SECONDMENT Director Counter-Terrorism

VACANCY NOTICE 971 

This vacancy announcement pertains to law enforcement and/or governmental officials within INTERPOL's member countries only.

Please read the Conditions of Secondment in force at INTERPOL (shared via the NCB) including the maximum duration of secondment.

Please be aware that your home Administration/Agency/Service/Government will be responsible for all of your salary/remuneration, social insurance, pension contributions, welfare benefits, family allowances, benefits during your assignment at INTERPOL as well as travel, removal expenses related to your arrival at and departure from INTERPOL, and any other related costs depending on your circumstances. It is requested that you obtain in writing, confirmation from your home Administration/Agency/Service/Government that it agrees with these CONDITIONS OF SECONDMENT. This confirmation letter should be forwarded to us THROUGH THE NCB.

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 196 member states. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities, and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime. INTERPOL is now looking for a qualified candidate as a SECONDMENT Director Counter-Terrorism within the Counter-Terrorism which is part of the​​​​​​ Exec. Dir. Police Services.

Job title: SECONDMENT Director Counter-Terrorism
Reporting To:  Executive Director Police Services 
Location: Lyon, France 
Duration (in months): 36.00 
Grade: 1 
Number of post: 1
Security Clearance Level: Enhanced
Deadline for application: 04 June 2025

INTERPOL strives to achieve a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. To achieve our Diversity goals, we encourage applications from women and nationals of under/unrepresented member countries who are passionate about our mission. INTERPOL’s recruitment process is merit-based hence all hiring decisions are made considering the applicant’s qualifications and the needs of the Organization.

INTRODUCTION OF POST

The Director of Counter-Terrorism (CT) (reporting to the Executive Director Police Services) is responsible for leading, developing and coordinating the directorate’s staff and resources to meet operational needs relating to the prevention and disruption of terrorist networks, CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives) threats and maritime security challenges. Counter-Terrorism often underpins or supports other criminalty and there is an increasing convergence between terrorism and poly-criminality activities. The Director and their specialist staff are therefore an essential connection between different directorates and teams across INTERPOL to ensure that criminal data and intelligence is shared and acted upon effectively. The Director is directly responsible for building the capability, capacity and connectivity of the team, whilst establishing critical measures for success and high performing teams, the provision of strategic management and operational support mechanisms to counter the evolving threat.

PRIMARY DUTIES

1 – Developing and integrating the Directorate as a connected capability

• Provide strategic leadership and direction in the implementation and operationalization of the CT Global Crime Strategy, whilst ensuring a cohesive and harmonized approach across the Directorate and align to INTERPOL’s other Global Crime Programmes.
• Define, plan, and implement the mission and strategic direction of a Directorate so that the component parts of the Directorate provide high-quality, operational coordination, investigative support, capability and capacity development to the member countries in a high-profile crime area.
• Design and deliver a relevant product and service portfolio in alignment with key partners and stakeholders, including public and private partners.
• Develop, monitor and harness a performance culture to deliver relevant projects, programmes and other deliverables based on member countries threats, time and requirements.
• Partner across the wider Police Services Executive Directorate to look for joint opportunities that will achieve budget savings and use resources more effectively to maximize impact.
• Plan and ensure the directorate’s budget and spend is invested and managed effectively within agreed parameters. 
• Define, plan and implement operational and administrative services for the regional and national counter-terrorism activities of member countries.

2 – Effective management of specialist staff across the Directorate

• Ensure that staff in the directorate are managed and developed effectively to ensure the necessary skills and capabilities are maintained.
• Coach, mentor and co-ordinate subordinate leadership staff to help foster an engaged and collaborate working environment across the directorate as a whole.
• Provide strategic direction and operational management to direct reports and assist them with people and programmatic related matters. 
• Be visible to and engaged with all team members.

3 – Partnering with other Directorates to deliver integrated solutions

• Assist and advise the Executive Director in the continuous development of the Executive Directorate Police Services and the Organization as a whole.
• Ensure a constant and collaborative connection with other leadership teams (especially those within the executive directorate) to help maintain a cross and joint approach to operations and programmatic delivery.
• Collaborate with and learn from other programmes and projects to help ensure the directorate remains connected to relevant operations and initiatives.

4 – Maintain a strategic perspective on the evolving criminal threats

• Proactively develop and maintain a network of contacts within the Regional Bureaus, National Central Bureaus and other national, commercial and international institutions outside the Organization.
• Represent the Executive Directorate Police Services and the General Secretariat in international high level meetings and other engagements as and when required.
• Establish links and mutually productive relationships with the global law enforcement community, specialist police agencies, ministries, international and regional organizations to keep abreast of current strategic themes and priorities.
• Develop collaborative relationships with key partners and experts to ensure a currency of knowledge and capabilities.

5 – Continue to enhance and evolve INTERPOL’s strategic capability

• Empower and enable the directorate’s leadership team and specialists to consider ways of evolving current systems, practices, processes and procedures, coupled with data sharing, operations and other approaches in order to be innovative, promote continuous improvement  and be effective and efficient.
• Encourage the sharing of good and best practice across the teams and build recognition into the working environment to help foster a more inclusive, innovative and engaged directorate.
• Identify key areas of interest and emerging threats that should be monitored and mitigated through INTERPOL’s policing capabilities, operations and activities.

6 – Prioritisation and control of directorate programmes and initiatives

• Design and develop sustainable resource mobilization and programmatic approaches to support member country priorities and requirements.
• Work with the Executive Directorate Partnerships & Planning to identify and diversify fundraising opportunities to support member country capacity building and operational response needs.
• Plan and prioritize an expanding range of projects, programmes and initiatives for the directorate, coordinating management teams to deliver against agreed tasks, goals and priorities.
• Establish robust project and programme controls to ensure that performance is effectively monitored and managed to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Partner with and negotiate priorities across the wider Executive Directorate, leadership and the General Secretariat to ensure effective alignment with Organization’s mission.

7 – Carry out all other duties as may be directed by the Executive Director Police Services or Secretary General.

REQUIREMENTS

All candidates will be assessed on the under mentioned requirements.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION REQUIRED

• A minimum of five years’ higher University degree (preferably in Law, Public Policy, Criminology, Counter-Terrorism, International Relations or Police Management) is required.
• Law enforcement or senior management training and experience at senior command level.
• Relevant qualifications and training in counter-terrorism, CBRNE , terrorism in the maritime domain and maritime security, organized crime and other relevant areas would be highly desirable.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

•  A minimum of ten to fifteen years’ experience with increasing managerial responsibilities in a police, security or relevant government agency.
• Sound background in criminal investigations and intelligence management, particularly in counter-terrorism and terrorism in the maritime domain.
• Experience in leading counter-terrorism investigations and operations at national and/or international level.
• Experience in planning and managing strategic and complex tasks, with only minimum supervision.
• Experience in budget management, risk identification and management and prioritization and delegation
• Experience working in an international environment would be highly desirable; either from employment in an international organization or from participating in e.g., international working groups, joint international projects, negotiations etc.
• Background in the use of computer systems, data sets and understanding data utilization.
• Understanding of global context and partnership environment in relation to counter-terrorism.
• An understanding of emerging crime threats and contemporary policing issues and challenges.
• Strong leadership qualities, solid presentation, and interpersonal skills is required.

LANGUAGES

• English is required
• Proficiency in a second official language would be an additional asset.

ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Strong communication skills, both in written and oral form (public speaking delivery of presentations).
• Experience in working with computers including knowledge of oral presentation software, business intelligence and word processing software.
• Strong management skills, as defined in the Managerial Competencies for INTERPOL Supervisors.  These skills include:
  • Leadership: empowers others to translate vision into results;
  • Vision: identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks;
  • Empowering others: encourages others to set challenging goals;
  • Building trust: places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients;
  • Managing performance: delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority;
  • Judgment/ decision making: high-level decision making.