The British High Commission in Nairobi is inviting applications for the position of Regional Crisis Adviser (East and West Africa) at the Executive Officer (EO) grade. This role sits within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) consular framework and offers a unique opportunity to contribute to strengthening crisis management preparedness across British diplomatic posts in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The position requires extensive engagement with diplomatic missions across the East and West Africa region. It is designed to enhance crisis resilience by ensuring that posts have robust plans, consistent training, and tested response mechanisms. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in building regional readiness to respond to crises that could affect British citizens and interests abroad.
The role will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, at the British High Commission, with regular travel across the region. It is a permanent position with a workload of 36.25 hours per week.
Main Purpose of the Role
The Regional Crisis Adviser will ensure that British diplomatic missions across East and West Africa are adequately prepared to respond to crises of varying scales and complexities. This involves assessing risk, developing preparedness strategies, coordinating training and exercises, and supporting posts when crises emerge.
The adviser will act as a central link between the FCDO’s Crisis Management Department in headquarters and diplomatic missions across the region. The role involves championing the FCDO’s crisis management methodology, ensuring that posts maintain consistent and effective standards, and sharing lessons learned from past crises to improve future response capabilities.
As one of two Regional Crisis Advisers in Sub-Saharan Africa, the successful candidate will work closely with the counterpart based in Cape Town, South Africa. Together, they will contribute to regional strategy and provide leadership in crisis management across the network.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Regional Crisis Adviser are divided into several interconnected areas:
1. Crisis Preparedness and Risk
- Develop and support a coherent approach to crisis management across East and West Africa.
- Ensure that posts maintain up-to-date and effective crisis management plans in line with FCDO standards.
- Track regional risks, carry out horizon scanning, and advise on preparedness strategies.
- Provide consistent and high-quality guidance, training, and recommendations to improve resilience.
2. Crisis Response
- Provide direct support and advice to diplomatic posts during crises or when a crisis is imminent.
- Offer technical input and act as a key adviser to post crisis management committees to ensure responses are timely, coordinated, and aligned with FCDO policies.
3. Crisis Improvement and Learning
- Monitor and review crisis risks within the region, ensuring lessons from previous incidents and exercises are incorporated into plans.
- Feed into broader consular and crisis policy development by highlighting key risks to the FCDO Crisis Management Department and Consular Regional Director.
- Actively contribute to lessons-learned processes, ensuring best practices are shared and embedded across the network.
4. Network and Post Support
- Prioritise support to posts based on assessed risks and needs.
- Provide expert advice to embassies and high commissions on crisis preparedness, embedding a whole-mission approach to crisis planning.
- Encourage collaboration across different departments and country teams to strengthen crisis readiness.
5. Quality Assurance
- Oversee the development and approval of crisis management plans for posts in the region.
- Ensure consistency of quality while allowing for local adaptation based on context.
- Work closely with the FCDO Preparedness and Risk Team to identify capability gaps and provide support to address them.
6. Training and Exercising
- Deliver crisis management training tailored to the needs of individual posts.
- Liaise with the FCDO Training and Exercising Team to align regional efforts with central guidance.
- Identify learning gaps, coordinate exercises, and assist in delivering overseas training events.
- Encourage staff across the region to complete crisis modules within the International Academy’s foundation training.
7. Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain strong relationships with host country authorities and regional crisis management structures.
- Keep an up-to-date network of local and regional crisis contacts.
- Engage with senior leadership across the region, providing constructive feedback and influencing improvements in preparedness.
8. Lessons Learned
- Facilitate post-crisis and exercise reviews, ensuring findings are documented and shared regionally.
- Support posts in integrating lessons into revised plans and procedures.
- Work closely with FCDO headquarters to ensure regional insights feed into global crisis management development.
9. Crisis Management Portal
- Act as a regional champion for the FCDO’s Crisis Management Portal IT system.
- Support posts in maintaining access, training staff, and applying the latest system updates.
- Ensure that the portal is effectively used to strengthen response coordination and planning.
10. Crisis Response Support
- Collaborate with the Crisis Management Department and Consular Regional Director to provide timely advice and assistance to posts facing crises.
- Contribute to regional coordination and escalation where crises cross borders or affect multiple posts.
11. Corporate Contribution
- Contribute up to 10 percent of working time to corporate initiatives within the British High Commission Nairobi.
- Support local crisis preparedness in Kenya.
- Participate in staff committees and people-centred initiatives that contribute to the workplace culture.
Resources and Management
The role will include responsibility for managing a regional travel budget. Although there is no direct line management of staff, the adviser will frequently lead on projects, exercises, and training events, requiring strong coordination skills and the ability to influence senior decision-makers.
Working Conditions
- The role is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
- It requires frequent travel across East and West Africa to support diplomatic posts.
- Standard working hours are 36.25 hours per week, though flexibility may be required when undertaking regional travel or responding to urgent crises.
- The successful candidate will have access to office facilities at the British High Commission.
Salary and Benefits
- Salary: KES 280,165.78 per month (subject to statutory deductions and local income tax obligations).
- The position is permanent, subject to the standard terms and conditions of service of the British High Commission in Kenya.
- Employees recruited locally are subject to Kenyan employment law.
- Additional learning and development opportunities are available through the FCDO’s International Academy, particularly the Consular and Crisis Faculty.
Important Application Information
- Application deadline: 30 September 2025.
- Start date: 3 November 2025.
- Number of vacancies: 1.
- All applicants must already have the right to live and work in Kenya without requiring a work permit.
- Reference and security checks will be conducted for successful candidates.
- The British High Commission will never request fees or payments at any stage of the recruitment process.
- Applications must be completed in full before submission. Once submitted, changes cannot be made.
- The application process is only available through the official portal hosted on tal.net. Candidates applying via third-party platforms should ensure their application links back to the official system.
- Candidates who are deemed appointable but not selected may be placed on a six-month reserve list. If a similar role becomes available during this period, the position may be offered to reserve candidates.
- The British Government encourages authenticity in applications. While formatting tools may be used, content should reflect genuine professional experiences and achievements.
Application Process
Interested candidates are required to apply through the official application portal. Applications submitted through other platforms will not be considered.
