Call for CVs: Battlefield Staff Ride Instructors

LEVEL: Subject Matter Expert

LOCATION: variousEuropean Battlefield sites

TYPE: Contract/Consultant - Intermittent Support

McColm & Company (McColm) is a mission-driven and customer-focused consulting firm that equips change makers with the knowledge, skills, and insights they need to succeed in an increasingly complex world. McColm specializes in supporting U.S. federal customers with foreign affairs and national security focused portfolios by managing bespoke professional training programs, delivering effective capacity building solutions, and providing highly specialized technical assistance and analysis expertise to decision makers.

McColm issues this Call for CVs for qualified BSR Instructor candidates under an anticipated contract. The position description below details the anticipated duties and qualifications of the position, contingent upon contract award.

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering tour and instruction services to groups of military personnel on battlefield staff rides (BSRs) in Europe on a contract/intermittent basis.

BSRs are educational training and leadership exercises where participants study a historical battle on the actual battlefield terrain, analyzing key decisions made by commanders to extract leadership lessons applicable to modern warfare while instructing and leading discussions and also prompts critical thinking about the battles events and their implications for current military operations.

BSRs may visit locations throughout Western, Central and Eastern Europe and are typically 1 to 5 days in length. Instructors currently based in Europe are particularly encouraged to submit their CVs.

The ideal candidate for this position will deliver the following skills and expertise:

• Expertise in Military History: deep knowledge of the specific battle being studied, including the terrain, opposing forces, key decisions made by commanders, troop movements, and historical context.
• Leadership Skills: skilled at guiding group discussions, encouraging active participation from all participants, and facilitating thoughtful analysis of the battle's events.
• Facilitation Techniques: ability to utilize open ended questions, prompts, and scenarios to stimulate discussion and critical thinking among the participants.
• Terrain Awareness: adept at using the battlefield terrain to enhance the understanding of the battle, pointing out key features and their impact on the combat actions.
• Application to Contemporary Operations: Ability to identify timeless lessons from the historical battle that can be applied to contemporary military operations, and the guide the group to extract these insights.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Prior experience facilitating and instructing BSRs for the U.S. military
• Masters Degree required, Doctorate preferred, in History, Museum Studies, American History, Military History or other relevant degree
• Prior U.S. military service or experience providing training to the U.S. military
• Prior experience as a tour guide, museum docent or similar
• Expertise in various types of instructional methods that are engaging and designed for experienced adult learners
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams, including effective collaboration with remote teams.
• Fluency in English - written and verbal
• Proficiency in local language - German, French, or Dutch is desirable, but not required

McColm offers a competitive compensation and benefits package to all of our staff. Compensation is offered according to job requirements, market dynamics, and experience/skills of the successful candidate. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurances, generous Paid Time Off, 11 paid federal holidays, and annual performance-based bonuses.

McColm & Company is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, gender identity or expression, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Due to the high volume of applications McColm receives and to ensure we comply with our internal hiring policies, we regret we are not able to respond to individual phone calls or emails regarding application status.