Job Description

Advisory and Surge Team Leader

Are you a humanitarian leader who combines deep operational expertise with the strategic acumen to navigate the realities of working inside a major donor? Palladium is seeking an exceptional Advisory Team Leader to lead the humanitarian advisory function within the Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team (HSOT), which delivers the HEROS programme on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This is a high-impact role at the heart of UK Government, offering the opportunity to shape how the UK responds to crises and contributes to global humanitarian reform.



About the Role

The Advisory Team Leader provides strategic leadership to the humanitarian advisory function within HSOT, ensuring it delivers high-quality, deployable expertise that supports FCDO's humanitarian objectives in sudden-onset disasters, protracted crises, and complex emergencies. This role ensures the advisory function is agile, scalable, and aligned with FCDO's evolving priorities, including Localisation, preparedness, and system reform. The Team Leader is responsible for maintaining a high-performing core team, strengthening the humanitarian roster, and ensuring advisory support is responsive, technically sound, and strategically positioned to deliver value in a resource-constrained environment.


Project Overview


The Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team (HSOT) is contracted by Palladium to deliver the Humanitarian Emergency Response Operations and Stabilisation Programme (HEROS), working with FCDO's Humanitarian Crisis Response Department (HCRD) and the Migration and Conflict Directorate (MCD), as well as multiple UK Government teams and partners in 130 countries. The team provides operational and advisory support to meet humanitarian needs and restore stability in sudden-onset disasters, protracted crises and complex emergencies.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Team Management



Provide thought leadership and quality assurance to the HSOT Surge Humanitarian Advisor (herein HA) function. Acting as an ambassador for the HA function and producing flagship advisory products.
Lead and manage the HA function, fostering a culture of excellence, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
Support the continuous professional development of HSOT's HAs. Continuously review the generalist and specialist skills that the advisory function requires, adapting them in response to FCDO's evolving priorities and global humanitarian trends. Lead the Advisory function in strengthening engagement on Standby Partnership (SBP) and UNDAC strategy and operations. This will include: Coordinating meaningful advisory inputs into, and ensuring implementation of, SBP and UNDAC annual strategies. Ensuring appropriate representation in FCDO and Partner relationship management fora, including but not limited to Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW), annual conferences, Working Groups etc. Setting milestones and reviewing implementation, allocating reviewers for mid and end point mission reports, client reporting, coordination of FUSE recommendations, risk and issue management etc. In close coordination with the Supply & Logistics team support HSOT involvement in the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP), including and not limited to attending (online) Focal Point meetings. Translate strategic direction set by the HSOT Senior Leadership Team into actionable plans that drive performance within the HA function and contribute to contract-wide success. Collaborate proactively with other Team Leaders to ensure integrated delivery, shared accountability, and adaptive management. Actively participate in the HSOT Management Team, contributing to planning, risk management, and strategic discussions by providing informed input and constructive challenge.

Deployment of Advisors

Oversee the technical aspects of the deployment of core team and roster advisors, ensuring the right expertise is deployed at the right time, with smooth transitions between surge and roster support. Ensure all deployed advisors provide high-quality, context-sensitive advice that aligns with FCDO priorities and standards, including acting as the key contact point with FCDO's humanitarian advisory cadre, and SBP and UNDAC partners. Create and roll out frameworks for quality assuring advisory work produced by core team and roster advisors, as well as directly quality assuring high-priority, visible pieces of work. Ensure all deployed advisors work closely with other HSOT capabilities to maintain a positive feedback loop between the contract's provision of advice, analysis, in-kind assistance and other services. Strengthen performance management systems for deployed advisors from the core team and roster, including feedback loops and quality assurance mechanisms.

Training, Mentoring, and Roster Development

Design and deliver technical training and mentoring for core team and roster advisors, including creating and maintaining Communities of Practice, to ensure advice aligns with FCDO standards and emerging sectoral needs (e.g. Localisation, humanitarian diplomacy, political economy). Support the Deputy Director of Advisory & Surge to build a diverse, high-quality roster that reflects global humanitarian realities, adapts to FCDO's evolving priorities and includes local and regional expertise. Promote cross-capability collaboration across HSOT to enhance the advisory offer from the humanitarian and UNDAC rosters.

Preparedness and Response



Oversee the development and continuous refinement of the HEROS advisory toolbox, ensuring it is evidence-based, adaptable, and informed by lessons from past responses and preparedness work. Work closely with the Lead Surge HA - Preparedness, and the Impact & Learning Team Leader to ensure tools and approaches are integrated, practical, and forward-looking. Ensure the HA function and roster utilise and contribute to the continuous adaptation of the HEROS advisory toolbox. Lead cross-contract simulations, training and other preparedness and readiness exercises, with the support of the Lead Surge HA - Preparedness and working closely with the Coordination Lead. 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. Assist Deployments staff with timely coordination of SBP and UNDAC requests, ensuring attendance at SBP Network Response Coordination calls, as well as effective OCHA UNDAC mission coordination.

Localisation and System Strengthening



Identify and advance opportunities for locally-led response, including support to national actors and governments, working closely with the Supply & Logistics team. Ensure advisory support contributes to FCDO's Localisation goals and system reform agenda, including ensuring all HSOT advisors have the right levels of proficiency in these topics.

Field Support and Representation



Deploy to field locations, including high-risk environments, to provide direct advisory support to FCDO and support the coordination of HEROS capabilities where appropriate. Support deployed staff in challenging contexts, ensuring continuity, quality, welfare, and problem-solving under pressure.

Collaboration



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.




Risk Management



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



Willingness and ability to deploy to field locations, including hostile environments, at short notice, for up to 4 weeks, up to 60% of the time. 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 at either Duty Officer or Senior Cover Manager level. Contribute to HEROS contract monthly, quarterly, annual contractual reporting on specialist portfolio, and provide support as requested in support of results-based reporting. Collaborate constructively with colleagues to achieve shared goals and deliver impactful outcomes. Share knowledge and expertise to support team members and contribute to a positive, inclusive team culture. Remain open to feedback and demonstrate adaptability to meet evolving team and project needs. 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. As appropriate, engage with Palladium UKEA regional team fora and initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

Strong hands-on leadership skills, with proven experience of leading humanitarian advisory teams or functions in complex, high-pressure environments. Proven ability to support professional development through on-the-job coaching with evidence of delivering performance improvement. Strong experience of designing and delivering training and capacity-building initiatives for humanitarian and conflict advisors. Strong track record of developing, rolling out and evaluating frameworks for quality assuring advisory work. Experience of managing surge deployments, rosters and/or performance systems for deployable personnel. Demonstrated expertise in humanitarian response, preparedness, and Localisation, with a good understanding of FCDO policy and operational context. Experience of designing and delivering cross-sectoral or cross-functional simulations, training and contingency exercises. Ability to work across disciplines and with diverse stakeholders, including donors, national governments, multilateral agencies, and local actors. 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. Candidates must hold the Right to work in the UK Closing date for the advert is 20th October 2025.


Continuous -Permanent
Annum- Annual Salary



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