Arabic Language Opportunities

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 279012**Salary**:

- £32,092 - £39,951**Job grade**:

- Other**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Type of role**:

- Analytical
- Intelligence
- Other**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 5Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Cheltenham, LondonAbout the job

**Job summary**:
MI6 and GCHQ are part of the UK’s Intelligence Services. We work together to safeguard Britain’s people, interests and businesses from various threats at home, overseas and online, including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime. Working across our vital operations, you’ll deliver impact at the heart of national security, all within a supportive and inclusive environment that allows everyone to thrive.

**Job description**:
At MI6, your role is integral to operational planning and delivery cycles. As an expert in applied language use, you’ll ensure intelligence can be understood by our operational teams. You’ll need to be competent in reading, writing, speaking and listening to Arabic, as you’ll be translating and interpreting a range of materials, carrying out research and sharing your findings. This will support your operational work, including targeting, casework, training or operational planning and management.

You’ll be trusted to work individually and manage your workload - but you won’t be left on your own. As part of a multi-disciplinary team working within a wider linguistic community, you’ll collaborate with those around you, share your knowledge and even contribute to language profession initiatives. In doing so, you’ll maintain professional standards and best practice in applied language use and provide the cultural insights that are essential to our work.

At GCHQ, you’ll undertake vital language work on high priority missions. Working with analysts, you’ll deliver against requirements and enrich both colleague and customer understanding. With your Arabic language and cultural expertise, you’ll add significant value to operations as you undertake a range of key tasks and provide fast-paced, detailed language outputs.

Day-to-day, your workload will vary. You could be meeting with stakeholders or internal and external customers to understand their requirements, carrying out analytical or report work, or collaborating with senior linguists. Importantly, you’ll be part of a supportive team working together to deliver results.

**Person specification**:
You don’t need any experience to join MI6, just strong active and passive language skills, you’ll know Arabic to at least C1 level and have cultural expertise with a broad understanding of the Arabic-speaking region along with excellent written English and a familiarity with standard IT packages.

As a problem-solver with a keen eye for accuracy, you’ll be able to see the bigger picture, and use your knowledge of language as well as Arabic culture to deliver key insights. And of course, you’ll enjoy working as part of a team and be comfortable sharing your knowledge with individuals at all levels., You’ll have a willingness to travel as short-term overseas trips are considered a core part of the role - we’ll make every effort to ensure personal circumstances are taken into consideration when travel is required. You’ll also have opportunities for full overseas postings after your first London-based placement.

To work at GCHQ, you’ll need a high level of Arabic knowledge - either to C1 or degree level, or from growing up as a heritage or native speaker. And your wide range of knowledge on the Arabic-speaking region is key, as we can’t predict where we might need to focus.

We’re looking for individuals with a range of experiences and backgrounds. You’ll have excellent reading and listening skills, and while active language skills will become more important in the role, you shouldn’t deselect yourself if you can’t demonstrate these. Analytical and detail-oriented, you’ll be comfortable working with high volumes of information to solve problems and come to conclusions. Occasional UK travel may be necessary, and you might also have opportunities to travel overseas, though this isn’t a requirement at GCHQ.

**Benefits**:
**Training and Development**

At MI6 and GCHQ, we’re committed to ensuring you have the support and guidance you need to build a rewarding career at the heart of national security. From language events and workshops, through to acquiring professional qualifications, the strong learning culture at MI6 and GCHQ will continuously develop you, your knowledge and skills.

As part of the selection process for MI6, we’ll identify specific areas for development and tailor a plan to meet your needs. Upon joining, you’ll have an induction and be assigned a buddy from the same language area to help you settle in and also a profession head to oversee your ca