Lead Surge Humanitarian Adviser-Preparedness

Palladium; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global consultancy firm is seeking a Lead Surge Humanitarian Advisor in London. This permanent position involves managing a team to provide humanitarian response strategies for FCDO, focusing on preparedness and operational support in crises. Candidates should have significant humanitarian work experience and the ability to deploy rapidly. The role requires strong leadership skills, crisis knowledge, and data utilization experience. The position offers a hybrid work model, requiring a minimum of three office attendance days.

Benefits

Hybrid working policy

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Significant senior humanitarian work experience in emergency settings.
• Ability to prioritize effective humanitarian assistance.
• Experience with Humanitarian data and diagnostic systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide line management support and development to staff.
• Lead and coordinate humanitarian response strategies.
• Promote learning and development within the team.

Skills

Humanitarian work experience

Ability to lead and mentor

Understanding of crisis drivers

Preparedness capabilities

Humanitarian data utilization

Job description

Lead Surge Humanitarian Advisor - Preparedness

About the Role

Areyou a humanitarian professional with management experience and technicalexpertise in preparedness and theagility to operate inside a major donor environment ?Palladium is recruiting a Lead Surge Humanitarian Advisor -Preparedness to join the Humanitarian and StabilisationOperations Team (HSOT)delivering the HEROS programme for FCDO. This role reports to the Team Leader -Advisory and Surge and manages ateam of deployable humanitarian adviserswhose core function is to provide surge capacity to FCDO in response tohumanitarian crises. The role operates across the generalist and specialistportfolio and contributes to cross-contract preparedness andthe management of the humanitarian roster. The role also leadsonhumanitarian preparedness ensuring HSOT’s preparedness offer to FCDO offices including further design anddevelopment of the offer through engagement and coordination across HSOTfunctions, collaborate with FCDO counterparts to further promote the serviceacross FCDO teams, establish and maintain evidence and feedback mechanisms andanalyse impact for dissemination and adaption

Project Overview

The Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team (HSOT) iscontracted by Palladium to deliver the Humanitarian Emergency ResponseOperations and Stabilisation Programme (HEROS), working with FCDO’sHumanitarian Response Department (HCRD) and the Migration and ConflictDirectorate (MCD), as well as multiple UK Government teams and partners in 130countries. The team provides operational and advisory support to meethumanitarian needs and restore stability in sudden-onset disasters, protractedcrises and complex emergencies.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Line Management

• Provide high quality line management support, development and guidance to staff members
  within the functional unit.
• Work with staff in order to plan the aims, objectives and priorities of their role, and set clear
  expectations for quality, accuracy, timeliness, and hold staff accountable to this through the
  annual performance review cycle.
• Strategic oversight of the work capacity and tasking of the team including leading weekly meetings and considering team ability to surge.
• Take all reasonable steps to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of staff.
• Provide clear advice, guidance, support, mentoring, coaching and access to formal training programmes as appropriate for professional development within the role, in order to motivate and enable staff to achieve consistently high performance.
• Ensure new staff are appropriately welcomed and inducted and departing staff are appropriately debriefed and acknowledged.
• Surge into FCDO teams overseas and inLondon (up to 4 weeks at a time, up to 60% of the year) to provide humanitarian advice that informs FCDO’s design and delivery of strategy, programmes and policies in the immediate aftermath of a crisis. The advice must be highquality, evidence-based and aligned with FCDO priorities, principles and international standards
• Act as the HSOT Response Lead when required, working closely with the Coordination Lead and the Director to ensure a coherent integrated approach to response, which is evidence-based, context-specific and tailored to the evolving demands of a disrupted humanitarian landscape.
• Develop and maintain the HEROS advisory tools, drawing on lessons learned and best practices.
• Support the lifecycle of the humanitarian, SBO & UNDAC rosters, providing technical inputs into recruitment, training, quality assurance and communities of practice.
• Advance FCDO’s priorities on localisation and multilateral reform through tailored advisory inputs, both within HSOT and direct to FCDO.
• Assist in strengthening engagement on Standby Partnership (SBP) and UNDAC strategy and operations by providing meaningful advisory inputs into, and ensuring implementation of, SBP & UNDAC annual strategies, representing FCDO at annual SBP & UNDAC events, working groups etc., reviewing mid & end point mission reports, contributing to client reporting and risk & issue identification and mitigation.
• Support HCRD to integrate humanitarian concerns across FCDO and other Government Department’s work as requested, advising on possible risks, opportunities and solutions.
• Promote and champion learning, development and professional excellence and ensure the skillset remains relevant and contributes to an active learning culture in the team.
• Develop strong relationships across FCDO to maintain familiarity with policies, priorities and practices.
• Maintain strong relationships and networks with external actors that complement but do not cut across FCDO relationships.
• Provide technicaland strategic advice and support to FCDO on improving humanitarianpreparedness. This will include:
  Lead HSOT’s preparedness offerto FCDO teams including further design and development of the offer through engagement and coordination across HSOT functions, collaborate with FCDO counterparts to further promote the service across FCDO, establish and maintain evidence and feedback mechanisms and analyse impact for dissemination and adaption.
• Manage all aspects of theHumanitarian Crisis Preparedness Helpdesk, including further development, communications pushes, and day to day management of incoming requests as Helpdesk Manager. Work with the HSOT Lead HA and Advisory TL to allocate work across the advisory team, and across HSOT as needed,in collaboration with HCRD focal points.
• Work with HCRD and other relevant teams (Desk, CMD, MCD) to provide direct preparedness support to prioritised Geographic teams(Posts and Desks) in areas considered as high risk of humanitarian disasters including a) review and development of approaches for improvement of existing risk analysis and Crisis Management Planning; b) provide support with training and exercising to FCDO and relevant HMG staff c) liaison with potential partners and donors at national and regional level in collaboration with staff at Post d) liaison with key HMG departments (e) joint preparedness planning
• Work with HCRD and other relevant teamstodevelop and maintain a humanitarian preparedness approach, tools and guidance which clearly articulates recommended actions for FCDO Geographic teams across the country network. Provide advice to HCRD to ensure that the approach remains relevant through FCDO 2030 transition.
• Support HCRD with aclear humanitarian preparedness package of support forHCRD Core Response Contextswhich includes periodic in-depth support plus annual refreshers / check-ins.
• Collate instances ofbest practiceand develop tools that would enable FCDO to replicate successful practices in other contexts
• Ensure therosterhas adequate depth and breadth for preparedness work, including developing and delivering trainings for HA and HAO consultants.
• Work with HCRD, HPPD and the wider FCDO network toprovide inputs into advocacy, policy and programmesdesigned to move the needle, with a strong focus on providing feedback on operational realities and how these might reinforce or undermine FCDO priorities.
• Work constructively with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• Share knowledge, support others, and contribute to a positive team culture.
• Be open to feedback and willing to adapt to meet team needs.
• Be aware of potential risks to effective and responsible programme management and contribute to mitigation measures according to job role.
• Be familiar with and actively participate in established risk management procedures, including reporting issues against identified risks and failures of mitigation measures.
• Contribute to risk assessment activities and suggest improvements.

Other Duties

• Participate in HEST training and work to mitigate safety and security threats for self and others
• Undertake any other duties as appropriate to the position, as requested.
• Participate in Duty Officer system rotation, providing week-long out of hours surveillance of emergencies
• Contribute to HEROS contract monthly, quarterly, annual contractual reporting on specialist portfolio, and provide support as requested in support of results-based reporting.
• Support business Transition and Exit Planning: Play a pivotal role in adapting to system upgrades and organizational changes, ensuring the workforce is aligned with future business needs. Lead on providing data inputs during the transition phase.
• This position follows Palladium’s hybrid working policy, requiring a minimum attendance of three days in the office.
  As appropriate, engage with Palladium UKEA regional team fora and initiatives.

Key Skills and Knowledge

• Significant relevant senior humanitarian work experience in emergency settings, including country office level, preferably across range of humanitarian responses and programmes in rapid onset and protracted crisis settings.
• Ability to prioritise effective humanitarian assistance to people in greatest nee
• A bility to lead, train and mentor staff.
• Proven experience of using Humanitarian data and diagnostic ecosystem, processes, products and utility including
• Understanding of Crisis drivers of humanitarian need, their interlinkages and trajectory (e.g. sudden onset, recurring or protracted crises)
• Available for rapid deployment at short notice for periods of up to 4 weeks for up to 60% of the time.
• Preparedness/response capabilities in priority sectors and multi-sector areas including their effectiveness; appropriateness; relevance; coverage; risks
• Utilisation of Evidence base, technology and innovation: including science and evidence of what works in different types of crises and contexts; economic concepts over what offers best VFM;
• Use of available UK levers: including programming, influence and diplomacy across the HMG network.
• Act with integrity, reliability, and respect in all interactions
• Represent Palladium positively in all professional settings
• Take ownership of tasks and responsibilities.
• Deliver work to agreed standards and deadlines.
• Follow through on commitments and raise concerns early when issues arise.

The role is a permanent contract, applicants must hold the valid right to work in the UK and 2 year footprint in the UK to meet the compliance requirements for the role. The closing date for the advert is 11th January 2026.