officials, staff from the Consulate-General and the wider Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Other Government Departments.
- Work closely with other members of the political team, including the Communication officers and the Visits and Events Officer to help plan and implement campaigns as well as support incoming ministerial visits.
- Contribute to wider Consulate-General objectives which may vary during the course of this job, e.g. Chevening scholarship scheme and alumni engagement, media monitoring, crisis preparedness.
- Engage a corporate objective in support of corporate activities across the consulate through various volunteer run committees.
- Line management of Public Affairs Assistant.
The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Consulate’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis affecting UK Citizens.
Key behaviours required for the job:
- Communicating and Influencing – Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
- Delivering at Pace – Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
- Seeing the Big Picture – Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.
- Making Effective Decisions – Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
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- Excellent communication skills in English and Arabic both written and spoken. Able to interpret in meetings between spoken Arabic and English, and able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely.
- Excellent research, analysis and communication skills, including through speaking at public events, in English and Arabic.
- Strong networking and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build professional relationships with key contacts over a short space of time.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in a similar role.
- Good negotiation skills.
- Knowledge of Palestinian political system, culture, media environment and society.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise tasks and work to deadlines.
- Undergraduate degree qualification in a relevant field.
- Good IT skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office programmes such as Word, Excel and Outlook.
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- Project management skills.
- Line management experience.
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Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions, Seeing the Big Picture
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8 December 2024
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Executive Officer (EO)
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Full-time, Permanent
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38
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Middle East & North Africa
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Jerusalem
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British Consulate General
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ILS
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14,745 plus transport allowance of 497
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monthly
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3 February 2025
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Eligibility:
If you are selected for this position, the Consulate General will be able to employ you as long as you:
- Receive the appropriate level of standard security clearance; and
- Currently hold a valid local work permit or be able to secure one to work in Jerusalem.
Working hours:
The Consulate General aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including a non-negotiable salary of ILS 14,745 per month plus transport allowance of ILS 497 and social benefits. No accommodation nor relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.
This position is for a full-time employment, on a permanent contract basis subject to a 6-month probation period. Conditioned working hours are 38 hours per week. Normal working hours of the Consulate General is Monday – Thursday 0800 -1600 and Friday 0800 – 1400. Occasionally the successful candidate may be required to attend evening receptions or official visits, but time off will be given in lieu of this. The successful candidate will be expected to start work as soon as possible.
The jobholder must have the ability to work from British Consulate General in Jerusalem and to travel to West Bank.
The Consulate General actively promotes learning and development including through a dedicated learning and development committee. All staff have the opportunity to develop their own personal development plan and receive feedback and support from their line manager. Staff have access to activities organised by the learning and development committee and to a range of online learning opportunities through the FCDO’s International Academy.
Some mandatory and essential training are required at the start of the role (security, introduction to our IT systems etc), and other mandatory courses must be completed as well, including on health and safety, data protection and bullying and harassment.
The jobholder will be offered other learning and development opportunities in line with the requirements of the role. The Consulate runs regular workshops and teach-ins from experts on different topics related to the OPTs, open to all staff.
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How to apply:
Interested candidates must include 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2) a covering letter/ motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and 3) examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.
Please refrain from the use of AI based tools when completing your application, this is to ensure a fair competition for all candidates and helps maintain the integrity process. If the use of AI is identified, your application may be rejected.
Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.
Closing date of receiving applications is before 23:55 (local time) on 08 December 2024.
Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.
Internal candidates (i.e., those who are currently employed by the British Embassy Tel Aviv and British Consulate General in Jerusalem) applying for this position should consider informing their current line manager upon submission of their application.
Process:
The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around two-three months. The security clearance process includes checks available in country and with UK, dependant on the security level required for the role and the candidates’ profile and UK footprint. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.
Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful at interview may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of six (6) months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.
The start date mentioned in the advert is tentative 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 FCDO operates an agile approach to delivery. To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The British Consulate General is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staff recruited locally by the British Consulate General are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local employment law.
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British Consulate General
To apply please copy and paste this link: https://fco.tal.net/vx/appcentre-ext/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/1/adv/
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