View Vacancy – Serious and Organised Crime strategy officer (BEL21.250)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a worldwide network of embassies and consulates, employing over 14,000 people in nearly 270 diplomatic offices. We work with international organisations to promote UK interests and global security, including the EU, NATO, the United Nations, the UN Security Council and the Commonwealth. Our daily work relies on the input of dedicated individuals who engage on many different topics and activities. We seek to employ a diverse range of candidates who bring their own talents and perspectives to the role. We have a strong corporate agenda that ensures we create a positive and inclusive working environment where everyone is valued for their contribution. Currently, we’re looking for a Serious and Organised Crime strategy officer to join our busy Political and Public Diplomacy (PPD) Team.

This is a new role with clearly defined project outcomes to be delivered by the end of the financial year. The job holder will be responsible for fully analysing the Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) threat picture across Belgium. They will work with UK operational agencies and diplomatic political leads to understand the strands of work. They will be responsible for developing strategic recommendations for engagement and programming in the medium and long term.

Belgium’s position as a major European transit point is exploited by organised criminal groups. Antwerp is a major transit point for illicit drugs entering Europe and the UK. Belgium is a transit country for illegal migration to the UK, either directly or via Northern France. Organised immigration crime also systematically targets transit through Zeebrugge, with tragic results including the death of 39 migrants in a refrigerated container in Essex in 2019. Illicit cigarette production and storage is a significant and growing threat. Money laundering and false documentation are also issues of interest.

PPD sits at the heart of the British Embassy to Belgium. The team engages the Government of Belgium and provides reporting, analysis and external communications to support a range of UK interests in Belgium, including economic, security, climate change and foreign policy.

This is an exciting opportunity to support the UK’s ambitious agenda in Belgium, at a fascinating time following the UK’s departure from the EU. The role sits as part of a busy team whose focus shifts according to external events and changing political priorities. The team has a supportive work culture in which members work flexibly to support each other and share their skills.

The job of an Embassy is to understand the country it operates in. The job-holder may be required to travel to different parts of Belgium to engage with interlocutors as necessary. We encourage our staff to share their expertise and insights on Belgium, particularly across the areas on which the Embassy focusses, in order to deepen our understanding and promote a culture of debate.

Post-COVID, the Embassy will be adopting “hybrid” working allowing staff to switch between home and office working, with a minimum core expectation of the hours that will be spent working from the office.

Roles and responsibilities:

Understand the full SOC threat picture

• Manage research and analysis project on threat picture, including on organised immigration crime, small boat activity, fraudulent travel documents, ICG/narcotics, illicit cigarette production and extremist activity online. If necessary, this could include contracting out analysis to an external partner, and managing their delivery.
• Carry out stakeholder mapping of key actors. In addition to delivery partners, this would include relevant private sector, civil society, academia and think tanks at post.
• Use this evidential base to design HMG interventions and create a senior engagement plan. This would build on existing priorities, by bringing greater clarity and direction to the areas of greatest importance and potential added value for HMG.

Engage stakeholders and build consensus on priorities for UK-Belgium cooperation

• Support diplomatic discussions with key interlocutors
• Engage stakeholders through a series of thematic workshops on key topics (migration, drugs, illicit goods).
• Linking into the UK “Force for Good” agenda we would aim to ensure diverse and inclusive discussions including from under-represented groups (women, minority groups).
• Develop and engage on cooperation priorities and programmes going forward.

Contribute to regional SOC programmes

• Secure UK objectives on regional initiatives, including on drugs and illegal migration, working with colleagues in regional posts such as Paris and The Hague (there may be some opportunities for regional travel).

• Fluency level of English and Dutch or French languages both oral and written (written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
• Knowledge of Serious Organised Crime challenges in Belgium ;
• Research skills including the ability to search and organise information, analyse data and present findings effectively;
• Previous experience of threat analysis in a relevant field;
• Experience of working independently to deliver clearly defined outcomes;
• Good interpersonal and influencing skills to be able to develop and maintain a network of key contacts (both in Belgium and the UK);
• Ability to work and deliver project outcomes within deadlines.