IOM: Experts to Develop a Handbook on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Dealing with Unaccompanied Minor Children of Foreign Nationality and Other Vulnerable Categories of Foreign Nationals – Skopje

Job Summary

IOM seeks to engage local individual consultants (up to three positions) with expertise in social protection, law enforcement and/or the Judiciary to develop a Handbook on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Dealing with Unaccompanied Minor Children of Foreign Nationality and Other Vulnerable Categories of Foreign Nationals, for stakeholders engaged in migrant protection and in the handling of unaccompanied children and vulnerable categories of foreign nationals, including participants of future trainings on the SOPs.

Key Responsibilities

Tangible and measurable output of the work

The following deliverable shall be submitted to IOM via email no later than 12 October 2026. Payment will be made in one instalment (100% of the total contract value) to each consultant upon IOM’s approval of the successful completion of the services.

Final Handbook on the SOPs for Dealing with Unaccompanied Minor Children of Foreign Nationality and Other Vulnerable Categories of Foreign Nationals (language: Macedonian).

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

Quality of the work plan, methodology, and proposed table of contents of the Handbook;

Quality of the draft Handbook;

Successful facilitation of the validation workshop, with at least 80% participants satisfaction reported through a post-workshop assessment; and

Quality and completeness of the finalized Handbook.

Required Qualifications

Education, Experience and/or skills required

(1) A university degree in a relevant field with a minimum of five years of professional experience in social protection, law enforcement and/or the judiciary, or completion of secondary education with at least seven years of relevant professional experience in any of the above-mentioned fields;

(2) Demonstrated experience in preparing documents for national institutions (e.g. handbooks, manuals, curricula, etc.) in the area of migrant protection, preferably within social protection, law enforcement and/or judicial contexts;

(3) Demonstrated knowledge of Macedonian migration legislation, including knowledge of regulations presented via rulebooks and specific forms and tools cited in the SOP as relevant to the completion of entire procedure in all relevant sectors, with a particular focus on child justice, child protection and human rights;

(4) Knowledge of EU and international standards related to migrant protection, child protection and human rights;

(5) Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimum supervision and collaboratively within a team;

(6) Strong operational, organizational and communication skills and ability to work harmoniously with other colleagues from diverse backgrounds;

(7) Strong computer skills, including hands-on experience with MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint); and

Language

Fluency in Macedonian (oral and written) is mandatory. Fluency in English is an advantage.

Travel Required

• If the consultants are based outside Skopje, they must travel to Skopje multiple times as necessary to attend meetings, discussions and the validation workshop. Travel to Kumanovo and Gevgelija will also be required for relevant meetings and discussions with stakeholders.

The consultancy fee is all-inclusive and covers all required transportation for the above travels.

For IOM-organized events, such as the validation workshop, IOM will cover accommodation costs for the consultants, if they are based outside Skopje, as well as all event-related costs (e.g. venue, meals, refreshments, stationery, and others).

Required Competencies

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Values – all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.

Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Notes

1. Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.
2. Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment.
3. This post is subject to local recruitment. Only those holding a valid residence or work permit for North Macedonia will be eligible for consideration.
4. IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for reasons related to non-occupational accidents and illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accidents or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work.
5. IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.
6. IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fees). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.
7. IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM online recruitment system. The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.