SONAC - Senior Advisor, Middle East

Job summary

This role sits within SONAC's Strategic Issues Team and reports to the Assistant Head (B2/Grade 7). Established in 2020, SONAC (Secretary of State's Office of Net Assessment and Challenge) is a small and inclusive team at the heart of the MOD that provides independent advice to the Defence Secretary and senior MOD officials. SONAC uses structured methods such as net assessment, strategic analysis, wargaming and red teaming to test and improve developing plans and strategies across Defence, and to identify emerging challenges and opportunities. SONAC also acts as a conduit for external expertise into Defence through commissioned research, conferences, workshops and engagement with leading experts. The SONAC team deliberately combines a diverse range of experience from policy, analysis, strategy, intelligence and academia.

SONAC's Middle East senior advisor examines the strategic dynamics shaping the region and their implications for UK defence and national security. The role provides independent analysis and challenge on issues including regional security, geopolitical competition, conflict, defence modernisation, partnerships, resilience and emerging trends across the Middle East.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

SONAC is a high-performing and highly motivated team whose work supports some of the most important decisions taken within Defence and across Government. As Senior Policy Advisor, Middle East, you will lead and contribute to strategic analysis on a broad range of Middle East issues, providing timely, evidence-based advice to support ministers and senior decision-makers.

You will be expected to further develop your expertise across the region, build strong networks across government and externally, and apply innovative analytical approaches to improve understanding of long-term strategic challenges and opportunities.

You will:

• Lead analytical projects examining strategic developments and trends in the Middle East and their implications for UK defence and security.
• Identify emerging risks, opportunities and strategic discontinuities that may affect UK interests in the Middle East and beyond.
• Produce high-quality written outputs, including assessments, briefings, reports and submissions for senior MOD and cross-government audiences.
• Work with regional policy and strategy teams to challenge and improve their work.
• Support SONAC net assessments, strategic studies, red teaming and wider analytical work through the application of regional expertise.
• Develop innovative approaches to analysing complex regional issues, including the use of structured analytical techniques and alternative perspectives.
• Brief senior military officers, civil servants and ministers on key findings and strategic implications.
• Build and maintain effective relationships across Defence, Whitehall, the intelligence community, academia and external experts.
• Develop and manage a network of external regional specialists and thought leaders to bring new perspectives into Defence.
• Support the design and delivery of conferences, expert workshops, roundtables and other engagement activities.
• Represent SONAC, where appropriate, in engagements across MOD, wider government and with selected international partners.
• As required, the postholder may be expected to support other teams within SONAC and develop subject matter expertise in additional areas to enable effective delivery.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Strong knowledge of the Middle East region, demonstrated through academic study, professional experience, research or policy work.
• Experience providing strategic advice or analysis, and translating complex information into clear, concise and actionable insights.
• Excellent drafting skills and the ability to produce high-quality written products for senior audiences.
• Strong understanding of international security, defence, foreign policy or geopolitical issues.
• Experience of engaging with and influencing stakeholders across a range of organisations and disciplines.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to brief and engage senior audiences confidently.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills, including the ability to challenge assumptions constructively and identify alternative perspectives.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs at pace.

Desirable criteria:

In the event of a strong field of candidates where there is a need to further distinguish between candidates, the following Desirable Criteria will be considered after the Essential Criteria:

• Postgraduate qualification in Middle East studies, international relations, strategic studies, security studies or a related discipline.
• Relevant language skills.
• Experience of net assessment, horizon scanning, strategic foresight or structured analytical techniques.
• Experience commissioning or managing research projects.

We invest in upskilling our team members to enable them to thrive once they start working with us. As such, please do not be put off if you do not match all these requirements. Skills gained in a wide range of contexts are valuable and transferable to our work.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1: You are required to submit a CV (no more than two sides of A4), and a Statement of Suitability (500 words max).

In your Statement of Suitability, please explain how your skills and experience make you suitable for the role, including where you can demonstrate that you meet the Essential and Desirable Criteria.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, Statement of Suitability and the following Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Should there be a high number of applicants, the sift will be conducted on the CV and Statement of Suitability only.

Stage 2: The interviews will be held on MS Teams and will assess the following Behaviours:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

We will also ask you questions about how your Experience is relevant to the role.

To assess Seeing the Big Picture you will be required to deliver a presentation on a contemporary issue related to the Middle East. The specific topic will be provided to you in advance of the interview.

Stage 3: We will contact candidates who have been successful at interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Further information:

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Mary-Ann Cherry, Assistant Head, Strategic Issues Team
• Email : SONAC-Recruitment-Inbox@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB)Terms and Conditions of Service 1 Opens in new window (docx, 24kB)Candidate Information updated_ Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)