Martin Travers MA MSyI

Experience

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  British Army

  Jan 1984 - Jul 2006

  • Facilitated the initiation and implementation of multi-million USD project to establish Iraq’s National Training Command, including infrastructure, weapons, vehicles and civilian contractors, by providing expert advice to an Iraqi General. Included engaging with multiple stakeholders of all levels at numerous locations across Iraq, preparing and presenting written / verbal briefings to articulate and fund the requirement through the US-led coalition.• Awarded the US Bronze Star for meritorious achievement. Show less

  • Advisor to Iraq Training & Doctrine Commander

    Jan 2006 - Jul 2006

  • Earlier Career Progression, British Army, MOD, Worldwide

    Jan 1984 - Jun 2006
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  British Army

  Feb 2008 - May 2010

  Programme Manager and Executive Combined Arms Tactical Trainer

  • As the British Army’s lead for in-service training systems, provided simulation and acquisition expertise to military training establishments at a time of exceptionally high operational tempo.• As commander of the UK’s Combined Armed Tactical Trainer (CATT) led a diverse team of military and civilian personnel. Conceived and delivered the Army’s first bespoke pre-deployment virtual simulated training package. Exploited technology to the full by linking, for the first time, the simulated environment to live training in the field. Result was demanding, inter-agency and realistic training that set a baseline for units deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. Show less

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  NATO

  Jul 2010 - Nov 2010

  Post Conflict Stabilisation officer, Headquarters Regional Command (South), Afghanistan

  • Key role in the post-conflict stabilisation programme in Kandahar, Helmand and Nimroz, Afghanistan, in assignment as UK military officer in a multinational, inter-agency Headquarters, with significant results including restoration of water supply to Kandahar by coordinating a utility infrastructure project and 33% reduction in poppy cultivation in Helmand by supporting a Counter-Narcotics Programme.

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  NATO Regional Command (Southwest) Afghanistan

  Nov 2010 - Jan 2011

  UK Liaison Officer to US Task Force Leatherneck

  • UK Land Warfare Centre Liaison Officer to US led Task Force Leatherneck. Responsible for identification and sharing of operational best practice between UK and US deployed formations in Helmand Provence, Afghanistan.

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  UK Ministry of Defence

  Jul 2011 - Jan 2014

  CO Reinforcements Training and Mobilisation Centre

  • Selected to command the UK MOD’s Operational Training & Mobilisation Unit of 350+ staff, annually training up to 3000 military / civilian personnel deploying to conflict zones, e.g. Iraq and Afghanistan.• Enabled better-prepared, and therefore safer, individual deployments by formulating and expediting an Administrative and Training pipeline that met all UK military and MOD civil service pre-deployment standards and delivered financial and training resource efficiencies.• Planned and supervised the mobilisation of 2000 personnel for the 2012 London Olympics (largest single peacetime deployment of military reservists since WW2) in response to the Government’s request for military support Show less

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  British Army

  Jan 2014 - Jan 2020

  • Secured international commitment from SL and x4 West African countries to Counter the Illegal Wildlife Trade (CIWT) through improved international cooperation on issues such as legislation, border security and training, by: researching, planning and delivering a regional CIWT workshop to key decision-makers and gaining political, diplomatic and ministerial support from luminaries including SL’s First Lady, drafting speeches for the latter as well as the UK High Commissioner.• Enhanced the professionalism and democratic accountability of an 8500-strong Armed Force by leveraging experience and expertise as Senior Advisor to Sierra Leone’s Joint Force Commander.• Mentored SL’s Security Sector during Democratic Elections, a National Disaster and x2 National Security Exercises: Improved response coordination, role clarification, crisis management and risk mitigation procedures in the wake of the 2017 mudslide as an advisor on the scene, delivering immediate advice to military and police responders, and the country’s Defence Chief.• Established regionally-recognised Military Academy Centre of Excellence with reputational and financial benefit to SL & UK, now generating income from x4 allied African countries and the US, by designing and leading its expansion from a 1-nation x40 student military college dependent on UK funding, to a x65 student military and civilian institution serving learners from 10 of the 14 ECOWAS countries. Show less

  • Senior Advisor - International Security Advisory Team, Sierra Leone

    Dec 2016 - Jan 2020

  • Programme and Change Manager, Infantry, British Army

    Jan 2014 - Nov 2016
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  Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

  Mar 2020 - May 2022

  Deputy Country Head and Strategic Advisor

  • Deputy Country Head of a multidisciplinary team of government advisors and analysts. Strategic advisor providing leadership, governance and programme support to Mayor of Freetown, her Delivery Unit and Freetown City Council (FCC)• Supported design/implementing of a COVID 19 Preparedness and Response plan. Co-authored Disaster Response Management plan for a city of 1.2M.• Led creation of Sierra Leone’s first sub-national Climate Action and Disaster Risk Management unit. • Led review, reorganisation and expansion of a City Municipal Police Force, addressing a range of security challenges. • In support of FCC, NGOs and Sierra Leone’s development partners, provided programme management support to a range of interventions including sanitation, disaster risk management and climate action. Show less

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  Universal Defence and Security Solutions

  Apr 2022 - now

  Consultant and Member

  Consultant supporting UDSS in design and delivery of professional military education to security sector professionals worldwide. Designed and delivered a highly successful inaugural leadership development programme for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), resulting in beneficiary’s request for the programme to be expanded and delivered over 3 years, and receiving exceptional feedback - “I give it 5 stars", "Great course, 5 out of 5 well done".Led the delivery of Joint Leadership Programme, part of a multi-agency through-career leadership programme introduced by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS)' Commissioner of Police. Students from the Police Service, the Cayman Islands Regiment, Borders + Customs, Coastguard Workforce Opportunities & Residency (Department of Immigration), Fire Service and the Prisons' service. Universally strong feedback - "Excellent course that showed me where i need to develop and grow". Show less

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  Bournemouth University

  May 2022 - now

  Associate Lecturer

  Associate Lecturer at Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC), supporting DRM capacity building and research. To date this included project implementation in Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Fiji.

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  Travers Consulting Group

  May 2022 - now

  Director and Independent Consultant

  International consultant specialising in security sector reform and capacity building, Disaster Risk Management, governance and development.

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  Pacific Community-SPC

  Dec 2022 - Apr 2023

  Consultant

  Consultant to Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance - reviewing/strengthening interconnectedness of Fiji National Fire Authority's Emergency Management, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans.

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  Adam Smith International

  Jul 2023 - now

  Border Management Advisor Pakistan

  Border Management Advisor to UPSCALE 2 Project - UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement Programme.

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  Safehouse Pro Limited

  Oct 2023 - now

  Co-Founder

  With over 3 decades of front-line experience, the team at Safehouse Pro is committed to building household and community resilience. We are currently working on a ground-breaking project to develop preparedness from the ground up - using hard-won lessons learned internationally to build resilience and response capacity in UK communities and households. We want to ensure that vulnerable groups (particularly the very poor, old and those lacking mobility) are represented, involved and supported at all stages of the Emergency Management Cycle (preparation, response, recovery and learning). Our work has connected us with local communities, volunteer groups, NGOs (both local and multi-national), as well as government ministries, agencies, and organisations with responsibility for crisis and disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Safehouse Pro has collaborated with Local Resilience Forums (LRFs), Police, Fire and Ambulance services and Insurance companies. As current international disaster risk and crisis management consultants and former senior strategic government advisors, the Team's members understand local and national government and have led City level participatory hazard identification and risk management programmes, resulting in community action and emergency plans . This combination of experience helps us to examine the relationship between risk and vulnerability, considering metrics to measure them and to develop the actions required to support those considered to be vulnerable, implement steps to grow preparedness and enable decision makers in resource prioritisation and allocation. Show less

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  Mabway Limited

  Oct 2023 - now

  Consultant

  Independent consultant supporting the British Army's implementation of its new vision for training its soldiers, known as the ‘Land Training System’ (LTS), and mentoring its Captains in the skills they need to plan and execute operations at the Battlegroup to Brigade level. Positive feedback: "not just in the tent , but the poles holding it up" (!)

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  SecInt Group Ltd

  Jun 2024 - now

  Head of Government and Corporate Liaison SECINT Limited

  Head of Government and Corporate liaison, and border/maritime security advisor to SecInt Group, a specialist European robotics and aerospace technology company designing and developing unmanned and manned aircraft and other types of UxVs for the intelligence, mapping and survey industries in defence and commercial markets.