DFID Recruitment: A Fact Sheet

20 August 2008

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About DFID

The Department for International Development (DFID) is the UK Government department responsible for promoting sustainable development and reducing poverty. The central focus of the Government’s policy, based on the 1997, 2000 and 2006 White Papers on International Development, is a commitment to the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved by 2015. These seek to:

Achieve universal primary education

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Develop a global partnership for development

Ensure environmental sustainability

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Improve maternal health

Promote gender equality and empower women

Reduce child mortality

DFID’s assistance is concentrated in the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, but also contributes to poverty reduction and sustainable development in middle-income countries, including those in Latin America and Eastern Europe.

DFID works in partnership with governments committed to the Millennium Development Goals, with civil society, the private sector and the research community. It also works with multilateral institutions, including the World Bank, United Nations agencies and the European Commission.

DFID has headquarters in London and East Kilbride, offices in many developing countries and staff based in British embassies and high commissions around the world.

1. Employment in the United Kingdom

1.1 General Information

In accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment principles our vacancies are filled on merit by fair and open competition. As a result DFID no longer maintains a database or register of available personnel and we do not accept applications on a speculative basis, or hold CVs on file in consideration for future vacancies. Details of current vacancies can be found on the DFID website www.dfid.gov.uk under the heading ‘Recruitment’.

1.2 Administrative Grades

We occasionally recruit for C2 (Administrative Assistant) and C1 (Administrative Officer) grades for both our London and East Kilbride headquarters. When a recruitment drive takes place, London posts are advertised on the DFID website and in the local press; East Kilbride posts are advertised on the DFID website, in local job centres and in the local press.

C2 Administrative Staff are expected to work as part of a team and typically would be asked to undertake the following duties: distribution of documents; faxing; photocopying; computer-based work. C1 Administration Staff’s work will be fairly standard or routine but more complex than C2 level requiring a degree of discretion and initiative. S/he may have some limited supervisory responsibilities and financial authority.

Personal Qualities for Band C Staff

You will need to be a good communicator and possess good organisational and interpersonal skills. You should be able to work in a methodical and organised way, and be able to act upon instructions. Numeracy is important, along with the ability to adapt to new work situations, think ahead, prioritise as you go and put over a point of view clearly.

1.3 Temporary Administrative Vacancies

When temporary administrative vacancies arise within DFID, we use the services of local recruitment agencies to fill them. Listed below are contact details for the employment agency DFID currently uses for our East Kilbride and London offices. Registration with this agency is not a guarantee of employment with DFID.

For East Kilbride HQ

Manpower
12 Bothwell Street
Glasgow
G2 6NU
Tel: 0141 226 4291
Fax: 0141 221 5713
Email: Glasgow.Branch.Manager@manpower.co.uk

For London HQ

Manpower
7 Butler Place
London
SW1H 0QD
Tel: 020 7222 4554
Fax: 020 7233 4232
Email: Victoria.Branch@manpower.co.uk

1.4 Grade B2 (Executive Officer) Junior Managers

Opportunities for direct entry into DFID at Junior Management level (ie Grade B2, Executive Officer) are not common. Personnel are normally promoted to Grade B2 from within the existing Administration Officer cadre through internal competition. When DFID does undertake external recruitment for Junior Manager posts, advertisements are placed in the national press and on the DFID website.

1.5 Advisory, Specialist Staff and Senior Managers

We recruit advisers, specialists and/or senior managers according to the needs of our development activities. All appointments are advertised in the UK national press (publications such as the Guardian, the Telegraph or the Economist) in any appropriate professional journals and on the DFID website.

We regularly recruit for advisers and specialist staff in the following groups:

Professional Economics

Professional Education

Professional Private Sector Development

Professional Environment

Professional Governance & Conflict

Professional Health

Professional Humanitarian

Professional Infrastructure

Professional Livelihoods

Professional Social Development

Professional Statistics

Specialist Communications

Specialist Accounting/Audit Finance

Specialist Human Resources

Specialist Information Technology (IT)

Specialist Procurement

1.6 Nationality Criteria

The eligibility criteria for DFID posts are derived from the legislation on employment in the United Kingdom. Candidates should either be nationals of Member States of the European Economic Area (EEA), Swiss nationals, Turkish nationals or Commonwealth citizens.

Certain family members of EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationals (who are not themselves EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals) may also be eligible to apply for employment in the civil service.

For general guidance on Nationality issues please contact the United Kingdom Home Office telephone: 0845 010 5200 email: nationalityenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

For a list of member states of the European Economic Area, and of the European Union, see Appendix A. You have to be able to satisfy the criteria at the time of application. We cannot consider you if you have an application pending, etc. Therefore, if you do not have a letter from the immigration authority or a stamp on your passport to show that you have a right to work in the UK, we cannot consider you.

2. Employment outwith the United Kingdom

2.1 General Information (see also Section 1.1)

The vast majority of development posts for which we are asked to recruit require candidates with a good degree, and very often a second degree, plus substantial post-graduate experience gained in a developing country in some specialism not readily available there. The qualifications and experience called for will vary according to the requirements of each post. Details of current vacancies can be found on the DFID website www.dfid.gov.uk under the heading ‘Recruitment’.

Voluntary organisations can offer a good means of obtaining the experience necessary for a DFID development post.

3. Recruitment in developing countries

3.1 General Information

DFID undertakes recruitment in many of the developing countries where we undertake development activity. These vacancies are all advertised in the press of the country concerned.

3.2 Nationality Criteria

Candidates for locally recruited vacancies can be of any nationality: the only requirement being that the candidate has a legal right to undertake employment in the country in question. Successful appointees join DFID's group of Staff Appointed In Country (SAIC), who fill locally based vacancies.

4. Fast Stream

DFID recruits a small number of candidates for the General Fast Stream through the Cabinet Office, but it should be borne in mind that the Fast Stream is a recruitment scheme run on behalf of the entire Civil Service. Successful applicants are, therefore, not guaranteed an assignment to DFID and may, in fact, be assigned to any department that currently has vacancies. Those who do join DFID do so at Grade B1 (D) level (the lower middle management level), with an expectation that they will be ready for promotion to more senior management positions (Band A) within 3 to 4 years. Each year we bid for a variable number of general fast streamers and one European fast streamer. To be eligible, you should have at least a 2:2 in any degree discipline and generally be a UK national. For more information, visit the Fast Stream website www.faststream.gov.uk.

The Government Economic Service (GES) and the Government Statistical Service (GSS) both run their own Fast Stream Programmes. More information about these can be found on their websites, http://www.ges.gov.uk/applic.htm (GES) and www.statistics.gov.uk (GSS).

5. Consultancy Opportunities

DFID's Procurement Department recruits for short-term self-employed consultants. The majority of opportunities for solo consultants require considerable experience in their specialism, often within a developing country.

Applicants from all nationalities can be considered for Consultancy positions.

Those interested in short-term consultancy opportunities should contact the Management Services Section. Details of current consultancy opportunities can also be found on the DFID website at www.dfid.gov.uk under ‘Procurement’, then ‘current contracts’.

Management Services Section
DFID
AH 406/3, Abercrombie House
Eaglesham Road
East Kilbride
GLASGOW G75 8EA
Tel: 01355 84 3770
E-mail: cbinternet@dfid.gov.uk

6. Associate Expert Programme

The UK views this programme as one intended for individuals already working within UK Government Departments.

All applicants for the AEP must have the support of their parent government department as it would be responsible for the full cost of such a placement within the programme, including salary, allowances, insurance, travel expenses and the administrative expenses incurred by the UN. This can cost around one hundred thousand pounds for one year of a placement. For this reason no applications can be taken forward without the consent of the parent government department.
Further information on this scheme can be obtained from the UN website at http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM

7. EC Opportunities

Recruitment for the European Commission's Community Training Programme for Junior Experts normally takes place biennially. As posts arise, they will be advertised on the DFID website at www.dfid.gov.uk under 'Recruitment' Although details of the programme can be found throughout the year at www.europa.eu.int at External Relations then External Service, DFID will normally only seek applications towards the end of the calendar year. You should only submit an application for the programme to DFID at this time.

Information about employment with the EC can be obtained from:

European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
BELGIUM
Tel: 0032 2 233 1111
Website: www.eures-jobs.com

8. Other ways to get involved in Development

8.1 Employment Opportunities at the UN

DFID no longer actively recruits under the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) programme. Applicants may wish to approach UN agencies direct to ascertain if they have any vacancies for JPOs. Alternatively, one means of entry into the UN system is by registering as a UN Volunteer.

Any future UN posts that may arise, including DFID-supported posts under the Junior Professional Officer programme, will be advertised in the UK national press and on the DFID website.

Information about positions within the UN can be obtained from:

Department of Public Information
United Nations
NEW YORK
NY 10017, USA
Website: www.un.org

8.2 Junior Professional Officer

Support to the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Scheme

Description

The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme provides young professionals pursuing a career in development with hands-on experience in multi-lateral technical co-operation. JPOs are usually under 32 years of age. Currently, 21 donor countries participate in the Programme. JPOs serve primarily in one of the country offices of the participating agencies in the developing countries. Under the supervision of a senior staff member, JPOs work with international and national staff and are involved in the identification, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the UN agencies-supported programmes. Purposes of assignments vary and may have a country-specific, regional, sector-based or thematic focus. The UN agencies participating in the Programme try to match individual's qualifications and interests with the requirements of the country office.

DFID's policy

We no longer provide finance for the appointment of stand alone Junior Professional Officers (JPO’s) to United Nations (UN) bodies and there are no plans to change this. All applications for this scheme should be submitted directly to the Copenhagen centre at www.jposc.dk or www.jposc.org

Increasingly DFID is moving towards longer term, more assured financing for UN organisations that allow them, in consultation with their governing bodies, to manage their human resource requirements. That being said, both DFID & DEFRA (The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) do occasionally provide funding for UN posts. This funding will only be made available when such posts complement implementation strategies for programmes or projects that are directly supported by these departments.

9. Voluntary Work

Although DFID provides substantial support to voluntary organisations based within the United Kingdom, we do not recruit volunteers directly. If you are interested in volunteer work, try the voluntary organisations listed on the website of BOND www.bond.org.uk, whose membership comprises many of the principal voluntary development organisations in the UK, or World Service Enquiry www.wse.org.uk, or TimeBank/Intervol www.intervol.org.uk.

NB: Links to Third Party Websites

DFID’s website provides links to sites of other organisations maintained by third parties. A link does not constitute an endorsement of the content, viewpoint, accuracy, opinions, policies, products, services or accessibility of that website. Links to third-party websites are provided as a convenience to the user; DFID does not control, endorse or recommend their content. Once a user links to another website from this website, that user is subject to the terms and conditions of that website.

Appendix A: Member States of the European Economic Area (EEA)

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria**
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland*
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein*
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway*
Poland
Portugal
Romania**
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
United Kingdom

*With the exceptions of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway the above countries are also members of the EU.
**There are additional restrictions on the entitlement of Bulgarian and Romanian nationals to enter and work in the UK in the transitional period to 31 December 2011. These are found in the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006.