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Location
London, UK
Anticipated start date
Subject to contract award
About ASI
Adam Smith International is a global advisory company that works locally to transform lives by making economies stronger, societies safer, and governments more effective. We work on behalf of governments, foundations and companies that share our ambition to take on the big challenges facing the world. They come to us to develop strategies and to design, deliver and evaluate programmes that, in turn, stimulate economic growth, stability and good governance. For nearly three decades in almost 100 countries, we have been working in partnership with governments, the private sector and civil society in countries at all stages of development.
This role is being advertised ahead of a forthcoming tender. Appointment is subject to ASI being awarded the contract.
About the programme
HEROS 2.0 Lot 2 is intended to provide the Conflict Expert Advisory Service (CEAS), a dedicated capability deploying conflict, security and stabilisation expertise at short notice to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) teams, overseas posts, other UK Government departments and external partners, including in fragile and insecure environments.
As one component of FCDO’s emerging Conflict and Violence Community of Expertise, Lot 2 will provide expert advisory and deployment support to help prevent, mitigate and resolve conflict in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The service is expected to deliver approximately 90 expert deployments a year across a broad range of specialisms, including conflict and risk analysis, mediation, stabilisation, security sector governance, prevention of sexual violence in conflict (PSVI), and serious organised crime.
We are preparing to bid for this important programme and are seeking an exceptional Team Leader to help shape and lead its delivery, combining strategic direction and technical credibility with the operational rigour required to mobilise expertise at pace and scale.
About the role
We are looking for an individual to provide strategic oversight combined with strong operational delivery. The Team Leader will serve as ASI’s senior representative to FCDO and will be responsible for driving mobilisation, roster readiness, deployment management and performance against KPIs. Leading multidisciplinary teams, the Team Leader will ensure the service is ready to surge at short notice, that experts are deployable, appropriately cleared, and safe, and that delivery consistently meets compliance, duty-of-care and value-for-money standards.
Key responsibilities
· Act as ASI’s senior representative to FCDO, working closely with the contract management team to ensure responsiveness, timely reporting and trusted advisory support.
· Provide technical leadership across the CEAS portfolio, ensuring expert deployments remain aligned with FCDO conflict priorities and emerging policy needs.
· Position CEAS effectively within the wider Conflict and Violence Community of Expertise, coordinating with other FCDO partnerships to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication.
· Build and maintain relationships with conflict, security and stabilisation stakeholders across HMG.
· Provide strategic oversight of end-to-end deployment delivery: commissioning, tasking, mobilisation, in-deployment management and post-deployment reporting against agreed objectives and terms of reference.
· Maintain a state of readiness to surge, ensuring experts can be deployed within demanding, task-dependent timescales.
· Oversee recruitment, roster management and effective management of conflict and security experts, ensuring individuals have the relevant expertise, are suitably trained, appropriately cleared and deployable at short notice.
· Provide overall management and accountability for Lot 2 delivery, including financial oversight of the contract.
· Lead a multidisciplinary delivery team (including HR, security, ICT, finance and MEL functions) supporting expert deployment management, fostering collaboration and performance under pressure.
· Maintain a single, coherent management and governance structure, ensuring seamless delivery of all CEAS outputs.
· Maintain effective risk management and compliance with HMG guidance, and lead the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) approach for the service, translating lessons into tracked improvement actions.
Essential requirements
· At least 15 years’ relevant experience in conflict, security and stabilisation, including substantial experience of FCDO or wider HMG programming.
· Experience working across UK Government departments.
· Eligible to obtain SC clearance; existing SC or DV clearance desirable.
· Proven experience managing deployments or surge teams in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
· Experience leading the delivery of major programmes, including financial and performance accountability.
· Deep understanding of conflict prevention, stabilisation, security sector governance, mediation and/or conflict analysis.
· Strong understanding of deploying personnel into hostile and insecure environments, including duty-of-care, security clearance and safeguarding requirements.
· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our staff. We welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, race, colour, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age.
Application Deadline: 18 September 2026
Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates may be contacted prior to the closing date as suitable profiles are identified.