Citizen Security Expert

at  Panagora Group

JOB DESCRIPTION

Panagora Group is a U.S. small business that provides technical and advisory services related to monitoring, evaluating, and learning USAID/Colombia’s strategy and activities. The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) provides monitoring support services: designing and implementing performance and impact evaluations, as well as other studies and assessments, supporting their use and dissemination, and developing collaboration, learning, and adapting initiatives.
USAID/Colombia requested MELSA to develop a research study to identify interventions for conflict mitigation, violence prevention, and citizen security (secondary and tertiary prevention) related to urban areas. The purpose of the study is to inform the design and planning of the new Development Cooperation Country Strategy for the period 2025-2030. USAID/Colombia’s growing work with youth addresses youth vulnerability and puts special emphasis on the Agency’s global youth development policies. The Mission’s youth strategy implements USAID’s Youth in Development Policy and Positive Youth Development Framework by developing youth leadership skills, promoting economic opportunities for youth, increasing youth participation in community development, engaging families to foster protective environments for youth, and developing their social and technical skills.
The overall objective of this research is to identify conflict mitigation, violence prevention, and citizen security interventions (secondary and tertiary prevention) and models. It is also to assess the root causes of violence to effectively respond to the needs of at-risk youth and communities affected by urban violence in a context that includes various categories of perpetrators, including gangs and other organized groups in Colombia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
The consultant fulfilling the role of citizen security expert will be responsible for supporting the team leader on crime and violence prevention programs in cities and, in particular, will be expected to provide substantial support in the analysis of local gang-related issues and complement with wide concepts included in the USAID’s rule and law policy. The consultant requires a detailed understanding of successful citizen security models that empower people and communities and provide them with safety and security, counter crime and corruption, and build trust in public institutions. They also need to have a working understanding of effective violence prevention interventions (secondary and tertiary prevention), including those that work with gangs, community dynamics, gang culture, and effective intervention strategies. A track record of successfully designing or implementing successful citizen security models, with the ability to integrate community perspectives and a people-centered approach to justice into holistic security approaches, is key.

REQUIREMENTS

• Professional degree and master’s degree in a field relevant to the research objective (economics, public policy, political science, social sciences).
• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience.
• Solid background or experience in strong familiarity with citizen security models and policies as well as conflict mitigation and prevention models and challenges implementing and sustaining these initiatives..
• Knowledge of the challenges and nuances associated with citizen security in diverse contexts, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Demonstrated experience in research, project evaluations, policy, and consulting. Desirable experience with USAID or other development agencies.
• Experience managing projects that collect quantitative and qualitative data.
• Proven ability to analyze data and communicate key findings to decision-making audiences.
• Advanced technical report writing skills, with a track record of producing high-quality, evidence-based reports for international development agencies or similar organizations.
• Advanced knowledge of English and Spanish, both written and spoken.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, relationship building, and collaborative work with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated understanding of USAID’s Rule of Law Policy is desirable.
• Ability to effectively develop documents and conduct meetings and presentations in English and Spanish.
  If you are interested in this position, it is mandatory that you upload your labor certificates and proof of education in the Attachment Information. Only candidates who have attached these documents will be reviewed.
  No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted. Only applicants who include the required application components will be considered.

Panagora Group is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

• Note: Panagora does not offer visa sponsorship at this time.

• Play a key role in supporting the research design process, especially the construction of relevant indicators.
• Identify comprehensive primary and secondary sources of information on citizen security, crime prevention, and the rule of law relevant to the research.
• Oversee the quality of quantitative and qualitative data collection, providing guidance and expertise to this process.
• Lead the development of instruments for quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Actively participate in the coding process of qualitative instruments, contributing to the production of a codebook and thematic review.
• Contribute to the analysis of qualitative, quantitative, and secondary information.
• Support the Team Leader in writing reports and presentations for USAID/Colombia, emphasizing findings and recommendations.
• Manage the submission of reports and deliverables, including data, reports, and presentations.
• Contribute lessons from successful citizen security models that empower people and communities and provide them with safety and security, counter crime and corruption, and build trust in public institutions.
• Use qualitative tools during fieldwork for specialized data collection, focusing especially on crime and violence prevention programs in cities.