Background

Open Briefing prevents and responds to serious attacks on the people and organisations fighting for peace, human rights, and environmental justice around the world, and works to create the conditions in which they no longer happen. As a social enterprise, we also provide consultancy, training, and retained support to help high-impact nonprofits and foundations understand and meet their risk management and duty of care commitments to staff, grantees, and local partners. For more information, please see our #10YearsOfImpact page.

Due to a significant increase in demand for our unique support, Open Briefing is looking to recruit one or more senior consultants to our safety and security team.

Role description

Your work with Open Briefing will include:

• conducting security audits and designing security risk management frameworks for our NGO and foundation clients; and
• peer reviewing risk assessments and other products produced by colleagues in the safety and security team.

You will be supporting those targeted for fighting for peace, human rights, and environmental justice in closed civic spaces and violent environments. The work is fascinating and varied: You could be working with indigenous environmental defenders in the Amazon, humanitarians in Western and Central Africa, journalists in Russia and the Caucasus, human rights defenders in Asia, or foundations in the US and Europe. Those we support face threats from highly-capable adversaries, including state security forces, corrupt corporations, armed opposition groups, and organised crime gangs, including cartels.

We recognise that as well as being hugely rewarding, the work can be challenging. So, you will be properly onboarded, continually supported by experienced co-workers and line managers, and receive ongoing technical support and mentoring. You will also receive a package of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Our consultants work remotely, but the role may require occasional travel, including to high-risk locations, where you will always be properly supported.

We welcome applications from established consultants with a range of backgrounds, experiences, and profiles, and from anywhere in the world. There is no minimum time commitment, and the hours will vary from month to month, depending on demand and on your availability. However, we are seeking applications from consultants wanting to be part of our team and to build long-term and valued working relationships with us and our clients. As such, this role will not suit those between jobs or searching for full-time employment.

You will receive £420 per day, a package of MHPSS support, ongoing training, and access to motivated colleagues working on the frontlines of risk.

Person specification

Essential

• At least five years professional experience in NGO security management or the protection of human rights defenders.
• Considerable experience conducting security audits and designing security risk management frameworks for NGOs.
• Experience reviewing and quality assuring the work of others.
• A deep understanding of security risk management, security in violent environments, duty of care, and closing civic space issues.
• The ability to maintain high levels of professionalism while building effective working relationships with clients and recipients, that are based on trust and mutual understanding.
• A strong desire to be part of a team, while also being able to work under your own initiative.
• A genuine motivation to support those fighting to promote peace, human rights, and environmental justice.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable

• An understanding of the digital security and wellbeing aspects of holistic security.
• Considerable experience as a trainer, including the delivery of online workshops.
• Significant experience of working at all levels of civil society, from the grassroots to boardrooms.
• Excellent written and spoken Arabic, French, Spanish, or Portuguese.

How to apply

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter setting out how you meet the person specification and why you are interested in the role, to our director of safety and security, Peter Wood, at [email protected], with the subject line “Application for safety and security consultant”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain advertised until we find the appropriate consultants. Successful applicants will need to complete a sensible vetting and onboarding process before their first engagement.

Open Briefing values diversity. Please read our diversity, equity, and inclusion policy for more information. Our ethical and environmental policies are also available.