Call for Application: Senior Expert and Penholder
Initiative on Women’s Participation and Leadership in Counter-Terrorism
About the IIJ
The International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) is a multinational organisation focused on building the capacity of justice practitioners to fight terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crime in line with human rights and the rule of law. It designs and delivers tailored training and capacity-building programmes as well as activities that help governments and practitioners address—in a practical, effective and collaborative manner—the evolving nature of contemporary transnational threats. The IIJ was founded in 2014 and has a Governing Board of Administrators consisting of 12 Member States and the European Union. For more information, visit the IIJ website: https://theiij.org/.
Background of the Consultancy
The European Union (EU) is supporting two complementary initiatives, implemented by the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) through the EU-UN Global Threats Facility and aimed at strengthening the full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation and leadership of women in counter-terrorism efforts.
Within this framework, the IIJ is supporting the development of a Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Framework Document on Strengthening Women’s Participation and Leadership in Counter-Terrorism. The document will provide guidance to policymakers and practitioners on advancing women’s participation across counter-terrorism responses.
To inform this process, the IIJ will convene a Reference Group of Experts composed of practitioners and subject-matter experts from relevant regions.
Objective of the Call
The IIJ is seeking to engage two qualified Consultants to support the development of the GCTF Framework Document:
Profile 1: A Senior Expert (facilitator) on Women in Counter-Terrorism;
Profile 2: A Penholder (lead drafter).
The selected experts will contribute to ensuring a structured, inclusive, and high-quality process leading to the development of the Framework Document.
Responsibilities, deliverables and profiles
- Senior Expert (Facilitator)
The Senior Expert will support the facilitation and strategic orientation of the Reference Group discussion.
Key responsibilities include:
• Facilitating online and in-person meetings of the Reference Group;
• Guiding discussions to ensure focused, inclusive, and outcome-oriented exchanges;
• Identifying key thematic priorities, challenges, and emerging issues;
• Supporting the formulation of policy-relevant good practices and recommendations; and
• Liaising with the IIJ and the Penholder to ensure coherence between discussions and drafting.
Specific tasks and deliverables:
• Prepare and facilitate all Reference Group meetings, in coordination with the IIJ;
• Develop meeting agendas and guiding questions, as required;
• Develop concise summaries of discussions, including key findings and recommendations;
• Provide strategic inputs to shape the structure and content of the Framework Document; and
• Contribute to the validation of key recommendations emerging from the process.
Qualifications:
• Demonstrated expertise in counter-terrorism and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda;
• Proven experience in facilitating expert-level or multilateral discussions;
• Strong knowledge of regional contexts, including the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), East and West Africa, and Central and Southeast Asia regions; and
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Penholder (Lead Drafter)
The Penholder will be responsible for the drafting of the GCTF Framework Document.
Key responsibilities include:
• Drafting the Framework Document in line with GCTF standards;
• Consolidating inputs from Reference Group discussions and written contributions;
• Conducting targeted desk research, as required;
• Integrating good practices, lessons learned, and policy recommendations; and
• Revising drafts based on feedback from the Reference Group and the IIJ.
Specific tasks and deliverables:
• Prepare an initial annotated outline of the Framework Document;
• Produce successive draft versions of the document in line with agreed timelines;
• Integrate inputs from Reference Group meetings, written consultations, and IIJ feedback;
• Ensure consistency, clarity, and policy relevance of the final document;
• Deliver a final version of the Framework Document.
Qualifications:
• Proven experience in drafting policy or guidance documents for international or multilateral processes;
• Expertise in counter-terrorism and WPS-related issues;
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills in English;
• Demonstrated ability to synthesise complex inputs into clear and structured outputs.
Working modalities
The Consultants will contribute to the work of the Reference Group throughout the development of the Framework Document, within the 3-year project timeline.
The Reference Group is expected to meet periodically in both online (two per year) and in-person (once per year) formats. Additional written consultations may be organised as required.
Working language will be English.
Contractual arrangements
The selected experts will be engaged as consultants in accordance with IIJ procedures.
Application Submission
Interested applicants meeting the qualifications are invited to submit a cover letter and resume to hr@theiij.org, clearly stating and choosing between the 2 profiles: “Women in CT Consultant – Profile 1 or Profile 2” in the subject line. The deadline for submission is 13 April 2026
The IIJ is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds, regardless of race, origin, disability, gender, or any other protected status.