Consultant, Law Enforcement Expert, Bulgaria

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world.

International Justice Mission (IJM) has implemented a collaborative approach to combating violence against those vulnerable for the last 23 years in 20 field offices around the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, collecting international best practices in tackling human trafficking. The capacity building model of criminal justice system transformation implemented by IJM includes individual support for survivors, support for government initiatives and jointly proposing policy changes to strengthen criminal justice systems (CJS) to respond effectively to human trafficking.

The Need

For 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence by 2030, we are seeking a Consultant, Law Enforcement Expert, Bulgaria.

Job Description:

The Consultant, Law Enforcement Expert, Bulgaria, is responsible for coordinating with anti-trafficking organizations and public institutions through a US Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, supported project implemented in Bulgaria to support cases of human trafficking. The position will liaise with respective Bulgarian and other regional law enforcement bodies including police, prosecution, social services and other statutory bodies combatting human trafficking.

The Consultant will strive to become a trusted advisor to police and criminal justice system (CJS) decision-makers to gather and augment learnings from trainings, consultation, mentorship and make suggestions for process improvement to further enhance the abilities and coordination of police and other criminal justice system actors engaged in anti-human trafficking efforts.

The Consultant will collaborate closely with NGO partners, police and prosecutors to support case management of identified cases of trafficking in persons. The Consultant will also liaise with IJM staff in destination countries to help ensure a continuum of care for victims of trafficking returning to Bulgaria when exploited abroad. The Consultant will engage regularly with law enforcement and the prosecutor offices to ensure a victim-centered, trauma informed approach is taken with regard to victim engagement. The Consultant will work with internal IJM staff, NGO and government partners to identify gap areas within the public justice system’s response to trafficking in persons and assist with the development of trainings and advocacy initiatives.

Key Result Areas:

The success of this role is measured by the following KRAs:

• Support and liaise with law enforcement, NGOs and other statutory bodies to increase proactive and reactive anti-human trafficking outcomes and developments.
• Support the application of strategic and collaborative casework as the primary strategy for all partner NGOs, especially those in the project.
• Support Bulgarian Police to enhance detection, identification and rescue of trafficking victim strategies, as well as efforts to ensure accountability for human traffickers (through arrests, prosecutions and convictions).
• Support trafficking victims and witnesses to remain engaged with police and prosecutors throughout the criminal adjudicative process by ensuring appropriate care and safeguarding needs alongside partner NGOs.
• Support Bulgarian Police to leverage their relations with the public and civil society to increase reports of actionable human trafficking information.
• Build collaborative relationships with other relevant law enforcement entities and focal points in Europe, particularly other countries within IJM’s roadmap.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Policies & Procedures:

1. Advise on best practices and policies that could be applied to relevant anti-trafficking actors to combat trafficking in persons.

Networking & Partnership:

1. Work closely with criminal justice system stakeholders to create a unified, trauma-informed, multi-disciplinary response to human trafficking.
2. Become a reliable and trusted advisor to anti-trafficking NGOs, Bulgarian Police and other duty bearers. Collaborate with these partners to determine program direction and share program progress and performance regularly to promote transparency and ensure alignment with police strategic objectives and mission priorities.
3. Promote collaboration, coordination and human trafficking criminal information sharing between Bulgarian Police Central Directorates and County Police Inspectorates and foreign law enforcement.
4. Seek input from police leadership, criminal justice system stakeholders and trafficking survivors to identify police training requirements and process improvement opportunities.
5. Leverage existing resources to achieve objectives, criminal information sharing and bilateral anti-trafficking investigations for Bulgarian Police with foreign and international law enforcement partners with shared anti-trafficking interests.

Communication:

1. Act as a liaison between NGOs in the project, other relevant local and international organizations in Bulgaria who are working to eradicate TIP and the criminal justice system in Bulgaria to ensure a proper communication and understating between involved parties.

Training and Development:

1. Advise on the relevant institutions empowered to respond and how they are interconnected to ensure cooperation and efficiency and understand their responsibilities.
2. Advise on the roles and needs of the Bulgarian Justice System and how they can be more effective to protect victims of trafficking and pursue criminals.
3. In collaboration with IJM teams and implementing partners develop training resources and curricula for JTIP BG partners and service providers.
4. Multi-disciplinary service providers will contextualize and disseminate tools on identifying, referring and managing TIP cases among refugees. The focus of these workshops will include: identification, information sharing, operating in a trauma-informed and victim-centric manner, reducing burden and re-traumatization and increasing participation of victims in the judicial process where victims desire to engage.

Research, Program Management, and M&E:

1. In collaboration with the M&E team, support the data collection and analysis of standardized indicators in the project.

Education & Experience:

1. Advanced degree in law enforcement, international development, or equivalent combination of bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience.
2. Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience.
3. Minimum of five (5) years of experience leading the development and implementation of successful law enforcement programs and capacity building projects with excellent outcomes
4. Experience working on programs that serve survivors of abuse, trafficking, or other traumatic experiences required.
5. Human trafficking expert within the Bulgarian and European context, .
6. Fluency in oral and written communication of English and Bulgarian required; fluency or working proficiency of Romanian is an advantage.
7. Significant networking and advocacy experience required.

Technical Competencies:

1. Trauma-informed competencies
2. Program development
3. Training and curriculum development
4. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
5. Cross-cultural competency
6. Research and writing
7. High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and data management systems

Non-Technical Competencies:

1. Ability to build trust across diverse, multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholders.
2. Excellent reputation and integrity.
3. Creativity and problem solving

This position is based in Bucharest and reports to the Project Manager.

This position is based in Bucharest, Romania and is available to be hybrid (onsite Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) and remote Monday and Wednesday or only remotely from Bulgaria.

Application Process:

Please submit Resume/CV, Cover Letter, in one document to romania@ijm.org

What does IJM have to offer?

• Comprehensive Medical Service Plan
• 24 days paid leave
• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation
• Robust staff care resources

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Conduct. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection, and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing the candidates value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.