Call for Consultancy - Physical Performance Instructor

Project Background

ICMPD is implementing the Swiss funded project ‘Swiss Support to Integrated Border Management in Lebanon’ (Phase 3), which will support in enhancing the capacities of the Lebanese security agencies in implementing a rights-based approach to border and migration management, contributing to national stability and social cohesion.

One of the objectives of the project is to expand the capacities of the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) Military Academy on gender integration and Women, Peace and Security (WPS). The topic of gender is still relatively underexplored in the Lebanese security sector, although it is enjoying significant momentum internationally and in the country. A mixed-gender curriculum has been adopted for use at the Military Academy. Gender integration is currently not approached in a systematic manner by LAF, and thus the Military Academy has been at the forefront in creating favourable training conditions and in accommodating the needs of mixed male/female promotions.

Objective

In 2021, Swiss Support tackled immediate gender integration needs of the Military Academy, by supporting the internal rehabilitation of female dedicated facilities through a relatively small but much needed donation of sanitary fixtures and bathroom fittings.

Besides the need for rehabilitation of structures, another need that has recently arisen concerns physical training. A number of female (and indeed male) cadets have suffered injury and strain while participating in the regulation and mixed physical training programme. In turn, this has meant periods of recovery and non-participation in training along with a drop in motivation. LAF has responded to re-engineer the exercises but have a need for external expertise.

Under the objective of expanding the capacities of the LAF’s Military Academy on gender integration, the Physical Performance Expert will be required to conduct in-depth analyses on the Military Academy’s entry physical performance tests. She/he will also have to carry out revision of the tests. This should be done in line with a standards-based approach defining gender-inclusive standards of physical performance, based upon actual demands of all combat-arms specialties accessible to female cadets.

The expert will also be required to analyse and revise the Military Academy’s physical training programme in line with international best practices to ensure the adoption of a state-of-the-art progressive physical training programme for both male and female cadets, contributing to the implementation of gender integration at the Military Academy and LAF as a whole.

Training activities and specialist expertise provided will be complemented, wherever relevant, with the provision of small-scale equipment. The exact list of equipment to be provided will be determined based on an assessment to be conducted during the current phase and upon which the delivery of equipment will be provided to facilitate the implementation and application of skills learnt and to support gender integration at the LAF’s Military Academy. 

Tasks

• Visit Military Academy and observe training
• Conduct meetings with military physical trainers and gather feedback and recommendations
• Understand and assess the existing entry/training programs, propose changes, and revise programmes accordingly
• Evaluate and propose types of fitness tests that should be included or removed from the physical training entry test and ensure that the entry test is suitably gender-balanced
• Provide and facilitate injury prevention and performance enhancement in a gender-balanced manner
• Provide and facilitate the adoption of a state-of-art progressive physical training program for both female and male cadets
• Provide instruction and guidance for the Military Academy (in the form of training of trainers)
• Design training programmes for both female and male cadets and other army personnel to support them in gaining and maintaining fitness/strength or recovering from injury
• Contribute to the implementation of gender integration at the Military Academy by overseeing the proposed changes
• Create reference material with modifications made to entry test and training programme
• Hold regular meetings with ICMPD and provide written monthly progress updates and recommendations, when requested

Deliverables

• Analyse and revise the Military Academy’s entry physical performance tests through the provision of reports and reference material
• Analyse and revise the Military Academy’s physical training programme through the provision of reports and reference material
• Train trainers at the Military Academy on the proposed and recommended revisions of the programmes
• Recommend small-scale equipment to be provided in order to support progress in gender integration
• Design a pamphlet to include reference material detailing how each exercise should be performed in order to minimize the risk of injury

Reporting lines

The Expert will work under the supervision of the ICMPD Beirut-based Project Manager, while formal reporting is to the Senior Border Management and Security Specialist (BMS) for the Middle East at ICMPD Headquarters in Vienna. In coordination with the Senior BMS Specialist, the Project Manager will coordinate the overall delivery with the expert (in terms of administrative and content issues), and will provide input and comments on deliverables as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Formal qualification in Physical Training/Education or relevant
• At least 8 years of relevant work experience with both females and males
• Ability to design high-quality, up-to-date, safe and effective Physical Training programmes for a variety of settings
• Knowledge of the principles of physical training and fitness for both females and males
• Knowledge of fitness assessment techniques
• High level of competency in training needs analyses
• Ability to work in sensitive ethnic, political and confessional environments
• Fluency in English, with strong drafting skills

Desirable:

• Experience working with active populations (e.g. military settings, professional sports, etc…)
• Knowledge of rehabilitation and injury recovery programmes
• Military/service background is an advantage
• Experience in Lebanon/MENA region is an advantage