# SONAC - Senior Advisor, Middle East

**Company**: Ministry of Defence
**Location**: City of Westminster, Greater London
**Work arrangement**: hybrid
**Experience**: senior
**Job type**: Full time
**Salary**: GBP 46,040 per year
**Category**: Policy & Public Affairs
**Industry**: Government

**Apply**: https://www.jobsgopublic.com/job/sonac-senior-advisor-middle-east-105056?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
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## Description

This role sits within SONAC's Strategic Issues Team and reports to the Assistant Head (B2/Grade 7).

SONAC (Secretary of State's Office of Net Assessment and Challenge) is a small and inclusive team at the heart of the MOD that provides independent advice to the Defence Secretary and senior MOD officials.

The SONAC team deliberately combines a diverse range of experience from policy, analysis, strategy, intelligence and academia.

SONAC's Middle East senior advisor examines the strategic dynamics shaping the region and their implications for UK defence and national security.

The role provides independent analysis and challenge on issues including regional security, geopolitical competition, conflict, defence modernisation, partnerships, resilience and emerging trends across the Middle East.

**Key Responsibilities:**

- Lead analytical projects examining strategic developments and trends in the Middle East and their implications for UK defence and security.

- Identify emerging risks, opportunities and strategic discontinuities that may affect UK interests in the Middle East and beyond.

- Produce high-quality written outputs, including assessments, briefings, reports and submissions for senior MOD and cross-government audiences.

- Work with regional policy and strategy teams to challenge and improve their work.

- Support SONAC net assessments, strategic studies, red teaming and wider analytical work through the application of regional expertise.

- Develop innovative approaches to analysing complex regional issues, including the use of structured analytical techniques and alternative perspectives.

- Brief senior military officers, civil servants and ministers on key findings and strategic implications.

- Build and maintain effective relationships across Defence, Whitehall, the intelligence community, academia and external experts.

- Develop and manage a network of external regional specialists and thought leaders to bring new perspectives into Defence.

- Support the design and delivery of conferences, expert workshops, roundtables and other engagement activities.

- Represent SONAC, where appropriate, in engagements across MOD, wider government and with selected international partners.

**Requirements:**

- Strong knowledge of the Middle East region, demonstrated through academic study, professional experience, research or policy work.

- Experience providing strategic advice or analysis, and translating complex information into clear, concise and actionable insights.

- Excellent drafting skills and the ability to produce high-quality written products for senior audiences.

- Strong understanding of international security, defence, foreign policy or geopolitical issues.

- Experience of engaging with and influencing stakeholders across a range of organisations and disciplines.

- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to brief and engage senior audiences confidently.

- Strong critical thinking and analytical skills, including the ability to challenge assumptions constructively and identify alternative perspectives.

- Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs at pace.

**Benefits:**

- Salary of £46,040 per year

- Contribution of £13,337 towards the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme

- Learning and development tailored to your role

- An environment with flexible working options

- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

## Skills

### Required
- strategic analysis
- policy development
- communication
- influencing
- analytical skills

### Nice to have
- postgraduate qualification in Middle East studies
- relevant language skills
- experience of net assessment
- horizon scanning
- strategic foresight

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