TITLE: Digital Prevention and Capacity Development Consultants

LOCATION: Home-based, with travel to Baghdad, Iraq, as required

NUMBER OF POSITIONS: 4–6 consultants across leadership, technical delivery and specialist roles

CONTRACT: Short-term consultancy with intermittent inputs, anticipated November 2026 to October 2027

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Human Relief Foundation (HRF) is seeking experienced consultants to strengthen institutional capacity in preventing and countering violent extremism (PVE/CVE), with a focus on the digital environment. This is a single recruitment process for a Team Leader, a Technical Lead and 2–4 Specialist Consultants. HRF will assess applicants and match them to roles according to their qualifications and experience. Applicants are not expected to meet the requirements for every role or specialism.

The work combines learning-needs assessment, curriculum development, practical workshops, online learning and mentoring for institutional participants. Engagements are subject to funding and confirmation of the assignment. Responsibilities and reporting lines will depend on the role assigned.

Responsibilities will include:

• Assess learning needs and develop a capacity-development programme tailored to institutional roles and the Iraqi context.
• Develop or deliver practical training, exercises and reference materials within the consultant’s area of expertise.
• Support analysis of online radicalisation, extremist narratives and prevention approaches, using lawful and ethically appropriate methods.
• Coordinate with institutional counterparts and other consultants to ensure consistent, timely and high-quality delivery.
• Monitor learning progress and contribute to assessments, activity reports and documentation of results.
• Apply conflict sensitivity, Do No Harm, human-rights, privacy and data-protection principles. Use fictional, non-identifying scenarios in exercises.
• Participate in online meetings and travel to Baghdad where the agreed role requires in-person delivery, following applicable security procedures.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Applicants should meet the criteria for at least one of the roles described below. Relevant experience must be clearly evidenced in the CV with month and year dates, responsibilities and project examples. Strong written and spoken English at C1 level is required for all roles. Arabic language skills and relevant regional experience will also inform team composition.

TEAM LEADER

Reporting to HRF Programme Management, the Team Leader will provide overall coordination, strategic oversight and quality assurance. Indicative input: up to 15 working days, including limited travel for coordination and review meetings.

Role responsibilities

• Oversee the Technical Lead and Specialist Consultants and coordinate communication with relevant partners.
• Quality-assure the learning-needs assessment, curriculum, training methodology, exercises, learning evidence and reports.
• Oversee workplans, milestones, risk management and reporting; lead key coordination and review meetings.

Qualifications and experience

• Master’s degree or equivalent in political or social sciences, peace and conflict studies, security studies, international relations, development studies or a related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in development cooperation, peacebuilding, stabilisation or closely related fields.
• At least 5 years of experience in PVE/CVE or related prevention activities.
• At least 5 years of management or leadership experience as a project team leader, project manager or in a comparable role.
• Demonstrated experience working with governmental or institutional counterparts in Iraq or the Middle East.

TECHNICAL LEAD

Reporting to the Team Leader, the Technical Lead will manage technical design and delivery, coordinate Specialist Consultants and lead implementation with institutional counterparts. Indicative input: up to 60 working days, including repeated missions to Baghdad for preparation and workshop delivery.

Role responsibilities

• Lead the learning-needs assessment and translate findings into a tailored curriculum and practical capacity-development programme.
• Develop and oversee workshop materials, scenario-based exercises, mentoring and learning assessments.
• Coordinate technical contributions and institutional engagement; monitor participants’ progress and prepare reports and results data.

Qualifications and experience

• Master’s degree or equivalent in political or social sciences, peace and conflict studies, security studies, international relations, development studies or a related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in development cooperation, peacebuilding, stabilisation or closely related fields.
• At least 5 years of experience in PVE/CVE, online radicalisation or prevention policy, and at least 5 years in institutional capacity development or advisory services.
• Demonstrated experience managing and coordinating technical assignments or projects.
• Demonstrated experience working in Iraq or the Middle East, and experience with governmental or institutional counterparts in the Middle East or similar contexts.

SPECIALIST CONSULTANTS

Reporting to the Technical Lead, 2–4 Specialist Consultants will support assessment, develop and deliver specialist sessions, facilitate exercises and contribute to materials and reports. Up to 100 working days will be shared across the pool; individual inputs and travel will depend on the expertise required.

Qualifications and experience common to specialist roles

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in political or social sciences, security studies, international relations, law, communications or media, information technology, data analysis or a field relevant to the proposed specialism.
• At least 7 years of professional experience relevant to the proposed area of expertise, and at least 5 years in capacity development, training or advisory services.

Specialist areas

Applicants should demonstrate one or more of the following areas. The selected pool will cover all five collectively; individual applicants do not need to cover every area.

• PVE/CVE and online radicalisation: at least 7 years in PVE/CVE, online radicalisation, extremist narratives, recruitment or mobilisation dynamics.
• Digital monitoring and analysis: at least 5 years in open-source research or intelligence (OSINT), platform-aware monitoring, digital content analysis, or narrative, trend or network analysis.
• Strategic communication and prevention: at least 5 years in strategic communication, prevention-oriented narratives, audience analysis or coordinated prevention approaches relevant to PVE.
• Legal, human-rights and ethical considerations: at least 5 years in legal, human-rights, privacy, digital-governance or ethical issues relevant to digital monitoring and prevention.
• Training design and adult learning: at least 3 years in scenario-based learning, adult learning or practical training design.

Arabic proficiency at B2 level or above and at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in Iraq or the Middle East are strongly preferred. The pool will include at least two consultants meeting each of these criteria. Candidates combining several specialisms are welcome.

Please send the following in English to recruitment-iq@hrf.co.uk:

• CV, preferably no more than 4 pages, showing relevant assignments, roles and dates in month/year format.
• Covering letter, no more than 1 page, explaining relevant experience, specialist areas and earliest availability. You may indicate preferred roles; HRF will assess suitability across the available roles.
• Proposed daily consultancy fee in EUR, availability during the anticipated period, and ability to travel to Baghdad where required.
• Details of 2 references.

Please put “Digital Prevention and Capacity Development Consultants” in the email subject line. Submit one application only, even if you are interested in several roles. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to provide a structured CV and consent to inclusion in an HRF proposal.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please apply as soon as possible; CVs will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Appointment, input days and start date are subject to funding and confirmation. HRF welcomes applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds, including women and Iraqi and regional specialists.