Ben Challis Email & Phone Number

Led the mobilisation of a new Partnership team working on behalf of six District authorities, the County Council, NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and the Police & Crime Commissioner.Led the team responsible for oversight of jointly commissioned services responding to rough sleeping, domestic violence and refugee resettlement programmes in Gloucestershire.Coordinated governance, strategy development and bid development on behalf of the participating authorities.

United Kingdom

Good Governance Fund Unit

Leadership of a team of 7 programme managers to deliver the UKs £35m/annum Good Governance programme across 7 countries in the Eastern Partnership and W Balkans. Responsible for design and oversight of risk and financial management processes, for ensuring coherence between GGF programmes and regional NSC strategies and maintaining oversight of project delivery teams in UK Embassies. Led procurement of a complex £45m commercial contract for a major supplier for delivery of the programme beyond March 2020.

Foreign And Commonwealth Office, London

Responsible for tailoring and leading delivery of UK human rights strategy in Somalia.Providing advice, analysis and support to other UK teams on conflict and human rights issues to all aspects of the HMG Somalia effort.Leading on briefing, correspondence and relations with UK parliamentarians and diaspora organisations on all issues relating to Somaliland and on leading the development of a UK strategy for Somaliland.

Kyiv

Responsible for planning and delivery of the UK's £11.7 million Ukraine Good Governance Fund Programme to support economic, political and governance reform in Ukraine.

Responsibility for providing policy support and programme management for DFID Ukraine's humanitarian and recovery programmes, and to the GGF Unit's reform programmes in Ukraine.

Exeter, United Kingdom

Sole responsibility for the recruitment of temporary social workers for Devon County Council social services and other public sector clients. Conducted interviews and assured that safeguarding procedures were adhered to, in order to assure effective service delivery to vulnerable people in Devon.Necessitated the building of strong and effective working relationships with clients, managers and external suppliers of locum social workers, both over the telephone and in face-to-face meetings. Demanded exceptional organisational skills to simultaneously manage recruitment processes for candidates in a number of areas.Developed knowledge of social work practice and legislation and competence in use of the ITRIS recruitment software and Microsoft Outlook.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Conducted research and analysis to support NTI, a world-leading organisation in the nuclear non-proliferation field, in their Nuclear Security Project. Produced reports with a direct contribution to the project's ongoing work and future direction. Attended a number of conferences and produced briefings about them for senior staff members.

Gloucester, United Kingdom

Assistant Manager at the Hunters Hall Inn, a highly successful pub, hotel and restaurant in the Greene King company in order to support myself financially during my academic career. Responsible for assuring the effective and consistent delivery of friendly and welcoming hospitality in a busy and often stressful environment. Demanded highly effective team management and communication skills, including dealing with complaints in a hostile context. Required an exceptional ability to keep calm under pressure and adapt quickly to unexpected shocks, finding solutions to unanticipated problems on an independent basis. Responsible for securing the business premises and monies at the end of the business day, communicating with sub-contractors and other departments within the Greene King chain.Effective responsibility for running of business during periods of manager absence, including stock and cellar management and dealing with human resource problems.

Msc (Distinction) Defence, Development And Diplomacy, Distinction

International conflict analysis; conflict mediation and negotiation; post-conflict stabilisation and peace building.

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba Ch), Economics And Politics With International Study, Class I With Adam Smith Prize

International Exchange Student, Economics & Political Science

Education record