Human Rights Defender Specialist, PDP
Management Systems International (MSI), a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, D.C. metro area management consultancy with a 40-year history of delivering results for our clients. Our expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation; democracy and governance; peace and stability; rule of law and accountability; education; gender and inclusion; strategic communications; and leadership and organizational development. MSI has implemented projects in 90 countries around the world such as Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Ukraine, and works domestically. We support clients ranging from the U.S. Government (e.g., the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Departments of State and Labor, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation) to large bilateral and multilateral donors (e.g., the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program). We also work with national and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, foundations and universities. For more information, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com.
Project Summary:
This USAID activity, For the Protection of Human Rights & Environmental Defenders and Journalists (PDP)/Por la Protección de Defensores y Periodistas, will seek to improve the capacity of the Government of Mexico and non-state organizations to prevent and to counter violence and threats against human rights advocates, environmental defenders, and journalists in Mexico. The project will support five target states in Mexico, along with indirect assistance to four additional states, as possible.
**Please note: Only Mexican citizens are eligible for this position**
Position Summary:
The Human Rights Defender Specialist will offer expertise regarding the protection of human rights advocates against the threat of violence, legal system misuse, and negative public opinion. This role will advise PDP, partners, and grantees on the design, implementation, and revision programming to prevent the abuse of human rights defenders. Preventative programming will range from services to support the mental, physical, and emotional health of the advocates to efforts to reduce the weaponizing of the legal system against them and increasing social support for the work undertaken by them.
Responsibilities:
- Provide technical guidance to PDP programming meant to enhance the prevention of crimes, legal misuse against human rights defenders.
- Advise on programming meant to reduce the physical, mental, and emotional trauma of these vulnerable demographics.
- Coordinate with grantees, partner organizations, and counterparts to design, implement, and revise preventative programming.
- Offer subject matter expertise on the prevention of violence and threats against human rights defenders, as it relates to PDP’s mission in the project’s target states.
Qualifications:
- Minimum a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required. Master’s degree is preferred.
- Minimum five years of experience in studying and enhancing the prevention of violence of human rights advocates required.
- Experience enhancing local capacity, public perception, and health/wellness services for human rights defenders strongly preferred.
- Experience working with grantees and institutional partners to design, implement, and revise programming to prevent crimes or intimidation of vulnerable demographics.
- Experience working with international donor programming is preferred.
- Fluency in Spanish and proficiency in English is required.
MSI is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We strive to develop and maintain a culture that honors the perspectives and identities of our employees, our communities and those impacted by our work.
We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants’ and employees’ religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.
MSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities/Veterans Employer.
Reasonable Accommodations:
MSI is dedicated to hiring an inclusive workforce. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations during the application process, please visit Tetra Tech’s Disability Assistance Page. Our recruitment team looks forward to engaging in an interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates.
Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.