Holistic Security Trainer – CONSULTANT

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is a global non-governmental organization. CVT works in partnership with civil society activists, rehabilitation experts, and researchers to heal the wounds of human rights atrocities on individuals, their families and their communities.

CVT is seeking a Holistic Security Trainer – CONSULTANT with a focus on risk assessment, risk management, security policy development, and organizational security.The trainer will be familiar with the nuanced intersections between digital, psychosocial, and physical dangers associated with various forms of human rights action in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. These include both internal vulnerabilities as well as external threats facing civil society organizations (CSOs) and human rights defenders (HRDs) specifically.

The trainer will work closely with counterparts in the digital and psychosocial domains to deliver customized holistic safety training sessions to CSOs and HRDs. The training sessions will be tailored to each CSO/HRDs’ needs and contexts, keeping in mind their unique profiles and past experiences. All interactions with participants should be trauma-informed.

In doing so, the trainer will take a trauma-informed approach to overcoming safety barriers, understanding how stressors impact threat-related decision-making and how traumatic experiences can impact well-being, while leveraging individual and organizational strengths to navigate threat environments more safely and effectively. The trainer will research, analyze, and share information about new and persistent threats facing CSOs and HRDs in the MENA region, incorporating this information into the trainings and the capacity development plans.

Scope of Work

The Holistic Security Trainer is excepted to work with the project team for four months for an average of 20 hours a month, maximum 80 hours with the possibility for extension and/or amendment to complete the following tasks:

• In collaboration with expert digital and psychosocial safety trainers, develop and conduct holistic security assessments for local CSOs. Assessments are conducted online to assess partner strengths and gaps in the physical security domain, to explore their existing safety policies, and to review risk management systems.
• Deliver interactive online physical security training program and develop policies based on assessment findings and each CSO/HRDs’ needs; prepare any additional appropriate content if needed.
• Participate in the evaluation of the training program and document lessons learned.
• Prepare narrative reports on each CSO.
• Support CVT in assessing and selecting CSOs to benefit from and participate in the program as needed.
• Contribute to risk management on behalf of CVT and offer expertise to safely work with CSOs and HRDs in MENA countries.
• Participate in program and organization-wide activities, meetings, and trainings that are directly related to the scope of work, above.
• Complete administrative responsibilities and support donor report writing.
• May be requested to travel to MENA countries for assessments and training.

Qualifications:

Required education, experience, certificates, licenses, or registrations:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field
• 5 years of experience working in physical security capacity in the MENA region and high-risk countries
• Experience offering online trainings and/or mentorship to local CSOs and HRDs specifically based in the MENA region and/or in high-risk contexts
  • Experience conducting assessments and developing accessible, appropriate safety and security policies and protocols, and supporting related implementation and behavior/culture change
• Fluent in both English and Arabic

Preferred education, experience, certificates, licenses, or registrations:

• Experience working in an NGO or nonprofit environment
• Experience in collaborative development of online trainings
• Experience in teaching physical security to the specific lens and needs of HRDs. Knowledge in holistic security or other fields of security is considered an asset
• Certifications related to security and risk leadership in any relevant field
• Understanding and experience with digital security and/or trauma-informed approaches to security will be a significant asset
• An advanced skill level in training and facilitation skills and engagement of adult learners

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities):

• Demonstrated capacity in using trauma-informed approach
  • Excellent ability to monitor and manage all aspects of their own individual risk profile as it is impacted through interaction with people at risk
  • Excellent self-awareness and capacity to identify personal self-care needs and resilience factors while conducting difficult work, including the emotional impact of guiding and caring for others at risk
  • Understanding about the impact of trauma, and an exceptional ability to facilitate discussions about emotionally challenging material in a sensitive manner, and bring diverse perspectives to consensus through mediation and negotiation
• Strong knowledge of holistic security training strategies; experience with innovative remote technologies and online learning platforms an advantage
• Experience in working with large teams and collaboration across different technical domains
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills, including the ability to communicate and train cross-culturally
• Excellent skills in organization, attention to detail and time management (including the ability to meet deadlines)
• Awareness and sensitivity to cultural, political, social and economic contextual factors
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, and Excel)
• Commitment to the ethical and sensitive implementation of project activities, including a commitment to confidentiality, diversity, equity, and inclusion, quality service provision, and the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (including online)

DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion)

At CVT, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are part of the excellence that we strive for in providing holistic healing approaches to victims of torture. We believe that an inclusive working environment, free of discrimination, enhances the empathy and professionalism that we bring to bear on our daily work and interactions with all of our stakeholders.