Border Security and Customs Assessment Advisor

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Georgia.

📋 Description

• Deploy to Tbilisi, Georgia, to carry out a thorough needs assessment for Georgia’s Border Police and Customs Agency.

• Evaluate operational, technical, and institutional capabilities while pinpointing gaps and vulnerabilities.

• Investigate regional collaboration and formulate evidence-based prioritized recommendations for future INL initiatives.

• Draft an assessment report that encompasses capacity gaps, recommendations, an action plan, regional cooperation, suggested projects, activities, potential implementing partners, training topics, evaluation requirements, progress, and subsequent steps.

• Assess the training and technical assistance requirements for passenger profiling, cargo targeting, risk assessment, API, and PNR systems.

• Coordinate efforts with INL, U.S. government interagency partners, the Georgian Border Police and Customs Agency, and other relevant stakeholders.

• Review previous donor training and equipment, creating a reference sheet of government agencies, their functions, and donor support from 2018 to 2028.

• Conduct a survey of infrastructure, equipment, communications, personnel, training systems, standard operating procedures, and daily operations through consultations and site evaluations.

• Identify operational, technical, and institutional shortcomings, including deficiencies in technology, communications, surveillance, monitoring, investigations, screening, and interdiction.

• Review equipment inventories and propose technology requirements along with cost estimates for border crossings and customs facilities.

• Evaluate specialized units regarding readiness, effectiveness, tactical training, mobility, cargo inspection, and technical support tools.

• Assess passenger profiling, cargo inspection, risk assessment, intelligence-led policing, analytical capabilities, and information sharing.

• Recommend focused training, embedded mentoring, and train-the-trainer strategies.

• Map out border crossing points and entry points, including ports and airports.

• Analyze regional cooperation involving Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

• Collaborate with U.S. and international assistance partners, including EXBS, DTRA, DOD, EU partners, IOM, and OSCE.

• Develop a stakeholder matrix or coordination log to document coordination efforts, challenges, synergies, and stakeholder feedback.

• Submit monthly progress reports, assessment notes, interview summaries, data collection tools, and background research.

• Provide initial, midpoint, and final briefings to stakeholders.

• Maintain regular communication with INL Tbilisi staff and present findings to host-nation stakeholders.

⛳️ Requirements

• Currently work in border security, customs, related law enforcement, or a similar field, or have recently retired or separated within the last 5 years.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in English.

• Possess a valid U.S. driver’s license.

• Ability to operate a standard transmission vehicle.

• In good health and capable of passing required physical, medical, and psychological evaluations as necessary for the assigned mission/country.

• Capacity to endure a deployment lasting up to 9 months.

• Willingness and capability to train others in your area of expertise.

• Clean background check.

• Secret Security Clearance is required.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in international relations, law enforcement, public policy, or a related field.

• 5 to 9 years of overall work experience.

• 5 to 8 years of experience specifically in the field of expertise.

• Preferred: at least 7 years of direct, hands-on field experience in border security operations, customs interdiction, or port-of-entry management.

• Practical experience in conducting or supporting on-the-ground assessments of border crossing points and/or customs facilities.

• Proficient understanding of border and customs standard operating procedures, cargo and passenger screening operations, and interdiction unit tactics.

• Field experience in identifying technology and equipment shortfalls, such as scanners, radio and communications systems, and detection devices.

• Experience engaging with stakeholders in the field with host-nation border or customs officials.

• Experience in delivering in-country training or embedded mentoring is preferred.

• Experience collaborating with foreign assistance stakeholders overseas, ideally in Eastern Europe or Central Asia.

• General experience working overseas.

• Experience working with INL.

🏝️ Benefits

• Contract engagement.

• Deployment lasting up to 9 months.

• Opportunity to support U.S. Department of State INL programming.

• Opportunity to conduct international field assessment work.

• Opportunity to train others in your area of expertise.