ICITAP Border Security Advisor - Kosovo

Amentum is a premier global services partner supporting critical programs of national significance across defense, security, intelligence, energy, and environment. Amentum draws from a century-old heritage of operational excellence, mission focus, and successful execution underpinned by a strong culture of safety and ethics. Headquartered in Chantilly, VA., Amentum employs more than 50,000 people on all seven continents.

Amentum is supporting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in providing specialized training, advisory and mentoring services to host nations under the Criminal Division’s International Criminal Investigative Training and Assistance Program (ICITAP).  https://www.justice.gov/criminal-icitap.  

ICITAP is a cornerstone of America’s global strategy for combating transnational crime, terrorism, countering trafficking in persons, establishing rule of law and enhancing human rights in developing countries.  Amentum is the contract service provider to the DOJ ICITAP and Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) programs. 

The ICITAP-Kosovo Law Enforcement Development Program funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, offers law enforcement support through a comprehensive and integrated program of training, technical assistance, and equipment donations to assist Kosovo’s law enforcement institutions to advance the America First foreign policy by combating transnational organized crime.

The U.S. Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy and the Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State’s mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous, and secure world.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is part of the Under Secretariat for Arms Control and International Security (T) within the Department of State. INL’s mission is to minimize the impact of international crime and illegal drugs on the United States and its citizens by providing effective foreign assistance and fostering global cooperation.

Please Note: This is an Independent Contractor position with Amentum and should not be considered an employment relationship with Amentum.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Amentum is currently seeking a qualified candidate to serve as the Border Security Advisor in Pristina, Kosovo. The advisor will work directly with the Kosovo Police’s (KP) border security units and Kosovo Customs officers to enhance border interdiction capabilities through targeted training and case-based mentorship. This position will serve as the lead subject matter expert (SME) and coordinator for border security implementation, bridging technical expertise and interagency coordination. Kosovo’s border management infrastructure remains outdated, with limited surveillance and technological capacity at key crossings, enabling traffickers to move illicit goods toward European markets with downstream impacts on U.S. drug availability. The advisor will be embedded within the Kosovo Police (KP) and will provide routine case reviews, develop standardized SOPs, templates, and checklists, ensure quality assurance of intelligence and case files, promote secure information-handling practices, and implement a train-the-trainer approach to institutionalize improved workflows and support long-term sustainability. The advisor will work directly with Kosovo border and customs units to strengthen officers’ ability to rapidly detect and confirm the movement of narcotics and other illicitly trafficked items – including human smuggling – during primary and secondary inspections, thereby enhancing the prevention of illicit transit. The advisor will also collaborate closely with INL and ICITAP to support the alignment of Kosovo’s border interdiction units with U.S. border security standards and best practices, contributing to broader efforts to disrupt transnational drug trafficking perpetrated by Balkan transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) across Kosovo’s borders.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Engage and collaborate with external partners on border security foreign assistance programs.
• Provide ongoing advisory support, mentorship, and ad hoc training to the Kosovo Police and relevant stakeholders to strengthen investigative best practices and enhance border security, specifically to deter and investigate transnational organize crime.
• Assess capability gaps, identify skill deficiencies, and design targeted interventions to address operational needs.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data related to border security and targeting programs.
• Advise on effective management and implementation of border security programs, including streamlining processes and enhancing operational protocols.
• Deliver specialized reports on the results of engagements with foreign partners and conveying results of data collected.
• Provide continuous consultation with host-nation counterparts to enhance the delivery of basic, in-service, and border security training programs.
• The Border Advisor will provide daily advice, mentorship, and ad hoc training to the KP and others to enhance investigatory best practices specifically to identify and interdict illicitly trafficked goods and persons by TCOs through Kosovo’s borders.  The Advisor will identify gaps or deficiencies in skills, then determine a course of action to effectively address the needs.
• The Advisor will contribute to ICITAP’s reporting on activities to include submissions for the ICITAP Huddle and AAG Weekly reporting cycle, other spot reporting (such as INL ASDARS), and contribute to front-channel cable reporting as directed by INL/ICITAP.
• Coordinate closely with ICITAP and INL personnel to support the development of future project objectives, activities, and law enforcement development initiatives.
• Collect and examine quantitative and qualitative data related to border security and export control programs.
• Draft reports on the results of engagements with foreign partners and conveying results of data collected.
• Develop reports outlining project milestones, progress, and implementation strategies aligned with program goals and objectives.
• Design, implement, and conduct specialized border security training to KP Border Units with a focus on the interdiction of illicitly trafficked narcotics and people, specifically with a focus on transnational criminal groups that transit through Kosovo’s porous borders.
• Leverage technology and U.S. best practices to ensure the effective allocation of resources along Kosovo’s rural borders with North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania.
• Work closely with USG counterparts delivering concurrent assistance to deconflict training efforts.
• Promote interagency coordination and information sharing between the KP Border units and other directorates. 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be a U.S. citizen eligible to obtain a U.S. security clearance at the time of employment.
• Possess a minimum of ten years of US border security experience with an understanding of border security strategies
• Must have experience with and knowledge of preventing illicit trade and the growth of TCOs through bolstering foreign border security units.
• Documented ability to assess, evaluate, and produce written communications articulating necessary steps to address sustainable staffing, structure, policy, training, and equipment needs of the police.
• Documented experience as a supervisor, manager, or task force leader in a federal task force, a state agency, or a police department.
• Experience as an instructor in fields related to development and management of instructors and support staff at law enforcement training facilities.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to effectively work with ICITAP staff, host-country nationals, and other individuals and organizations from the international community.
• Ability to operate windows applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Advanced report writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate diplomatically while managing competing priorities and deadlines across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven experience operating in fast-paced environments with tight deadlines and evolving requirements.
• Experience conducting and leading complex criminal investigations, preferably focused on organized and/or transnational crime cases.
• Clearable: Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret US Government Clearance. Note: US Citizenship is required to obtain a Secret Clearance

ADDITIONAL PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience managing foreign assistance programming and leading foreign nationals in overseas setting.
• A degree in criminal justice or related field.
• Experience working in the Balkans/knowledge of Balkan drug trafficking trends.
• Experience processing data with US partners targeting and researching potential high-risk counterterrorism and/or illicit threats entering the US.
• Possess experience working in an information sharing fusion center environment, addressing national security threats related to lawful cross border trade. 
• Previous international experience, including overseas assignments or participation in international cooperation efforts.
• Previous experience working with the Department of State (DOS) implementing foreign assistance programs.
• Language proficiency in Albanian and/or Serbian.