Regional Support Officer

Regional Support Officer – Various (Southern Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia)

Location – HALO HQ in either Thornhill, Scotland or Wilton, Salisbury or being regionally based with a requirement for frequent travel internationally to HALO programmes.

Contract: Permanent, full time

Salary: Between £25,000 and £32,000 dependent upon experience

Introduction

The HALO Trust was established in Afghanistan in 1988 and is now the world’s largest humanitarian mine action organisation. We save lives and restore livelihoods of those affected by conflict; of communities threatened by landmines and other explosive remnants of war, such as cluster bombs and improvised explosive devices.

HALO employs over 10,000 staff in 30 countries and territories, which are organised into seven regions across the globe and managed from our UK headquarters under the Programmes Group. Each HALO region is led by a Head of Region (HoR), who has formal responsibilities for clusters of country programmes.

Position

HALO is seeking to appoint a number of Regional Support Officers (RSO) to underpin the work of the HoRs, currently in (but not limited to) the following regions:

• Middle East (Yemen, Libya, West Bank, Syria and Iraq)
• Southern Africa (Angola and Zimbabwe)
• Southeast Asia (Sri Lanka and Myanmar)

Post holders will be based in either our UK HQ offices, forward-based within the region, or remotely depending upon the region being covered. Travel to the region being covered will be required. RSOs will report to the Head of Region, coordinate with HQ departments, and work directly with country teams to facilitate work and projects required. In return, HALO offers the opportunity for professional development and training, presenting the successful candidate with the opportunity to strengthen their career prospects in their areas of interest. RSOs may cover one or multiple regions.

Responsibilities

RSOs provide a wide range of assistance, supporting regional management and oversight. As a part of any regional team, they will need to actively engage with other departments to provide support to in-country programme teams and provide continuity in a fast-paced and dispersed organisation.

Duties will include but are not limited to:

Administration

• Representing and note taking at programme and HQ meetings and writing clear, concise briefs to pass on key information to senior management.
• Other administrative and secretarial duties such as arranging meetings, travel arrangements, and communications on behalf of the HoRs.

Donor and Contract Management

• Donor proposal development and assistance with written submissions.
• Donor grant management, including output and reporting compliance, editing, and proof-reading of reports.
• Maintenance of HALO donor documents (proposals, reports etc.) within internal shared spaces.
• Setting deadlines and coordinating across teams for timely submission of reports and proposals.

Compliance and Regional Oversight

• Supporting regional compliance with HALO policies and procedures.
• Supporting the HoRs/programmes in collating and preparing internal reports.
• Providing monitoring of reports and tools to ensure corrective actions.
• Support on the management and use of databases and trackers such as accident, incident and near-miss database, recommendation tracker and corrective actions.

Communications

• Monitoring emails and internal HALO communications, supporting with dissemination of information when necessary.
• Assisting HoRs in coordination and communication with other HALO regions and groups, particularly Strategy, and Communications and Fundraising.
• Supporting HoRs with regional programme communications materials, such as presentations and briefing documents.
• Providing support with internal communication to programmes teams of HQ information.

All HALO staff are expected to undertake the following general duties:

• Work within the framework of HALO’s values and standards, promoting its ethos and mission statement.
• Work towards achieving programme and/or group business plan objectives.
• Ensure familiarity with and adhere to all HALO policies and procedures and keep informed of HALO activities.

Discharge duties and responsibilities under HALO’s Health and Safety Procedures which may include Risk and COSHH Assessments and participation in evacuation procedures as necessary.

RSOs must demonstrate an ability to take direction and prioritise work effectively to meet competing deadlines, bringing together a dispersed team with initiative, independence and attention to detail. RSOs act as a conduit between programmes, HQ and HoRs to better enable clear communication, support and administration.

Communication through excellent written and spoken English, proficiency across Microsoft Office software, and proven administrative experience in a demanding office environment are essential. The role will require regular communication with the HoRs and regional teams, whether in person or remotely, in all aspects of regional business.

Essential requirements

• An undergraduate degree in a related subject, or recent equivalent experience
• Administration experience
• Good written and spoken English (IELTS 6 or above)
• Proven experience of working with remote teams
• Resilient with the ability to adapt to a complex, fast-paced, and ever-changing environment
• Excellent communicator who can build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels
• Strong numerical skills
• Willingness to travel to HALO overseas programmes

Desirable requirements

• Project management experience
• Experience of managing donor contracts
• Relevant language skills (Portuguese, Arabic)

All HALO staff are expected to undertake the following general duties:

• Work within the framework of HALO’s core values, promoting its ethos and mission.
• Work towards achieving programme and/or group business plan objectives.
• Ensure familiarity with and adhere to all HALO policies and procedures and keep informed of HALO activities.
• Travel overseas as and when required.
• To discharge duties and responsibilities under HALO’s Health and Safety Procedures which may include Risk and COSHH Assessments and participation in evacuation procedures as necessary.

Benefits of working at HALO:

The benefits of this role will be dependent upon whether the RSO is based in HALO HQ in the UK or internationally, outside of their home country. Employment based within the candidate’s home country may have alternative benefits.

HALO HQ UK Based:

• Salary up to £32,000 based upon experience.
• Annual Leave: 25 days plus 8 statutory holidays

• Non-contributory life assurance
• Pension contributions matched by HALO up to 5%
• Emergency medical insurance when travelling overseas.
• Flexible working policy.

Regionally-based (outside of home country):

• Salary up to £25,956 dependent upon experience.
• Local overseas allowance of $350 per month
• Shared accommodation in HALO accommodation provided at nil cost.
• 49 days of leave annually (weekend inclusive equivalent to 7 weeks of pay leave)
• Three economy return flights to the member’s official home address (or an alternative location up to an equivalent cost)
• Comprehensive insurance package: life assurance and emergency medical insurance, including evacuation and repatriation.

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and supporting statement (no more than 2 pages) in English detailing why you are suitable for this role, before the closing date for applications which is 24 September 2023. If there is a sufficient calibre of applicants, we reserve the right to close the role earlier than the date noted.

In addition to confirming that you can meet the essential skills, competencies and HALO’s values, job offers are subject to two satisfactory references, a pre-employment medical and a criminal record check.

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people form a diverse candidate pool.

HALO requires its applicants to work in line with our values, which are:

• Courage
• Discipline
• Integrity
• Respect for Others
• Loyalty
• Selfless Commitment