Who We Are

Peace is our commitment. The United States Institute of Peace represents the American people’s shared values and commitment to peace worldwide. We know that Peace is Security – it advances both U.S. and international security by preventing, managing, and mitigating violent conflict.

We are an independent, non-partisan institution and are actively engaged with peacebuilding efforts worldwide. Together we tackle the most challenging problems and hold fast to the possibility of a more peaceful world. To learn more about USIP programs and job openings, go to https://www.usip.org/about/careers.

If you have a passion for making the world a better place and want to have a front-row seat on the world stage, USIP is the place for you.

The Senior Expert, Defense Sector Reform & Transnational Security Challenges will lead and provide technical support for all defense sector reform and transnational security challenge requests at USIP. The Senior Expert will be responsible for shaping U.S. and international policy and practice in these fields by generating innovative thought leadership and by providing technical support to USIP’s field operations in the areas of defense sector reform; transitions from military to civilian security; disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration; cybersecurity challenges; anti-corruption; transnational organized crime; as well as reform and drafting of national defense/security policies.

This is a full-time termed Personal Services Contractor position, based in Washington, DC, and reports to the Director for Governance, Justice, and Security.

TARGET SALARY RANGE 

Grade 14 -

The Institute uses the General Schedule salary tables for administering compensation. Offers are determined based upon candidate qualifications, related experience, internal equity, and the amount budgeted for the position.

This position is fully funded for one year, with renewals contingent on available funding and performance, and business needs.

Job Brief:

• Coordinate with headquarters and field-based colleagues and/or other USIP partners on the design, development, and planning of high-quality strategic plans, programs, projects, as well as ensuring that the programs under their responsibility are implemented to a high standard. 
• Ensure that the Institute’s programs, projects, and other initiatives are aligned with and contribute to USIP’s vision and strategy on security sector governance and reform. 
• Service as an expert in the financial management and public outreach for programs undertaken in an efficient and effective way. 
• Support the coordination of a technical community of practice related to the respective thematic areas.
• The Senior Expert will coordinate with USIP’s Security Governance Advisor on security sector governance work at USIP. 

Thought Leadership, Development, and Planning:

• Leads on generating innovative knowledge and content on security sector governance and reform.
• Leads the defense sector reform and transnational security components of USIP task forces, study groups or working groups, as well as the production of policy papers, technical notes, reports, publications (Special Reports, Peaceworks); web commentary and analysis; podcasts; blogs, articles in current/foreign affairs journals; op-eds etc.
• Generates knowledge and content on best practices on defense sector reform and transnational security challenges. This includes the production of web-based technical resources, best practice practitioner guides, toolkits, online courses, and trainings.
• Develops and supports the management of relevant rosters of experts drawn from academia, think tanks, as well as bilateral & multilateral SSG/R organizations and agencies.
• Collaborates with USIP Senior Advisor(s) on defense sector reform to help elevate USIP’s technical excellence and thought leadership and provide effective field support.

Outreach and Engagement:

• Develops, organizes, and coordinates public/private events and conferences on defense sector reform and transnational security challenges. Such events may include events held at USIP such as thematic discussions open to the public, private policy roundtables, and tabletop exercises.
• Attends events hosted by other national or international organizations such as the Munich Security Conference, the United Nations, the World Bank, EU, NATO, as well as relevant international security policy groups and think tanks such as the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF).
• Engages with U.S. government and multilateral institutions.
• Manages the design and development of partnership agreements, such as interagency agreements, and/or other collaboration instruments such as memoranda of understanding, as well as discreet support on complex defense sector reform, DDR and transnational security matters.
• Develops opportunities for USIP’s engagement on innovative research with academic institutions.
• Engages with the media, as well as with the think tank and academic communities.

Field Support and Program Management:

• Leads the provision of technical support to Government partners in conflict-affected environments with the objective of impacting national, regional and local reforms including: defense sector reform; transitions from military to civilian security; disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration; cybersecurity challenges; anti-corruption; transnational organized crime; and as well as reform and drafting of national defense/security policies.
• Participates in and/or coordinates multidisciplinary technical support groups for a specific country or national reform effort; coordinates research efforts in relation to relevant technical questions and the development of options papers, policy memos, and technical notes.
• Oversees the programmatic efforts to provide technical support for USIP projects in the field with the objective of achieving technical excellence through coherent project design, coordination, and effective oversight.
• Leads coordination platform seeking to coordinate USIP’s thematic and geographic center work on defense sector reform.
• Leads on the development of partnerships and common initiatives with external organizations involved with defense sector reform.
• Leads on the implementation of innovative projects in conflict-affected countries.

Financial Management:

• Manages budget allocations to ensure that the program is operating within its budget limitations to meet its goals and objectives.
• Pursues external funding for project initiatives.
• Ensures policies and procedures are followed, and that all aspects of resource management are performed, and financial reports are submitted in a timely manner.
• Supervises the development of monthly, quarterly and annual reporting for both internal and external project stakeholders.
• Manages projects from conceptualization through implementation and evaluation.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree with ten (10 ) years of experience in international security, international relations, conflict resolution or related field is required. Master’s Ph.D. holders with eight (8) years of relevant work experience 
• Eight (8) (or more) years of concrete technical security sector governance and reform support to conflict affected environments; and of these, at least five (5) years of experience in security sector governance and reform within a governmental agency, multilateral organization, non-governmental organization, security related technical centers or institutes, with an emphasis on defense sector reform, DDR challenges, anti-corruption, cybersecurity, transnational organized crime; or civilian harm prevention and mitigation.
• Experience with designing, conducting, or directly supporting defense reform or security sector reform field and tabletop exercises for the U.S. Government or multilateral organization, non-governmental organization, security related technical centers or institutes is desirable.
• Experience in leading in-person defense or security sector reform assessments for a U.S. Government agency or a multilateral organization, non-governmental organization, security related technical centers or institutes is desirable.
• Extensive experience back-stopping concrete technical requests on security sector governance and reform from the field or providing direct technical support in austere locations.
• Exposure to academia and research is desirable and an advantage.
• Extensive knowledge of key principles of human security, with an emphasis on security sector governance and reform is required.
• Demonstrated capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously, creatively problem-solve, prioritize effectively, and produce results under conditions of uncertainty.
• Demonstrated program design and project management skills.
• A strong record of innovation, collaboration, project management, and partnership building.
• Excellent representation and communication skills (oral and written), including cross-cultural skills, media skills, and the ability to engage effectively with partners at all political, social, and economic levels.
• Strong research and writing skills.
• Strong public-speaking and policy-convening skills.
• Strong partnership-building and coordination skills.
• Some experience with training programs, preferably in SSG/R.
• Working proficiency in either French, Spanish, or Ukrainian, are desirable and an advantage

 All USIP contract and employee positions are contingent upon the favorable completion of a suitability background investigation.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this position, please submit a complete application package consisting of:

1. Completed employment application including titles, dates of hire, and salary requirements.

2. Cover letter

3. Resume

Only those applicants that are selected for further discussions will be contacted.