Justice & Home Affairs Support Officer

Position description

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.

The British Embassy in Brussels is part of a world-wide network of nearly 270 Diplomatic Posts, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. We are now looking for a Justice & Home Affairs (JHA) Support Officer.

Main purpose of job:

The holder of this position will play a key role in supporting British Embassy Brussels’ work on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). You will support the Embassy JHA lead, covering a range of areas such as asylum and migration policy, prison reform, criminal justice and human rights. There will also be opportunities to work on other areas as priorities dictate.

You will monitor and analyse developments in Belgian JHA policy, supporting the JHA lead to produce high quality written reporting in English. You will need to quickly build expertise, including by following media reporting, identifying and summarising open source data, and reaching out to external stakeholders where necessary. Your reporting will inform the Embassy’s work on areas such as organised immigration and drugs crime and counter-terrorism. As such, this role provides the opportunity to work high-profile areas of cooperation between the UK and Belgium, and your work will have impact in London and strengthen the UK-Belgium bilateral relationship. 

You will play an important role in the delivery of JHA objectives by organising regular coordination meetings, bilateral set-piece events and supporting the organisation of Ministerial visits. 

You will demonstrate professional working behaviours and be a role model for other staff, making a positive contribution to the embassy as a whole. You will be comfortable dealing with external stakeholders when necessary.

You will be working in a friendly and supportive team, alongside colleagues with a wide range of experiences. So whilst you will be given plenty of freedom to succeed, you will be working in nurturing environment with plenty of guidance and support.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Monitor, analyse and report Justice and Home Affairs policy developments in Belgium, responding to commissions and proactively identifying areas of interest;
• Draw together various sources of information to produce high quality written reports;
• Support other colleagues in the embassy (taking the record of meetings, conducting research, giving advice on Belgian personalities and institutions, drafting briefing);
• Support planning for visits of UK ministers and officials and set-piece JHA events;
• Organise regular cross-embassy law enforcement coordination meetings;
• Contribute to wider embassy objectives.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

Our ideal Candidate shows: 

• Full professional proficiency in English, French and/or Dutch (written and spoken, minimum of C1 level for CEFR framework*);
• Experience in drafting, reporting, good research and analytical skills;
• Masters Degree in International Relations, Politics, History, Economics, Social Sciences or similar;
• Ability to prioritise, effectively manage and execute multiple and competing tasks within the agreed deadlines;
• A strong team player with good people skills; strong ability to network and interact;
• Strong written and oral communication;
• Full proficiency in MS Office applications.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

Nice to have: 

• Previous experience working on Justice and Home Affairs issues;
• Previous experience of working in NGO’s, Think-Tanks, governments;
• Previous experience of working with UK Government Departments.
  

Required behaviours  

Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together

Application instructions

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