About the job

Job summary

Our reward package:

We’re looking for an exceptional International Development Coordinator to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our International Development Coordinator you will work a hybrid pattern with the expectation of being in the office at least 1 day a month. You can choose to work more frequently in our state-of-the-art office if you'd prefer.

This post is nominally based in Exeter, but we may offer other locations at our other UK Met Office sites depending on availability and suitability for the role.

Our opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week, but we would also consider applicants wishing to work a minimum of 3 days per week/18 hours per week and we will also try our best to consider those intending to work a job share.  Our people are at the heart of what we do and we'll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

Why join us?

The Met Office is accredited as a 'Great Place to Work UK 2023' and in addition has achieved a place on both the UK's 'Best Workplaces in Tech' and 'Best Workplaces for Women' lists.

We invest in our people to unlock their full potential. As our International Development Coordinator, we will support you to develop and thrive to be the best you can be.  We champion positive physical and mental health in the workplace and are committed to being an inclusive organisation, providing a working culture that actively values an equal and diverse workforce. 

As our International Development Coordinator, your starting salary will be £32100.00. New joiners to the Met Office will start on the salary band minimum. Our 2022-25 pay award means the salary will increase to £33559.00 from 1st April 2024, and you will be able to progress towards £36,000.00 over time.

Your total reward package is potentially worth up to £44696.00 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions.

Relocation Assistance may be available.

Job description

Who we are:

We provide critical weather services and world-leading climate science to deliver extraordinary impact and benefit across the globe. Our work helps people make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.

Together:

• We’re a force for good - focusing on our environmental and social impact
• We’re experts by nature - always learning and developing to do things better
• We live and breathe it - putting our purpose at the heart of decision-making
• We’re better together - understanding partnerships and inclusivity make us greater
• We keep evolving - pushing boundaries to make tomorrow better for our customers

Find out more about our values - https://bit.ly/3fokaRD

Job Purpose:

The Met Office International Engagement team work in partnership with UK Government, the global meteorological community, national governments and development agencies, to promote sustainable development through support for improved weather and climate services worldwide. Activities are focused in developing countries, including across Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia Pacific.

The International Engagement team cover a range of projects and activities to help support capacity for weather and climate services in developing countries. For example the WISER programmes (funded by FCDO) which currently covers projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Also managing the UK contribution to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Voluntary Cooperation Programme (VCP). The work under VCP includes a diverse range of impactful and rewarding projects such as support to climate observations, TV media presentation systems, and training, amongst others.

The purpose of this role is to contribute towards International Engagement team priorities through supporting effective programme and project delivery.

As our International Development Coordinator, your responsibilities may include:

• Helping to manage assigned international development activities and projects – leading where appropriate and delivering activity outcomes on time, in full, and to budget.
• Developing and maintaining beneficial relationships and networks with key stakeholders, including within WMO, developing country National Met. and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), and development partners.
• Identifying opportunities for offer development and liaise appropriately with internal teams and external stakeholders to progress opportunities and support development of bids and proposals.
• Supporting the Strategic Business Managers and VCP Manager in the preparation for relevant international meetings and visits.
• Supporting business improvement activities within the International Engagement team, including adoption of business process, systems and reporting, and representation on relevant Met Office groups as appropriate.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

1. Expert by nature: Excellent project management skills, with experience of effectively managing international projects and delivering outcomes on time, in full and to budget.
2. Better together: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to develop good working relationships and gain the trust of personnel at various levels.
3. Force for good: Self-motivated, driven, customer-oriented and results focused, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
4. Expert by nature: Excellent written and oral communication skills.
5. Live and breathe it: An organised approach to work, and the ability to discern priorities amongst a range of competing demands.
6. Live and breathe it: Willingness to travel to developing countries, on occasion, with a strong understanding of working overseas and in different cultural settings.

Desirable Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but we’re also keen to discover if you have:

1. Knowledge of the development sector/ NGOs and issues facing developing countries.
2. Experience/interest in weather forecasting, media/communications, and/or IT.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,100, Met Office contributes £8,699 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

How to apply:

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you. Apply below using your CV and a Cover Letter/Supporting Statement which evidences how you meet each of the essential criteria - we recommend candidates use the CARL (Context, Action, Result and Learning) method for presenting evidence of skills.

Closing date 04/02/2024 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 19/02/2024. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

If successful, please note we are unable to offer expenses for travel to your normal place of work. Please ask at interview if you would like extra clarity on how often this requirement is likely to be.

How we can help:

If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please contact us via careers@metoffice.gov.uk. You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We understand that great minds don’t always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK - please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.