Research Officer (COMPASS)

Position Title : Research Officer (COMPASS)

Duty Station : Geneva, Switzerland

Classification : Professional Staff, Grade P3

Type of Appointment : Fixed term, one year with possibility of extension

Estimated Start Date : As soon as possible

Closing Date : 25 March 2021

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. Read more about diversity and inclusion at IOM at www.iom.int/diversity.

Applications are welcome from first- and second-tier candidates, particularly qualified female candidates as well as applications from the non-represented member countries of IOM. For all IOM vacancies, applications from qualified and eligible first-tier candidates are considered before those of qualified and eligible second-tier candidates in the selection process.

For the purpose of this vacancy, the following are considered first-tier candidates:

1. Internal candidates

2. Candidates from the following non-represented member states:

Antigua and Barbuda; Botswana; Cabo Verde; Comoros; Cook Islands; Cuba; Fiji; Gabon; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Holy See; Iceland; Kingdom of Eswatini; Kiribati; Lao People’s Democratic Republic (the); Latvia; Luxembourg; Marshall Islands; Micronesia (Federated States of); Montenegro; Namibia; Nauru; Palau; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Samoa; Sao Tome and Principe; Seychelles; Solomon Islands; Suriname; The Bahamas; Timor-Leste; Tonga; Tuvalu; Vanuatu

Second tier candidates include:

All external candidates, except candidates from non-represented member states.

Context:

The Migrant Protection and Assistance Division (MPA) provides protection and assistance to migrants in need, including trafficked persons, smuggled migrants with protection needs, (rejected) asylum seekers, migrants in irregular situations, stranded migrants, unaccompanied and separated migrant children, and migrants subjected to violence, exploitation or abuse. The Division oversees development of policy and technical guidance in these areas, provides programmatic support to IOM missions, and implements protection and assistance programmes of global relevance.

Beginning in 2021, MPA HQ will lead implementation of the Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions (COMPASS) programme. The COMPASS programme, funded by the Government of the Netherlands, will be implemented in 12 countries and will address migrant protection, countering trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, awareness raising on the risks of irregular migration, rights and legal alternatives, and voluntary return and reintegration.

Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Migrant Protection and Assistance Division and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Manager (COMPASS), the successful candidate will be responsible for select, flagship research initiatives of the COMPASS programme. Specifically, the Research Officer will support research activities under the project, including dissemination and uptake.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

1. Support an evaluation using experimental methods to measure the impact of community interventions aimed at preventing unsafe and irregular migration and improving reintegration outcomes among priority communities in target countries (likely Nigeria and Ethiopia). Inter alia, this includes aligning the evaluation with ongoing institutional initiatives; working closely with IOM’s programme teams and specialist implementing partner to devise and implement the experimental design; collect baseline, midline, and endline data; and, develop and publish findings.

2. Lead the preparation and publication of a report on the sustainable reintegration outcomes and risks of re-trafficking for victims of trafficking (VoTs) who return to their countries of origin. Coordinate the development of a dedicated monitoring toolkit for the sustainable reintegration of VoTs on the basis of this initial research and other IOM publications and tools.

3. Lead the preparation and publication of a research guidance document on operationalizing the determinants of the migrant vulnerability framework, to be used externally and internally, including in subsequent years of the programme. Coordinate the preparation and publication of a research output on the basis of this guidance document.

4. Ensure uptake and use by policy-makers, practitioners and others for all knowledge outputs of the programme, including by devising a communication strategy, organizing dissemination workshops, and making use of existing knowledge and data portals to ensure outputs reach relevant audiences (such as The Knowledge Platform of the UN Network on Migration; IOM Migration Data Portal; Return and Reintegration Platform under the EU-IOM Knowledge Management Hub (KMH); IOM Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC); and the Alliance 8.7 Knowledge Portal).

5. Help to ensure that the programme’s research is conducted to meet identified needs and according to the best ethical and scientific standards. This includes: producing research and data outputs through a process of local stakeholder engagement; establishing and liaising with the programme’s Research Advisory Board to validate and provide input into the programme’s research methods and outputs; submit research plans for external ethical review (IRB); rigorously document research to ensure replicability; and, publishing methods, results, and data where possible.

6. To ensure the dissemination of project works and outputs among all relevant audiences and to leverage them to the extent possible, collaborate with academics to submit articles to high impact scientific journals.

7. Support the identification of, and manage partnerships with, UN organizations, governments, international NGOs, academic partners, and the private sector.

8. Identify new research opportunities to address critical questions relevant to the programme.

9. Undertake site visits and duty travel as required.

10. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education

• Master’s degree in Migration Studies, Economics, Political Science, Social Science, International Relations, Public Health, Development Studies, International Affairs, 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

• Experience in international migration and research;

• Experience in conducting data collection projects, sampling, and research design;

• Experience in designing and implementing impact evaluations is an advantage;

• Excellent writing skills and experience writing reports, briefings and articles; own work published is an advantage;

• Experience working with UN partners, other international organizations, research institutes, humanitarian actors, government counterparts, civil society, and other stakeholders; and,

• Experience in the usage of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).

Skills

• Demonstrated excellence in analysis and problem-solving skills; a logical thinker with intellectual curiosity and the ability to think strategically;

• Demonstrated competence in conducting research with the highest ethical and scientifically rigorous standards;

• Demonstrated competence in writing about and communicating scientific results to a non-specialized audience;

• Proven ability to work effectively and harmoniously within a team of colleagues from varied cultures and professional backgrounds;

• High degree of responsibility and motivation;

• Excellent qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills and demonstrated ability to produce high-quality research reports;

• Proficient in the use of a statistical/data analysis software (such as Stata, R, SPSS, SAS, Power BI, Tableau).

Languages

IOM’s official languages are English, French, and Spanish.

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written). Working knowledge of French and/or Arabic is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Notes

1

Accredited Universities are the ones listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database (https://whed.net/home.php).

Required Competencies:

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 wherever possible.

• 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.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators level 2

• 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 action and delegated work.

• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link.

https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/about-iom/iom_revised_competency…

Competencies will be assessed during a competency-based interview.

Other:

Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile.

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates endorsed by the Appointments and Postings Board will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.

The list of NMS countries above includes all IOM Member States which are non-represented in the Professional Category of staff members.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

Vacancies close at 23:59 local time Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.