Deputy Head of Middle East (Iran & The Levant), International Affairs Unit

at  Cabinet Office

JOB SUMMARY

• We are currently looking to recruit into one Grade 6 position in the Middle East team. Sitting within the NSS, the International Affairs Unit (IAU) is a friendly, fast-paced part of the Cabinet Office, covering the full range of international foreign policy and security challenges. Working to the Deputy Director, you will be responsible for managing and supporting the team to fulfil these functions. You will have particular policy leadership in relation to some elements of our portfolio, and will build your own network of contact across HMG.
• We support the National Security Council (NSC), the Prime Minister, National Security Advisor and Deputy NSAs across all international policy issues working closely with teams across Whitehall, to drive forward the PM’s priorities and ensure that departmental work is effectively co-ordinated. These are exciting, stretching, and dynamic roles in high performing teams that develop, coordinate, and drive the strategy at the top of the UK’s foreign policy agenda.
• Diversity and inclusion are critical to the successful delivery of our work. We need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodiverse conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce. We have a shared mission to make a positive difference in everything we do, working across Government in a professional, collaborative and inclusive manner.
• NSS recognises that we have responsibilities outside of work – so that we not only work hard, but we work smart – whether that’s full time, part-time or flexi-time, where possible and taking account of business needs. However, you may be expected to flex your portfolio at short notice to support that. It also involves working anti-social hours for short periods of time.

JOB DESCRIPTION

What will the successful candidate be doing?
You will head up a team of two Grade 7s and two SEOs responsible for leading NSS’s work on Iran, the Levant, and regional security issues and to work flexibly across the wider Middle East portfolio as required.
You will work closely with Departments to ensure the UK’s National Security Council strategies for the region respond to changing global and regional dynamics; readiness to work on crisis response to major international crises; ensure HMG is delivering against these NSC strategies; advise the PM, the NSA and his Deputies on policy and crisis issues; oversee cross-government preparation for major PM engagement with counterparts in the region, including inward and outward visits; lead briefing for individual engagements (including at PM, NSA and DNSA level) with the countries on your patch.
Middle East policy remains high on the UK’s security and prosperity agenda. We regularly shape Ministerial decision making and provide briefing and advice to the PM and NSA on challenging policy issues, often to very short deadlines. This requires us to harness the collective capability, expertise and resources of government, drawing on and building excellent relationships with stakeholders. You and your team are not required to be the deep experts across the entire region, but you are expected to know who is, and build productive and collaborative relationships with them that will allow you to draw on and act as an intelligent customer for their expertise at short notice and to the highest standard.
This role requires a self-starter, strong networker and solid team player, able to work through others, to be successful. A strong performance in seeing the big picture, combined with proven experience in delivering at pace, are essential for the role, as are exceptional written and spoken communication skills. Working directly with No10 and the NSA team, this is a fantastic opportunity to hone your performance across all behaviours, and develop experience at the heart of government.
The Middle East team has a new restructure and a culture built around shared trust, respect and responsibility; a commitment to feedback, learning and improving, and delivering excellent work; championing diversity and inclusion, and a spirit of curiosity, energy and good humour. As a member of the team and Directorate’s senior management, you will be expected to contribute to maintaining and building that culture.
Duties and responsibilities:

NSS’s Middle East work is fast-moving and priority-driven. You should therefore expect to be flexible and adaptable in your approach to work. Examples of likely duties and responsibilities include:

• Leading or supporting cross-HMG development and implementation of relevant country / regional strategies, including through NSC(O) and NSC.
• Leading on crisis response and maintaining an oversight of situation briefs.
• Policy issues relating to the UK’s relationships with the countries on your patch; including both proactively shaping our plans and reactively making sure that seniors are getting the necessary information on unfolding events.
• Delivery of and briefing for PM, DPM, NSA and DNSA engagement with representatives of countries in the regions. This will include working closely with stakeholders to ensure the content is ambitious, high quality and delivering NSC objectives.
• Deputising for the DD Middle East in both policy and team leadership responsibilities;
• Line management for two Grade 7s, and countersigning manager for two SEOs;
• Building and maintaining strong relationships across Whitehall, our overseas network and with external experts.
• Making a concrete contribution to the corporate life of IAU.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Who are we looking for?

Essential

• Relationship building. Strong ability to proactively build and maintain stakeholder relationships across organisational boundaries. You will be confident working and maintaining relationships with a large, changing group of stakeholders, at all levels.
• The intellectual and temperamental ability to challenge constructively. You will be responsible for interrogating the work of others to ensure it is of the highest-possible quality for the most senior customers in government.
• Working at Pace. NSS IAU is a fast-paced environment with a need to respond quickly to international events.
• Strong communication skills. You will be able to articulate, orally and in writing, complex policies and plans clearly and concisely to ensure that busy audiences can quickly and easily understand the important points.
• Ability to see the big picture. You will need the ability to focus on long-term strategy alongside day-to-day delivery of the PM’s international engagement. You will need to ensure it delivers across the full range of HMG priorities, and to be able to join the dots across several different policy areas. You will also need to identify linkages and cross-over within the Unit and wider NSS.
• People-focused leadership style. You will be expected to have the skillset to lead your team with empathy in order to motivate and support them, particularly during times of high pressure and in a fast-moving, uncertain and ambiguous environment.
• Must have Developed Vetting.
• Experience of working on international affairs and/or delivering major bits of international engagement.

Desirable

• Expertise on the region.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Your written application should include a 500 word personal statement. Please refer to the job description and the ‘Who we are looking for?’ section to shape your personal statement/ CV.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

Open to UK nationals only. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here (opens in a new window).
Please note that this role requires DV clearance, which would normally need 10 years’ UK residency in the past 10 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

Open to UK nationals only.

NSS’s Middle East work is fast-moving and priority-driven. You should therefore expect to be flexible and adaptable in your approach to work. Examples of likely duties and responsibilities include:

• Leading or supporting cross-HMG development and implementation of relevant country / regional strategies, including through NSC(O) and NSC.
• Leading on crisis response and maintaining an oversight of situation briefs.
• Policy issues relating to the UK’s relationships with the countries on your patch; including both proactively shaping our plans and reactively making sure that seniors are getting the necessary information on unfolding events.
• Delivery of and briefing for PM, DPM, NSA and DNSA engagement with representatives of countries in the regions. This will include working closely with stakeholders to ensure the content is ambitious, high quality and delivering NSC objectives.
• Deputising for the DD Middle East in both policy and team leadership responsibilities;
• Line management for two Grade 7s, and countersigning manager for two SEOs;
• Building and maintaining strong relationships across Whitehall, our overseas network and with external experts.
• Making a concrete contribution to the corporate life of IAU