Opportunity in the Middle East Programme

Opportunity in the Middle East Programme Forward Thinking is a British NGO working in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and political dialogue in the Middle East and North Africa. We seek an outstanding candidate to help drive quality programme delivery and development in our Middle East Programme. The goal of this programme is to build support for an inclusive and sustainable Israeli – Palestinian peace process by engaging influential constituencies that have been excluded from the mainstream peace discourse.We are looking for a self-starter with excellent project delivery, communication and relationship-building skills. The role will be based in London with frequent travel to Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories. You will be a key part of the Forward Thinking team, reporting directly to the Director of Forward Thinking.The Role:  The role is diverse and requires the ability to learn fast, take initiative and balance independence with teamwork. As one of the two core members of the Middle East team you will, together, lead and deliver all aspects of the programme from logistics to facilitation of high-level meetings. This will include reporting, budget management, research, and building and maintaining relationships with the diverse members of our network, both within the region and the UK. You will have the opportunity to contribute to strategy, policy and learning across Forward Thinking’s projects in the UK and Middle East – Gulf region. Required technical experience, knowledge and skills:

• Relevant experience of project delivery, proven ability to manage competing priorities and a track record of delivering on ambitious targets;
• Demonstrable experience of budget management, grant management and developing / delivering monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) approaches;
• Fluency in English and excellent written and spoken communications; demonstrable experience of policy paper drafting, proposal development and/or securing funding highly desirable;
• Strong working knowledge of the MENA region and / or Israeli-Palestinian context;
• A commitment to, and respect for, facilitating inclusive dialogue with groups holding highly diverse political, religious and ideological views;
• Undergraduate degree in a related field (politics, history, languages, political sciences etc) or relevant experience essential; postgraduate qualification desirable.

Required competencies:

• Excellent relationship building skills, with an ability to navigate the different approaches required to engage political, religious, civil society and governmental stakeholders in an Israeli – Palestinian context; experience working with parliamentarians and policymakers at an international level desirable;
• Strategic thinking, with the skills to initiate and build new partnerships and source funding opportunities;
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to write concisely, persuasively and to tailor your writing to a range of different audiences, including stakeholders, policymakers and funders;
• Able to prioritise effectively to tight deadlines and manage logistical and strategic responsibilities concurrently;
• A ‘can-do’ attitude, with excellent problem-solving skills and ability to respond calmly and flexibly in a fast-paced and conflict-affected environment.

Contract type and SalaryThis will be a permanent (subject to a period of probation), full time position. Salary will be £30,000 plus, subject to experience.How to applyPlease write to applications@forward-thinking.org with your CV and short covering letter (no more than two sides of A4) explaining your interest in the position and why you would be well suited to the role.  Please put in the subject line of your email: Middle East Programme Application.Application periodApplications will be accepted from today until the 25th of February at midnight. Any applications received outside of this period will not be considered.Interviews and start dateApplicants we would like to invite for interview will be contacting on a rolling basis, with the first round of interviews beginning from the 18^th of February. We intend for the first round of interviews to conclude by the 1^st of March. A second round of interviews will then take place from the week of the 4^th of March, and we will look for an immediate start.Due to the high volume of applications we expect to receive, we will not write individually to unsuccessful candidates. If you do not hear from us by the 27th of February, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.