21526 Programme Officer (Immigration and Border Governance) (P2)

The Regional Counter-Smuggling Programme (RCSP) is a three-year regional initiative led by IOM in partnership with the UK Home Office / Border Security Command, which aims to strengthen border management capacities at airports and enhance regional cooperation to tackle document fraud, migrant smuggling, and related Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The programme addresses critical technical, operational, and institutional gaps at major international airports while promoting protection-sensitive approaches that safeguard migrant rights and dignity.

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Regional Director for Operations and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Manager (IBG), in close coordination with the Immigration and Border Governance (IBG) Regional Thematic Specialist (RTS) at the Regional Office for EHSA in Nairobi, Kenya and relevant Divisions/Units at Headquarters (HQ), the Programme Officer will support and coordinate the development, implementation of activities as described in the RCSP workplan, along with dedicated monitoring and reporting activities for RO EHSA.

Responsibilities

1. Support the overall implementation of the Regional Counter-Smuggling Programme for RO EHSA, including its financial, administrative and technical implementation, in compliance with IOM policies and standards, as well as donor requirements, agreed timeline and deliverables.
2. In coordination with the Programme Manager, coordinate the work of all staff assigned to the CO’s programme, as well as consultants, implementing partners and service providers recruited to support and/or undertake specific activities.
3. Maintain close collaboration and contribute to the strengthening the partnerships with relevant stakeholders such as Government entities, national authorities, donors, development partners, United Nations agencies, and civil society.
4. ​Draft and produce progress and other reports and ensure proper information exchange on all operational aspects of the RCSP between IOM, the programmes’ donor and other stakeholders.
5. Provide technical support in analyzing migration related trends and issues in view of strategic, programmatic and programme-specific funding opportunities.
6. Contribute to the identification of donors’ priorities and strategies, explore the possibility to develop follow up initiatives and/or initiate new programme development process in the region and draft project proposals, in relation to expressed governmental needs, donors’ priorities and in line with IOM’s mandate and strategy.
7. In coordination with the Programme Manager, facilitate adequate information management on CO’s activities through regular updates, summaries, press releases, and other relevant materials that promote IOM’s visibility in the region.
8. Assist in conducting contextual analysis to identify potential activities to be implemented as part of IOM’s counter migrant smuggling portfolio in line with IOM’s mandate and the priorities established by the Governments and partners in the region.
9. Contribute to the development of relevant monitoring and evaluation plans and tools to track policy mainstreaming initiatives and measure progress and effectiveness, make recommendation on suitable course corrections, and supporting further development and improvements.
10. ​Ensure adequate information management on programme related activities including awareness raising and visibility; provide regular updates, summaries, press releases and other relevant materials, in coordination with the donor and IOM’s Public Information Department.
11. Participate in relevant conferences, workshops, steering committees and technical working groups, as well as other forums, to facilitate proper coordination and presentation of IOM activities.
12. Participate in relevant UN working groups and activities to encourage the mainstreaming of migration related issues into United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF).
13. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Law, International Relations, Political or Social Sciences, International Development, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or,
• University degree in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience.

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

Experience

• Experience in programme management, implementation, and reporting;
• Experience in the coordination of various activities under the programme to ensure maximum outputs;
• Experience in liaising with government authorities and other national/international institutions;
• Experience in programme delivery and in-depth knowledge of IOM/UN programme/project life cycles;
• Experience with UN and International Agencies, international or local NGOs preferred;
• Work experience in the Region is an advantage; and,
• Work experience in immigration and Border Governance (IBG) thematic areas is an advantage.

Skills

• Knowledge of UN/IOM’s regulations, policies, and procedures;
• Knowledge of project budgeting and financial management;
• Knowledge and experience in working with WAVE and PRIMA is an advantage;
• Sound writing, communication, and negotiation skills; and,
• Excellent organization skills, analytical, and creative thinking.

Languages

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Working knowledge of another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is an advantage.

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

**Notes** Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Please refer to this link for guidance on the IOM Job Category. 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 will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months. Appointment will be subject to all clearances, including medical and security as well as accreditation, any residency or visa requirements. Vacancies close at 23:59 local time in Geneva, Switzerland, on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted. 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, harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and any forms of discrimination. IOM is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. IOM conducts reference checks and background verification, including through system-wide databases such as ClearCheck, to help ensure that candidates have no record of misconduct, including on sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, or fraud. Candidates are expected to uphold these standards and principles at all times. IOM does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process—whether for application, interview, processing, training, or otherwise—and does not request any information related to bank accounts. IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM WAVE system (for internal candidates, link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies.