Online Curriculum Design Consultant: Building Local Protection Networks

Terms of Reference

Consultancy: Development of an Online Training Curriculum on Building Local Protection Networks

Position title: Online Curriculum Design Consultant: Building Local Protection Networks

Organisation Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP): Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) Academy

Reporting line: UCP Academy Manager

Duty station: Remote (home-based); no travel foreseen

Contract period: 1 November 2026 – 31 December 2026

Level of effort: 20 working days within the contract period

Maximum budget: CHF 8,000 (all-inclusive, equivalent to CHF 400 per working day)

1. Background

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is an international civilian protection organisation that works alongside local communities to prevent violence and build sustainable peace through unarmed civilian protection (UCP). Building and accompanying local protection networks is one of the core methodologies of NP field operations worldwide.

NP’s UCP Academy is the organisation’s learning platform, designed to make UCP practice accessible to practitioners, communities, civil society organisations, policymakers and academics. NP is expanding the Academy’s course catalogue and seeks a consultant to design a training curriculum on building local protection networks, grounded in NP field practice and current UCP scholarship. The curriculum will subsequently be digitalised and hosted as an online course on the UCP Academy website. The consultant is responsible for producing a ‘digitalisation-ready’ curriculum, not for the technical build.

2. Objective

To develop a complete, practice-based and pedagogically sound training curriculum on building local protection networks, ready for digitalisation and delivery through the UCP Academy platform.

3. Scope of work

Under the direct supervision of the UCP Academy Manager, the consultant will:

• Conduct a short inception review of existing NP internal guidance, training materials, field tools and relevant external literature on local protection networks and community-based protection.
• Consult NP field teams (through remote interviews and/or focus group discussions across a representative sample of country programmes) to capture field-tested practice, tools, case examples and lessons learned and to validate the draft curriculum content.
• Engage with academic partners, in particular the Creating Safer Space initiative at Aberystwyth University, to ensure the curriculum reflects current UCP research, terminology and evidence and to identify opportunities for reciprocal use of research outputs.
• Design the curriculum architecture: learning pathway, modules and sessions, learning objectives, estimated learning time, sequencing and prerequisites.
• Develop module content: session outlines, facilitator/narration scripts or content notes, case studies drawn from NP field experience, exercises and reflection prompts, and a suggested reading and resource list.
• Design assessment and learner engagement elements: knowledge checks, end-of-module quizzes, a final assessment, and criteria for course completion or certification.
• Present the draft curriculum in a validation session with the UCP Academy Manager and other relevant stakeholders, and integrate consolidated feedback into the final version.

4. Deliverables

• Inception note: methodology, consultation plan, annotated curriculum outline.
• Consultation report: key findings from NP field teams and academic partners.
• Draft curriculum package with modules, content, exercises and assessments.
• Validation session and consolidated feedback matrix.
• Final curriculum package plus digitalisation guidance note and resource list.

All deliverables shall be submitted in English, in editable formats (Word and, where relevant, PowerPoint or Excel). All materials produced remain the intellectual property of Nonviolent Peaceforce.

5. Required qualifications and experience

• Advanced university degree in peace and conflict studies, international relations, international humanitarian law, education or a related field.
• Demonstrated, substantive knowledge of unarmed civilian protection, including protection networks, early warning and early response, and community-based protection, is a requirement. Prior work with NP or comparable UCP actors is a strong asset.
• At least five years’ experience designing adult learning curricula, preferably for online or blended delivery.
• Proven ability to translate field practice into accessible learning content, and experience working with both operational teams and academic partners.
• Ability to work independently, remotely and across multiple time zones.

6. Reporting and working arrangements

The consultancy is fully remote. The consultant reports directly to the UCP Academy Manager, with a check-in at inception, weekly progress calls and written approval of each deliverable. The consultant uses their own equipment and software. NP facilitates introductions to field teams and academic partners and provides existing resources available. Case material drawn from field operations is handled under NP confidentiality and do-no-harm requirements: sensitive examples must be anonymised or cleared before use.

7. Budget and payment

The maximum available budget is CHF 8,000, inclusive of all fees, taxes and incidental costs, for a maximum of 20 working days. Payment is made in 2 instalmendts: 25% upon signing of contract and 75% upon completion (with written approval) of assignment. The consultant is responsible for any tax requirements in their country.

8. Application 

• We strongly encourage applicants to carefully review the job description before submitting their application and ensure they meet the essential requirements.  

• Candidates meeting the above requirements are requested to submit the following, through our website, detailing their experience and how they qualify for the role. Incomplete applications will not be considered:  

• • CV. 

• • Short technical proposal (maximum three pages) outlining approach and indicative module structure. 

• • Relevant work sample and an all-inclusive daily rate.  

• The closing date for applications is Thursday, 8 October, 2026. 

• This is on a rolling basis. Candidates may be selected before the closing date apply early. 

• As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a technical assignment before participating in an interview. 

SPECIAL NOTICE

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, communities we work with, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices in the Humanitarian and Development sector.NP expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We prioritise ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. NP also participates in the InterAgency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

NO FEE 

We never ask for payment as part of our selection process, and we always contact candidates via our corporate accounts and platforms. If you are approached for payment, this is likely to be fraudulent. Please check whether the role you are interested in is posted here on our website.