Call for Proposals
Sep 11, 2024
Anti-Infiltration and Protection Strategist for the NHJ
Overview of the National Healing Journey
The National Healing Journey (NHJ) is a coalition of individuals, families, and organizations dedicated to ending intergenerational trauma within Afro-descendant communities across Canada. Our mission is to work with Black-led, Black-focused, and Black-serving organizations across the country to co-create a healthy Black ecosystem that supports the health and well-being of Afro-descendant individuals, families, and communities. The NHJ aims to unite the Afro-descendant community in the collective effort to heal the traumatic wounds associated with the enslavement experience in a post-colonial context, fostering a just, equitable, and thriving society.
Overview of the Becoming Project
The Becoming Project is a strategic multi-phase initiative under the NHJ, designed to end intergenerational trauma and promote the health of the Black ecosystem in Canada. Over the course of three years, the project will unfold across four key phases:
- Building the National Round Table: Mobilizing Black-led, Black-focused, Black-serving organizations across Canada to form a strong coalition that uses a coordinated approach to co-create a national strategy for building a healthy Black ecosystem.
- Individual & Communal Healing: Providing unhindered access to individual trauma recovery journeys and organizing an annual Truth and Reconciliation Jubilee that supports communal healing.
- National Social Awareness Campaign: Designing and implementing a national social awareness campaign focused on normalizing trauma recovery at the individual, family, and community levels. Production of the Becoming Show, a docuseries that exposes the Canadian audience to the healing journey of 7 individuals, 7 families, and 1 entire community over a 3-year period.
- Train, Monitor & Evaluate Impact: Train 151 trauma recovery specialists in every province supporting diverse but especially Afro-descendant communities with unhindered access to Afro-centric trauma recovery care. Continuous assessment of impact and refinement of strategies for sustainable change.
Consultant Role: Evaluation Specialist (1 – 3 Year Contract)
Position Description
The NHJ seeks an experienced and strategic Anti-Infiltration and Protection Strategist for a consulting engagement lasting 1-3 years. This consultant will lead the development and implementation of advanced protection strategies designed to safeguard the NHJ and the Becoming Project from infiltration, internal sabotage, and external threats, ensuring the movement’s integrity and long-term sustainability. The strategist will collaborate closely with the National Change Management & Mobilization Strategist, Healthy Ecosystem Pathway Strategist, Evaluation Specialist, Anti-Racism Strategist, and Social Awareness Campaign Specialist, taking a leadership role in aligning protection efforts across these key areas to maintain integrity and protect its values.
Key Responsibilities:
Risk Assessment and Threat Identification
- Strategic Risk Assessment: Conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify potential threats to the NHJ and the Becoming Project. Analyze historical patterns of infiltration in similar movements and monitor external actors who may pose a threat.
- Early Warning Systems: Develop and implement sophisticated early warning systems to proactively detect and respond to signs of infiltration, sabotage, or other threats, utilizing intelligence gathering, advanced analytics, and network analysis.
Security Protocols and Protective Measures
- Developing Security Protocols: Design and implement robust security protocols to protect the movement from infiltration and internal sabotage. Create guidelines for vetting new members, securing communication channels, and safeguarding sensitive information.
- Internal Protection Measures: Establish regular audits, background checks, and a confidential reporting system to protect the internal structure of the NHJ and the Becoming Project from threats or breaches of trust.
Building a Culture of Vigilance and Trust
- Vigilance Training: Provide training to members of the NHJ and Becoming Project on recognizing and responding to potential infiltration or threats. Foster a culture of vigilance while ensuring a supportive, trust-based environment.
- Strengthening Trust Networks: Build and strengthen trust within the organization by promoting open communication, transparency, and collective responsibility for the movement’s protection.
Collaborating with Legal and Security Experts
- Legal Safeguards: Collaborate with legal experts to ensure that all protective measures comply with the law and that the NHJ and Becoming Project are prepared to respond to infiltration or sabotage legally.
- Security Partnerships: Establish partnerships with security experts, including cybersecurity professionals and investigators, to enhance the movement’s defences and stay informed about new threats.
Crisis Management and Response Planning
- Crisis Response Planning: Develop a comprehensive crisis management plan that outlines steps for addressing infiltration or sabotage. This plan should include communication protocols, damage control, and trust restoration strategies.
- Rapid Response Teams: Create rapid response teams trained to assess situations, contain damage, and implement the crisis management plan in the event of a security breach.
Monitoring and Adapting to Emerging Threats
- Continuous Monitoring: Monitor the movement’s environment for emerging threats and stay informed about new tactics used by opponents. Adapt protection strategies based on intelligence gathered.
- Adaptive Strategies: Regularly review and update protective measures to address evolving threats. Ensure that the NHJ and Becoming Project remain resilient and protected over time.
Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability and Integrity
- Long-Term Protective Measures: Implement strategies that ensure the long-term sustainability and integrity of the NHJ and Becoming Project. Build a resilient organizational structure that can withstand internal and external pressures.
- Legacy Protection: Create and implement long-term strategies that not only protect the NHJ and Becoming Project’s legacy but also build the capacity for future leaders to uphold and advance the movement’s objectives without succumbing to infiltration or sabotage. Emphasize sustainability and resilience as core components of the legacy strategy.
Required Expertise:
- Risk Assessment and Crisis Management: Proven experience in conducting risk assessments, identifying threats, and developing crisis management plans for large-scale movements or organizations.
- Security Protocol Development: Expertise in designing and implementing security protocols to safeguard organizations from internal and external threats, including infiltration, sabotage, or defamation.
- Building Trust and Vigilance: Strong background in promoting trust, vigilance, and collective responsibility within organizations or movements to protect against internal threats.
- Legal and Security Collaboration: Extensive experience in partnering with legal and security experts to create robust legal safeguards, lead thorough investigations, and ensure full compliance with both national and international protective measures.
- Crisis Response and Monitoring: Ability to monitor emerging threats, lead rapid response teams, and adapt protection strategies to new challenges.
Submission Guidelines
Interested candidates or consulting firms are invited to submit a detailed proposal by November 11, 2024. Proposals should be sent to becomingproject@nationalhealingjourney.com and must include the following components:
- Overview of the Consulting Company or Person (150 words max): Provide a summary of the company or individual, including relevant experience and expertise.
- Alignment with NHJ’s Mission, Vision, and Objectives (150 words max): Demonstrate how the consultant or consulting firm’s vision and mission align with the NHJ’s goals.
- Understanding of the Becoming Project (150 words max): Provide evidence of understanding the need for the Becoming Project and its impact, particularly in the context of dismantling systemic racism and promoting racial healing.
- Capacity for Anti-Racism Strategy Development (250 words max): Outline the capacity to develop and implement comprehensive anti-racism strategies that are integrated with the NHJ and Becoming Project’s broader initiatives.
- Experience in Coalition Building and Policy Advocacy (250 words max): Detail your experience in building coalitions and advocating for policy changes that challenge racial injustice and promote equity.
- Capacity to Undertake the Project (250 words max):
- Organizational and Financial Capacity: Demonstrate the ability to manage complex, large-scale projects with a particular focus on collaborative settings. Highlight your ability to effectively allocate resources, manage risks, and ensure financial stability.
- Experience with Priority Populations: Highlight experience working with Afro-descendant or similar populations.
- Project Management and Results: Provide examples of successful project management and the achievement of results, particularly in anti-racism initiatives.
- Proposed Timeline and Milestones (1 page diagram): Provide a timeline with key milestones and reporting intervals to demonstrate how you will manage and track progress, accounting for the four phases of the Becoming Project.
- References and Case Studies (150 words max): Include references and case studies from similar projects to verify your experience and effectiveness in anti-racism strategy development.
- Proposed Budget & Financial Stability Documentation: Submit documentation or evidence of financial stability to ensure your ability to manage the project without risk of financial shortfalls.
- Partnerships and Collaboration (150 words max): If applicable, describe any partnerships or collaborations with other organizations that will enhance the proposal’s effectiveness and broaden its impact, especially in the context of coalition building and global engagement.
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs: 150 words max): Propose KPIs that will measure the success of your work and align with the project’s goals, ensuring these are developed collaboratively with NHJ stakeholders.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following weighted criteria:
- Relevant Experience and Expertise (30%)
- Alignment with NHJ’s Mission and Vision (15%)
- Capacity for Strategic Campaign Development and Innovation (25%)
- Capacity and Experience with Priority Populations (15%)
- Proposed Timeline and Milestones (10%)
- Proposed Budget & Financial Stability (5%)
- Clarity and Completeness of Proposal (5%)
Eligibility
Only Canadian organizations or individuals with relevant experience in the Canadian context may submit proposals under this solicitation. Individuals must be legally able to work in Canada without restrictions. may submit proposals under this solicitation.
Pre-Submission Information Session
To assist potential applicants, NHJ will host a pre-submission webinar on Wednesday, September 18th, 202 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM EST. This session is designed to clarify expectations, provide an overview of the project, answer questions, and offer guidance to ensure high-quality submissions on the submission process. Attendance is highly recommended.
Submission Deadline
The deadline for submission is November 11, 2024, at 11:59 pm EDT. Applications should be submitted to becomingproject@nationalhealingjourney.com. Late submissions will not be considered. Please allow for enough time to fully complete and submit your proposal. Applications should be submitted to becomingproject@nationalhealingjourney.com.
We look forward to receiving your proposal. Together, we aim to heal historical wounds and create lasting change within Afro-descendant communities.