View Vacancy - EG - Defence Transits Manager (EO)

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Other British Government Departments (Partners across Government, including UK Visas)
MOD (Ministry of Defence)

The British Embassy in Cairo is looking to recruit a Defence Transits Manager under the Ministry of Defence, job grade Executive Officer (EO), on a fixed term contract of one (1) year.

The Defence Transits Manager (DTM) is responsible for the planning, coordination and delivery of all UK Defence transits and movement‑related activity in Egypt. The role is critical to enabling the Defence Section to deliver UK military engagement, operational support and defence diplomacy objectives by ensuring that UK military personnel, aircraft, vessels, vehicles and equipment are able to transit Egypt safely, legally and efficiently.

The post underpins almost all Defence Section activity, including the management of overflight permissions, senior military visits, exercises, training teams, operational deployments, Suez Canal transits, and contingency or crisis response activity. The Defence Transits Manager plays a central role in maintaining UK operational freedom of movement in a strategically vital region.

Department and Team Context

The Defence Section at the British Embassy Cairo represents the UK Ministry of Defence and the UK Armed Forces in Egypt. It leads all UK military engagement in‑country, including training, visits, defence industry engagement and operational coordination, while also supporting wider Embassy and cross‑government (HMG) objectives.

The Defence Transits Manager is a core operational role within a small, high‑tempo Defence Section. The postholder provides specialist expertise on defence movements, diplomatic clearances and host‑nation coordination, operating in a dynamic environment that requires discretion, resilience and strong judgement.

Reporting Lines and Working Relationships

The Defence Transits Manager works within the Defence Section and reports to the Assistant Defence Attaché. The role involves close working relationships with:

  • The Defence Attaché, Deputy Defence Attaché and Assistant Defence Attaché, to support the planning and delivery of UK Defence activity in Egypt.
  • UK‑based and regional MOD stakeholders, including operational units, Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the single Services and relevant MOD desks.
  • British Embassy Cairo teams, particularly Security, Protocol, Consular and Corporate Services.
  • Egyptian authorities, including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant bodies, to obtain, manage and coordinate diplomatic clearances.
  • Defence drivers and Embassy transport staff, where movements involve official vehicles or convoys.

Alignment with FCDO and Wider HMG Objectives

The Defence Transits Manager contributes directly to wider FCDO and HMG objectives by enabling:

  • Effective defence diplomacy and security cooperation with a key regional partner.
  • UK operational freedom of movement in a strategically important region.
  • Credible and responsive UK defence engagement during periods of regional tension or crisis.

Key Objectives

The Defence Transits Manager’s key objectives are to:

  • Enable uninterrupted UK Defence access and presence in and through Egypt.
  • Ensure all defence movements are compliant, timely and appropriately risk‑managed.
  • Maintain effective working relationships with Egyptian counterparts and Embassy teams.
  • Reduce operational, diplomatic and reputational risk to HMG.

Core Responsibilities:

The Defence Transits Manager is responsible for the end‑to‑end coordination of all UK Defence movements through Egypt, including air, land and maritime transits. This includes managing diplomatic clearances, advising leadership on feasibility and constraints, supporting senior visits and operational activity, and responding to urgent or crisis‑driven requirements.

1. Defence Transits Planning and Delivery (40%)

You will lead the coordination and delivery of all UK Defence transits through Egypt.

  • Manage air, land and maritime movements, including overflights, landings, port calls, convoys and equipment transits.
  • Submit, track and manage diplomatic clearance requests with Egyptian authorities.
  • Advise Defence Section leadership and UK‑based MOD stakeholders on transit feasibility, timelines and constraints.
  • Ensure all movements comply with host‑nation requirements and FCDO/MOD policy.

Main deliverables: Approved diplomatic clearances; timely and compliant defence movements; accurate transit records.

2. Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management (25%)

You will build and maintain effective working relationships to enable Defence activity.

  • Act as the primary point of contact for defence transits with Egyptian Ministries and relevant authorities.
  • Liaise with MOD desks, PJHQ, single Services and deployed units in the UK and region.
  • Work closely with British Embassy Cairo teams (including Security, Protocol, Corporate and Consular) to coordinate movements.
  • Provide timely and accurate transit advice to support senior Defence engagement.

Main deliverables: Trusted relationships; smooth coordination; reduced delays and operational friction.

3. Risk Management and Security Coordination (20%)

You will support the safe delivery of Defence activity through risk‑managed movement planning.

  • Contribute to Travel Risk Assessments (TRAs) and movement planning in coordination with Embassy Security.
  • Identify transit‑related risks and escalate issues appropriately.
  • Support contingency and crisis response movements during periods of heightened regional tension.
  • Maintain situational awareness of factors affecting defence movements.

Main deliverables: Risk‑informed movement plans; effective support to crisis or surge activity; clear advice to leadership.

4. Administration, Records and Compliance (10%)

You will ensure robust administrative processes and audit trails are maintained.

  • Maintain accurate records of defence transits and diplomatic clearances.
  • Track requests, approvals and expiry dates.
  • Support reporting requirements for Defence Section leadership and UK stakeholders.
  • Ensure compliance with Embassy, FCDO and MOD standards.

Main deliverables: Accurate records; compliant processes; reliable reporting.

5. Team Support and Continuous Improvement (5%)

You will contribute to the effectiveness and resilience of the wider Defence Section.

  • Support colleagues during visits, exercises and surge periods.
  • Capture lessons learned and suggest improvements to transit processes.
  • Provide continuity within a small, high‑tempo team.

Main deliverables: Improved processes; effective team support; operational resilience.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs. Duties and responsibilities may change in response to evolving priorities, including crisis and contingency operations.

Key behaviours required for the role:

  • Delivering at Pace - Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
  • Managing a Quality Service - Deliver service objectives with professional excellence, expertise and efficiency, taking account of diverse customer needs.
  • Making Effective Decisions - Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
  • Communicating and Influencing - Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
  • Working Together - Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.
  • Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple, time‑critical priorities effectively.
  • Experience working with government, diplomatic, military or similarly complex stakeholders.
  • Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion, professionalism and sound judgement.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft clear, accurate and proportionate advice.
  • Proven ability to remain calm, focused and effective under pressure.
  • Experience of operating in a crisis response environment.
  • Experience in logistics, operations, transport, movements or coordination roles involving structured planning, record‑keeping and stakeholder liaison.
  • Familiarity with diplomatic environments and host‑nation engagement.
  • Knowledge of defence, security or international operations is advantageous but not essential.
Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together
12 April 2026
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Fixed Term
36
12 months
Middle East & North Africa
Egypt
Cairo
British Embassy
1
USD
1,736
monthly
5 July 2026

Eligibility:

  • The successful candidate will be required to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance. Higher-level clearances can only be granted to individuals of certain nationalities. Therefore, applicants must hold single nationality from a Five Eyes country (the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the USA), or be a national of certain eligible European countries with a recent footprint (a minimum of two years within the past five years) in a Five Eyes or European country, in order to meet the clearance requirements for this role.
  • The British Embassy provides visa sponsorship. The British Embassy will be able to employ you on the condition that we are able to obtain the required residence and work permit in Egypt.

Working hours and remuneration:

The Embassy aims to offer an attractive working environment and remuneration package for this role, including a non-negotiable gross salary of USD 1,736 per month, subject to insurance and tax as per the usual regulations, based on a 36 hours per week. Normal working hours are from Sunday to Wednesday 08:00-15:30 and Thursday 08:00-14:00.

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount. 

We offer a competitive package including medical benefits, performance related bonus, recreational facilities, opportunities for job related training and development, etc. There are no other allowances payable as part of this package. No accommodation nor relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position.

This role is for a full-time employment, on a fixed-term contract of one (1) year, subject to three (3) months’ probationary period.

The British Embassy is committed to helping staff develop in their careers through formal and informal training and coaching. A healthy and active Learning & Development committee supports staff in their goals. In addition, we have access to the substantial number of resources that the Embassy and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s International Academy provide. The successful candidate will be encouraged to consider professional development subject to resource environment.

The role offers on‑the‑job learning in defence diplomacy, operational logistics and international coordination. The postholder will be supported by Defence Section colleagues, Embassy corporate teams and UK‑based stakeholders, and will gain exposure to MOD, FCDO and multinational partners.

The role supports the development of transferable skills relevant to wider FCDO, MOD and international roles, including stakeholder engagement, risk management, planning and crisis response.

How to apply:

Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.

Interested candidates must include 1) an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) 2) a motivation essay stating how you meet the requirements of the role; and 3) examples, in the relevant sections of the online application form, of how you meet the key behaviours and skills required.

Applications that do not include this information will not be considered.

Closing date of receiving applications is before 23:55 (Egypt local time) on 12 April 2026. 

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Internal candidates (i.e., those who are currently employed by the British Embassy Cairo) applying for this position should consider informing their current line manager upon submission of their application.

Process: 

The recruitment process, including security clearance, is expected to take around 2-3 months. The security clearance process includes checks available in country and with UK, dependant on the security level required for the role and the candidate’s profile and UK footprint. You may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign, and we are working hard to minimise any disruption.

Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful at interview may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of twelve (12) months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security-vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.

Personal data collected will be treated in strictest confidence under the terms of the UK Data Protection Act and used for recruitment purposes only.

 

The FCDO operates an agile approach to delivery. To facilitate an agile workforce, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time as we may reasonably require. The British Embassy Cairo is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Egypt employment law.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.