Senior Expert, Personal Services Contractor

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 de