Switzerland: Junior Professional Officer - Migrant Assistance

OPEN TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CANDIDATES

Position Title: Junior Professional Officer - Migrant Assistance 
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland
Classification: Junior Professional Officer (JPO)
Type of Appointment: Fixed term, one year with possibility of extension
Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 26 February 2016

Reference Code: JPO2016/01–EXT

Note: Only applications from United States citizens will be considered in accordance with the Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the International Organization for Migration on the Junior Professional officer /Associate Expert Programme.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Migrant Assistance Division’s (MAD) objective is to contribute to protecting and assisting migrants in need, including those who have been trafficked, exploited or abused. Within MAD, the Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants Unit (AVM) works with governments, regional bodies, dialogues and consultative processes, civil society organizations and relevant United Nations agencies in source, transit and destination countries to protect and assist migrants who have been trafficked, exploited or abused; to prevent such abuses from occurring; and to support the development and implementation of policies aimed at the prevention and prosecution of these crimes and the protection of victims. In pursuit of these aims, IOM has adopted a comprehensive approach that consists of the following main areas of intervention: (i) Direct assistance to migrants in need, including victims of human trafficking and associated forms of exploitation and abuse, as well as those who are particularly vulnerable to such abuses; (ii) Prevention of trafficking in persons and associated forms of exploitation and abuse; (iii) Technical support activities to develop the capacities of government and civil society institutions; and (iv) Quantitative and qualitative research.

The AVM Unit currently oversees the implementation of eight regional programs of assistance to vulnerable migrants in Mesoamerica; the Caribbean; Southern Africa; the Horn of Africa and Yemen; the Greater Mekong Sub region and Malaysia; East Asia; North Africa; and Central Asia, supported by the United States Department of State. These programs are based on a strategic framework that includes the following implementation pillars: (1) Building government capacity to identify protection concerns and implement humane migration management practices; (2) Providing direct assistance to vulnerable migrants; (3) Supporting regional cooperation on migration; and (4) Promoting cooperation between IOM and UNHCR.

This position will strengthen knowledge-sharing and learning processes to better capture, develop, share, and effectively use the significant knowledge gained through the implementation of these programs.

SUPERVISION

The successful candidate will work under the overall guidance of the Head of the Migrant Assistance Division (MAD), the direct supervision of the Head of the Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants (AVM) Unit, as well as in coordination with relevant MAD Regional Thematic Specialists and Regional Program Coordinators.
Periodic feedback will be given to the JPO on progress and performance on setting goals and any problems encountered will be further discussed in order to find solutions to the various challenges.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

S/he will support the overall improvement in the quality and key achievements of IOM’s regional programs supported by the U.S. Department of State, through the development of organizational systems that promote learning, accountability and measurement of results achieved collectively by the eight programs. S/he will help improve IOM’s capacity to organize, store, retrieve and share essential information; support the consistent and systematic capture of the results and evaluation of the regional programs including through developing key indicators of successful program implementation; assist program staff and external stakeholders through increased knowledge sharing and communication among offices worldwide; and improve IOM’s and other’s ability to analyze trends and programming approaches. This will enable the Organization to harness valuable information to help shape decisions and improve IOM’s capacity to deliver AVM programming to Member States and migrants alike.

In particular, s/he will:

1. Develop and coordinate monitoring, learning and evaluation tools and systems in order to increase the regional programs’ individual and collective impact and improve IOM’s accountability to its beneficiaries, donor, and other program stakeholders. Build and share organizational knowledge internally and externally, e.g. in support of the donor’s strategic review of the regional programs.

2. Coordinate the development of global products, such as training manuals, handbooks, etc., that build on good practices identified through the regional programs in consultation with the RTS, Regional Program Coordinators, and the donor. In particular, coordinate the development of an annual global product centered on a chosen topic relevant to the programs, which will also be adapted for various publications throughout the year (policy briefs, academic journals and other publications, etc.) 

3. In coordination with IOM global and regional planning and reporting processes, design standardized indicators of achievements and methodologies for monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the programs’ collective results and impact. Lead the production and regular dissemination of evidence-based analysis of the collective results and impact of the regional programs. In particular, report annually on the programs’ key achievements, for internal and external dissemination.

4. Support the development of a common and coherent identity for the regional programs, as well as promotional strategies. In particular, and in coordination with the donor, IOM’s Media and Communication Division, IOM Washington, and other relevant IOM offices and government partners, publicize the regional programs, as well as their collective results and impact, through existing public information tools and products.

5. Coordinate the organization of and follow-up to the second annual meeting of Regional Thematic Specialists and Regional Program Coordinators.

6. At the regional level, support the development of synergies between the regional programs and other projects and programs, in order to ensure policy and programmatic coherence.

7. Develop a strategy and plan of action for enhanced knowledge-sharing, learning, and reporting on AVM programs in general.

8. Prepare reports, briefings, and presentations, as requested.

9. Conduct selected monitoring trips to review program activities and consult with government partners. 

10. Develop an annual work plan including site visits, meetings, expected products and other activities that facilitate program objectives.

11. Provide support to other programs managed by IOM’s Migrant Assistance Division, such as the Global Assistance Fund, as well as other AVM programs, as required. 

12. Systematically track efforts of countries participating in regional programs to improve migrant protection environment and compile on an annual basis country achievements in this regard.

13. Cooperate with external performance evaluations of regional programs.

14. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Competencies

Behavioural

•Takes responsibility and manages constructive criticism;

•Works effectively with all clients and stakeholders;

•Promotes continuous learning; communicates clearly;

•Takes initiative and drives high levels of performance management;

•Plans work, anticipates risks, and sets goals within area of responsibility;

•Displays mastery of subject matter;

•Contributes to a collegial team environment;

•Incorporates gender-related needs, perspectives, and concerns, and promotes equal gender participation;

•Displays awareness of relevant technological solutions;

•Works with internal and external stakeholders to meet resource needs of IOM.

Technical

•Excellent knowledge of the project management cycle, including monitoring and evaluation of results and impact;

•Familiarity with systems of knowledge management;

•Good data analysis and reporting skills;

•Good writing skills.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

•Master’s degree in Economics, Law, Political or Social Sciences, Knowledge Management, Management, and/or Business Administration or  a related field from an accredited academic institution, with five years of relevant professional experience; or

•University degree in the above fields with seven years of relevant professional experience.

Experience

•Three years’ experience with and knowledge on migration issues; 
 
•Five to seven years of work experience in programme planning, management, monitoring and evaluation, and in knowledge management;

•Demonstrated experience in managing international projects with activities in multiple countries;

•Experience in developing, implementing and managing content/knowledge management systems;

•Demonstrated experience in networking and coordination, preferably in or related to monitoring and evaluation;

•Experience in communications and branding an asset;

•Experience with publications, lay-out, etc. an advantage.

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of any other IOM/UN official languages (Spanish and French) is strongly preferred for participation in the AE/JPO programme.

TRAINING COMPONENTS AND LEARNING ELEMENTS

As an integral part of AVM Unit, the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) will:

•Gain a better understanding of IOM’s work, as an inter-governmental organization in the field of migration, and how the organization works with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, with a particular focus on IOM’s migration management activities, and migrant assistance portfolio.

•Become acquainted with the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, strategies, programs and projects related to the protection of migrants, with a focus on the eight regional programs of assistance to vulnerable migrants supported by the U.S. Department of State.

•Gain experience in monitoring and evaluation, as well as knowledge management, and organizational knowledge-sharing and learning processes and tools.

IOM’s JPOs are subject to the Organization’s Staff Evaluation System (SES). This performance management system allows for tracking of professional development over a period of time and for a two-way dialogue between the JPO and her/his supervisor, including setting and reviewing of objectives, providing a competency-based evaluation at the end of the annual appraisal period, and providing regular feedback on performance development. Any problems encountered will be further discussed in order to find solutions to the various challenges as they occur.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications via PRISM, IOM e-Recruitment

system, by 26 February 2016 at the latest, referring to this advertisement.

For further information, please refer to: http://www.iom.int/how-apply

In order for an application to be considered valid, IOM only accepts online profiles duly filled in and submitted with a cover letter not more than one page specifying the motivation for

applications.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. You can track the progress of your application in your personal application page in the IOM e-recruitment system.

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Posting period:

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From 10.02.2016 to 26.02.2016

Requisition: JPO2016-01 - Junior Professional Officer - Migrant Assistance (JPO) - Geneva, Switzerland (54743793) Released

Posting: JPO2016-01 - Junior Professional Officer - Migrant Assistance (JPO) - Geneva, Switzerland (54743802) Released