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HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 8
Directorate: Public Sector Prisons
Job Description: Overseas CT Detentions Advisor
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-3024 - Overseas CT Detentions Advisor
Document Type
Management
Version
2.0
Classification
Official - Sensitive
Date of Issue
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
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Change History
Date
Version
Nature of Change
Edited By
Sections Affected
01/03/22
0.1
1st Draft
All
28/03/22
0.2
Template
CB
All
12/04/22
0.3
Updated with team knowledge
NL
All
15/04/22
0.4
Updated with team knowledge
AW
All
19/04/22
0.5
Updated with team knowledge
NL
All
03/05/22
0.6
Updated with team knowledge
AW
All
04/05/22
0.7
Updated with team knowledge
NL
All
05/05/22
0.8
Updated with team knowledge
NL
Minimum Requirements
07/06/22
0.9
FCDO overview
JE
All
24/01/25
0.10
Added elements to JD
NL
All
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Job Description
Job Title
Overseas CT Detentions Advisor
Directorate
Directorate of Security
Band
Band
Overview of the job
The role of the Overseas CT Detention Advisor sits within the Foreign Commonwealth
and Development Office (FCDO) Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) supporting the
‘Pursue’ pillar of the UK’s counter terrorism (CT) strategy.
FCDO CTD manage the terrorist threat from overseas to the UK and to its interests
abroad as part of the wider HMG Counter Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST) and do so, in
part, by employing Subject Matter Experts to advise, assist and deliver bespoke areas
of work to mitigate identified risks and threats to this work.
The CT Detentions Cadre supports this programme of work, by providing detentions
SME support to bring about legal and human rights compliant detention capabilities
which support and enable international CT efforts alongside UK-based and overseas
partners.
Reporting to the Head of the CT Detentions Cadre, the Overseas CT Detentions
Advisor plays a pivotal role in delivering this work: providing detailed operational
insights on host nations detentions capabilities, advising on and developing plans to
mitigate identified risks to CT overseas objectives, and providing direct operational
input - via mentoring, coaching and training - to embed systems and practices that
provide greater capacity and capability of host nations to mitigate safety, security
and Human Rights compliance risks in their detention settings.
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Summary
The Overseas Detentions Advisor is responsible for a number of critical activities
which support overseas CT Pursue activity. These cover four key areas:
1. Operational Insights: Delivering targeted audit and assurance activity
overseas which provide critical detentions-related insights, judgements and
recommendations to inform operational planning and decision-making.
2. Capacity and Capability Building: Providing detentions SME input in to the
design and development of in-country capacity and capability building
activities (including training and development, for which there is a
requirement to hold a training qualification recognised by HMPPS).
2.3. Partnerships: Providing credible detentions leadership to UK-based, partner
and host-nation agencies in order to secure buy-in and promote
collaborative working in pursuit of joint overseas CT objectives.
4. Enabling Activity: Providing logistical and administrative support (e.g.,
budget management, human resources, travel arrangements, IT), which
enables the CT Detention Cadre to operate effectively.
.
This post is London-based (FCDO, King Charles Street, SW1A 2AH). Given
requirements of the role, and in line with Civil Service expectations on office-
working, the jobholder will be expected to work from this location a minimum of
60% of the time when in the UK. The role also requires overseas travel (as an
unaccompanied role) to multiple conflict and fragile CT priority countries. Depending
on operational need, the postholder can expect to be deployed overseas at least
quarterly, and in some cases for weeks at a time.
Responsibilities,
The jobholder is responsible for day-to-day operational delivery of all Detentions
Activities and Duties
Cadre work and will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
and duties:
Operational Insights
•
To develop and manage Audit & Assurance (including Monitoring and
Evaluation (M&E) and Results Framework) work.
•
To develop advice and guidance in support of Head of Detentions
Cadre, CTD and seniors at post, acting as the Single Point of Contact
(SPOC) for detention information management
•
To develop better understanding in delegates around capabilities and
risk management process.
•
To hold responsibility for providing operational and logistical support to
the Senior Detentions Advisor embedded within FCDO Global PURSUE
Team and HMPPS International Team.
Capacity and Capability Building
• Accountable for delivery of detentions work, including the scoping, planning
and implementation of regional/thematic CT plans within the designated
countries/areas of responsibility.
• To develop and manage SME contribution towards CT Country plan
Business Planning & Delivery., holding responsibility for
achieving/maintaining VfM, quality assurance, including evaluation of multi-
year projects and programmatic delivery relating to detentions work to the
posts/missions assigned, assisting with the development of Theory of
Change (ToC) to support such as necessary
• To develop and deliver effective mentoring of in-country stakeholders in
relation to detention standards, including writing of mentoring plans where
requested, agreed and resources allow. Including support in the
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engagement of staff and communication strategies for the facilities, with in-
country stakeholders remaining the owner of such plans devised.
• To lead on the development and delivery of targeted, bespoke, holistic
detentions up-skilling packages and initiatives to both UK and other country
staff. When overseas, this is likely to be delivered via translators.
• To develop and manage projects to improve detentions and/or prisons
systems overseas, holding responsibility to quality, assure existing and new
security related products and packages developed by third party agencies.
Partnerships
•
Responsible for coordinating delivery of activity as necessary with
interlocutors, including CT teams at Post, CTD and broader United
Kingdom Intelligence Community (UKIC).
•
To build relationships with and liaise with others to maximise
relationships with stakeholders in CTD, mission and in-country
stakeholders, including senior Government officials.
Enabling Activity
•
To manage Cadre resources within span of control & initiate change
management in order to grow, develop and improve offer to missions.
•
To be responsible for identifying, co-ordination and agreeing of staff
training plans with/for host Nation (HN) stakeholders including training
the trainer where applicable. Including M&E of delivered courses
•
To hold responsibility to research and evaluate packages and initiatives
to ensure they meet the needs of the business and deliver on learning
objectives. Periodically review learning methods to ensure effective
learning delivery is achieved via a variety of programmes that can
respond to the demand and business needs set by the organisation.
Ensure deliver is innovative and accessible to a range of learners.
Other Responsibilities
• Deputising for Head of Team during periods of absence.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not
intended to be exhaustive. The jobholder is expected to accept reasonable
alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant
adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall
be discussed in the first instance with the jobholder..
Behaviours
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Developing self and others
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• Delivering at pace
Strengths
• Adaptable
• Challenger
• Confident
• Emotionally intelligent
• Influencer
• Problem solver
• Resilient
• Strategic
Experience
• Minimum of 5 years operational experience working in a prison setting.
• Broad range of policy knowledge and operational skills in prison environment.
• An excellent communicator who can build effective relationships.
• Record of implementing change through leadership within a prison context.
• Provide concise and well considered written and oral advice to senior officials.
• Experience of using project management tools.
• Knowledge and experience of working in a partnership setting with colleagues
from other agencies.
• Understanding of the criminal justice system.
• Influential and visible leader.
• High-level communication and influencing skills, with the ability to develop
effective relationships across the UK and foreign Criminal Justice Networks.
• Highly resilient and able to respectfully challenge those who in some cases may
be more senior.
• Highly desirable that the job holder has been involved in reviewing prison
operations to identify where facilities, staff or procedures don’t meet required
standards and develop and implement improvement plans.
Technical
• Operational accreditation as prison manager/functional head
Requirements
• Qualified/Accredited Prison Service Trainer - or commitment to work towards
such award.
Ability
• Individuals are required to comply with FCDO medical guidance and Cadre
insurance policy requirements prior to and throughout overseas deployments.
• Individuals are responsible for familiarisation and compliance to overseas
security and health and safety requirements, including reporting of all concerns.
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Minimum Eligibility
• Offers of a position to the Detentions Cadre to successful candidates are
conditional on the candidate agreeing to undertake and pass Developed Vetting
(DV) clearances. DV is an intrusive security vetting process. If DV not passed the
candidate cannot be deployed overseas and therefore the conditional offer will
be withdrawn.
• In addition, STRAP clearance (which is role specific) will also be a requirement
once a job has been offered in all cases.
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months’ probation on taking up position
within FCDO CTD.
• Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a
probationary period within HMPPS.
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation, which HMPPS consider to be racist.
• Staff are required to deploy and operate in an overseas CT setting which requires
staff to attend and pass a SAFE+ course. Requirements of the course include
ability to function in a conflict/hostile scenario, wearing and operating in body
armour, including climbing in and out of armoured vehicles, aircraft and
helicopters in noisy/dirty environments. General levels of fitness should enable
individuals to run 100 metres wearing body armour and operate at heights often
in poor conditions.
• Medical clearance is an essential part of our duty of care towards staff. We
cannot send someone overseas to do a job unless they are fit to do the work, and
we are confident they can be provided with adequate medical care for any
conditions they may have. This means that not every member of staff can be
considered for this role.
Hours of Work
Leave Blank
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
To be used by the JES Team only
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Factor Examples
Please provide job-specific examples to support the factors below (please refer to guidance for completion):
Factor
Examples
Skills & Knowledge
Completion of in-depth assessment tool (International Pursue Assessment Framework (IPAF))
of detention facilities within scope of missions programme activity and report to senior owner
and CTD.
To contribute to development of policy strategies and operational practices compatible with
international legal and human right standards to effectively support a strategic understanding
of mission objectives and local contracts and to sustain and increase partnership activity
Responsible for understanding application of the legal frameworks where this applies to
detentions work at mission(s) - e.g. European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR),
International Law Commission Articles on State Responsibility, International Covenant of Civil
and Political Rights (ICCPR) - and any other relevant articles as they are introduced/adopted
by individual hosts.
Understanding of Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) overseas missions and their purpose.
Using such knowledge to work in different cultures (host nation and/or xHMG departments) to
achieve agreed or common goals in challenging environments
Provide advice and potentially delivery of capacity building interventions
Accountability & Decision Provision of support and assistance in the establishing of the development of mission’s
Making
detentions support plan within the PURSUE detentions framework. Co-ordination with relevant
mission senior owner (or designated representative) to prepare and/or update CT detentions
objectives in accordance with FCDO needs/ intentions
Make decisions that will influence mission strategies on engagement with the host nation on
detention issues
Ability to work autonomously, being accountable for Subject Matter Expertise adding this to
relevant discussions and decision-making fora.
Delivery of operational and logistical support and co-ordination to the detention’s cadre and
CTD team.
Problem Solving
Ensuring information and outcomes - in line with mission’s results framework in relation to
detentions - are collected and accountable for ensuring business and performance information
is available to inform the mission senior owner within agreed deadlines
Where risk assessed, conducting detainee interviews under the relevant Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) and relevant bespoke monitoring mechanism’s (where they are in place),
reporting any breaches under relevant UK legislation (‘the Principles’) to the Senior Responsible
Owner (or designated representative) at mission - escalating to Senior Detentions Advisor
(SDA) or CTD as necessary.
Limit HMG exposure risks to challenge under article 16 of the International Commission Article
on State Responsibility, also limit reputational risk to Mission, NOMS and wider HMG by
proposing, designing and/or implementing of mitigations to such risk.
Ability to assess cultural constraints and factor these into own strategic thinking to provide
solutions that achieve HMG outputs and outcomes and assist host nations development
Ability to innovate outside of established - or in the absence of - clear policies of standard
operating procedures, to assist the host nation in the formulating and implementing of such
where appropriate.
Ability to innovate outside of established - or in the absence of - clear policies, standard
operating procedures and training plans to assist the host nation in the formulating and
implementing of such where appropriate.
Ability to assess cultural constraints and factor these into own strategic thinking to provide
training solutions that support HMG outputs and outcomes and assist host nations
development
Resource Management & Supporting the SDA by developing and delivering a performance framework which allows the
Financial Impact
SDA oversight of a range of partnership commissioning including local contract arrangements.
Support mission Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), Counter Terrorism Programme
Fund (CTPF), Overseas Development Assistance (ODA)/non-ODA investment in the detentions
sphere of the mission but the writing and/or scrutiny of business cases for operational
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effectiveness, sustainability and value for money, in relation to detentions, advising the senior
owner at post in relation to such
Manage the Activity Based Budget of the detention programme of work / individual projects
within FCDO rules and policy and insuring VfM.
Support mission management of contracts within host nation detentions sites (capacity
building projects - building/IT/Consumables/etc) to evidence delivery against contracts in a
timely and VfM manner.
Co-ordination with CTD and stakeholders in the development of detention projects and budget
proposals as linked to training needs and resources.
Maintain an up-to-date mechanism for ensuring invoicing between HMPPS and FCO processes
and systems for use of cadre members
Organising & Planning
Responsible for assisting the detentions relevant design of the mission’s CT team results
framework data including quality of such within the annual reporting cycle.
Accountable for monitoring the detentions assurance and compliance of the mission CT Team
outcomes and international policies linked with the mission CT role, and providing assurance
to the senior owner re agreed project outcomes.
Accountable for monitoring the training assurance within any programmatic outputs of the
mission CT Team, providing assurance to the senior owner re agreed project outcomes.
Show intelligent prioritisation of work, giving both weight to high-risk areas whilst working
flexibility with missions operations and security teams flexibly to mitigate demand on resources
and risk to self and others
People Management
The role requires staff to work with a broad range of UK and foreign government stakeholders
and organisations aligned to the International Counter Terrorism Strategy. The FCDO CTD will
provide specialist support and training (some of which requires a good level of general fitness
and flexibility) for the post holder where required, including opportunity for personal
development.
The role requires staff to be able to operate effectively in senior level stakeholder engagement,
scoping exercises, including report writing and the design and delivery of bespoke interventions
to improve confidence in legal and human rights compliant detention standards.
Provide administrative support to the cadre in the management of Visa, health, IT and learning
and development
The role requires staff to work with and influence via training delivery a broad range of UK and
foreign government stakeholders and organisations aligned to the International Counter
Terrorism Strategy.
The role requires the post holder to provide cover for the Senior Detentions Advisor in periods
of leave or other absence such as when communication is difficult when the SDA is overseas.
Information Management Assisting in all reviews, and/or writing, of MoU’s, Intensive Monitoring Mechanism’s (IMM’s),
Overseas Security Justice Assessment (OSJA’s) and/or other mechanisms where they relate to
detentions work.
Writing/adding to specialist, bespoke, ad-hoc written submissions commissioned by senior
responsible owner at mission where this related to detention conditions / regimes.
Assisting host governments with writing and implementing detentions policies, standard
operating procedures and management strategies.
Analyse project proposals to ensure operational delivery capacity, VfM and deliverability
Capture relevant datasets in a concise and meaningful manner that allows further analysis to
be presented in alpha numeric or pictorial formats.
Manage all data and reports relevant to the work of the job holder in line with current retention
period policies
Maintaining a lesson learnt database/system as part of the Monitoring, Evaluation and
Learning (MEL) process.
Maintain an accurate and up to date record of previous, and forecast calendar, of deployments
for cadre members.
Manage and treat all data as per its National Security marking up to and including Top Secret.
Influencing & Interaction
Ensuring that Partners Across Government (PAG’s) are supported in their aims by imparting the
SME’s specialist knowledge and experience into oversight groups (akin to a MAPPA board
chaired by an SMS 1 or 2 where the SME would be a senior HMPPS representative) in order to
mitigate risk that such a group may face
Assess treatment and conditions in detention underpinned by accurate reporting to the senior
owner (or designated representative) (akin to a mixed role of HMIP and Standards audit - but
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also having to attempt to fix the issues within different cultures and context without policies,
standard operating procedures or authority to fashion such change)
Responsible for mentoring in-country stakeholders (where agreed) via formal/informal means
(as applicable) with a view to raise detention standards, conditions and standard operating
procedures to enhance detainees experience and ensure Human Rights compliance.
Responsible for training in-country stakeholders (where agreed) via formal/informal means (as
applicable) with a view to raise detention standards, conditions and standard operating
procedures to enhance detainees experience and ensure Human Rights compliance.
To ensure effective partnership working is developed and in place with internal and external
partners at mission (across Her Majesty’s Government (xHMG), Non-Government
Organisations (NGO’s), United Nations (UN), etc)
Represent HMG values and principles in host nation’s detention sites influencing local
Government officials, senior managers and operational staff as to the benefits for their
detention organisations.
Ability to contextualise regimes within different cultures and produce options for change that
are acceptable, supporting such changes in a manner that is sustainable in the long term
Able to challenge processes, practice and culture in order to improve the capability of staff and
managers in the operation of a decent, safe and secure detention regime.
Emotional Demand & Risk
Job holder will travel extensively to nations that are complex, demanding and pose high
personal risk to life/limb.
Personal resilience is essential as periods away from the UK may be up to multiple weeks at a
time.
The job holder will be subject to strict security restrictions when overseas limiting freedom of
movement and potentially communications back to the UK.
The role involves the potential for exposure to non-human rights complaint detention facilities,
process and practice.
The job holder will likely engaged in interviewing detainees who may likely raise human rights
issues with such issues needing to be documenting and reporting of non-compliance with
international humanitarian law (IHL)
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Success Profile
Strengths
N.B. The below are for
Behaviours
guidance only. It is
Ability
Experience
Technical
advised strengths are
chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Seeing the Big Picture
Strategic
STRAP clearance (which is role
An in depth and breadth of
Operational accreditation
specific) will also be a
operational experience.
requirement once a job has
been offered in all cases.
Changing and Improving
Challenger
Personnel Security Team (PST)
An excellent communicator who
within FCDO will review all
can build effective relationships.
STRAP applications. Some are
referred to the Authorities for a
decision (usually on the
grounds of nationality or other
overseas connections).
Leadership
Confident
Record of implementing change
through leadership within a prison
context.
Communicating and Influencing
Influencer
Provide concise and well
considered written and oral advice
to senior officials.
Working Together
Emotionally Intelligent
Experience of using project
management tools.
Managing a Quality Service
Problem Solver
Knowledge and experience of
working in a partnership setting
with colleagues from other
agencies.
Choose an item.
Resilient
Understanding of the criminal
justice system.
Choose an item.
Adaptable
Influential and visible leader.
High-level communication and
influencing skills, with the ability to
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develop effective relationships
across the UK and foreign Criminal
Justice Networks.
Highly resilient and able to
challenge those who in some cases
may be more senior.
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