Migration Delivery & Projects Officer at British Government

Immigration Enforcement International (formerly RALON)

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)  

Main purpose of job:

• To work collaboratively with a range of Ghanaian Government Ministries and implementer’s to manage the UK Governments MOU on the return of individuals illegally in the UK back to Ghana.
• Delivery of a number of separate but co-ordinated migration projects.
• The design and development of new projects bids to meet strategic migration related objectives.
• Provide administrative and organisational support to the migration delivery officer based in Nigeria as necessary.

Overview:

• This role is suited to an individual who is able to work independently, flexibly and prioritise workloads in order to achieve project outcomes in a busy and challenging environment.
• The position is a blended project/operational role based at the British High commission in Accra engaging with a number of Ghanaian Ministries and agencies most notably the Ghanaian Immigration Service.
• The position provides significant support to the return of Ghanaian nationals and other third Countries within West Africa and supports the Migration Delivery officer based in Nigeria on regular charter flights returns managing all communications to the Ghanaian government prior to, during and post charter operation including seeking the relevant permissions and fielding questions from interested parties & will be highly active politically on the returns and wider Home Office migration agenda given the sensitivities around the subject.
• The position will work to a senior level with the Ministry of Interior and will lead negotiations and discussions on all migration and returns engagement with the MOI. In order to support delivery similar high level engagements will exist with both the Ghanaian Immigration Service, the Attorney General’s Office and the Ghanaian Prison Service to build and strengthen relationships to enhance cooperation.

Roles and responsibilities: 

Programme and Project Management

• You will be expected to deliver a number of separate but co-ordinated migration projects, ensuring agreed outcomes are delivered in accordance with UK Government financial and project management principals and guidelines. Will be expected to ensure that project activities and outputs are delivered in line with agreed activity based budgets, that project delivery is effectively monitored, risks are adequately captured and mitigated, and that project activities represent value for money. You will be expected to report regularly to colleagues within the Embassy and to Home Office and FCO officials in London on impact of the projects and performance.
• In co-ordination with Embassy colleagues including the MDO, you will be expected to develop new project bids to meet strategic migration related objectives and have the ability to design and tender these projects including the managing existing projects and other migration related work. You will be able to demonstrate strong experience in monitoring and evaluating existing projects including financial management.

Engagement

• You will be expected to develop and maintain productive working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, utilising these relationships to ensure the achievement of UK migration and the returns agenda through project delivery. Ensure the implementation of our bilateral MOU on return of illegal migrants working with both Ministries and external NGO’s where necessary.

Charter Returns

• Oversee the returns charter operation into Accra and facilitating the onward transit of those returnees travelling onto third Countries within Africa.

Duties will include:

• Liaising with Nigerian stakeholders to ensure that pre-arrival administration is completed ahead of the flight.
• Attending charter flight operations and consistently managing the arrival and acceptance of all returnees single handed.
• Maintaining an excellent working relationship with key government agencies on the ground, particularly the airport authorities and the Ghanaian Immigration Service to enable a smooth charter flight arrival operation.
• Possess the ability to handle sensitive issues as they arise during charter operations, including challenging cases with a media profile and able to make effective decisions quickly.
• Liaising with the Home Office teams in London to deal effectively with issues prior to arrival or on the ground in Accra and ensures ‘last minute’ issues (such as medical, delayed biometric documents, press presence) are dealt with taking into account the local context.

Political

The returns agenda is politically sensitive and the

• Works to a senior level including up to 2PUS equivalent level with the Ministry of the Interior and associated ministered and agencies.
• More widely, the role carries a liaison function with the fringe parties on the returns and migration agenda including friendly missions in Country who have an overall impact on the general success of the returns work in Ghana. All at a senior level, the incumbent deals with the Ministry of Health, Solicitor General, Aviation Security and Customs authorities amongst others.
• As well as liaising with key partners in the host Government, this role carries responsibility for engagement with relevant NGOs and CSOs.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, or minimum of seven years’ work experience in a relevant field
• Minimum of three years’ work experience – preferably including policy-making
• Strong understanding of the impact of political, economic, and social factors on migration.
• Excellent understanding of the current political, social and economic context in Ghana
• Strong written and oral communication skills, specifically experience of developing project proposals
• Experience of engaging and influencing Government of Ghana Ministers and officials.
• Recent experience of at least 12 months working on a PC, developing functionality of various computer programs and applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and internet browsers.
• Commitment to values and ethics, integrity, reliability and discretion.
• Fluent oral and written English and Twi.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

• Previous professional knowledge and work experience in the field of migration.
• Existing relationships within the field.
• Project management experience.
• Postgraduate degree in a relevant subject.