Consultant – National Migration Data At International Organization for Migration

Context:

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and 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 environment. Internal and external candidates are eligible to apply to this vacancy.

Among the major challenges to migration management in Iraq is the limited availability of reliable, disaggregated and comparable migration data to inform evidence-based policymaking and monitoring. However, Iraqi policymakers have shown significant interest in strengthening the availability of such data. This is evidenced by the National Migration Management Strategy which indicates the strengthening of migration data as one of its four strategic objectives and by the decision of the inter-ministerial Technical Working Group on migration to establish a thematic taskforce to address migration data. Such efforts are in line with global policy frameworks such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, and with the global IOM Migration Data Strategy.

IOM provides technical support to the implementation of several objectives of the National Migration Management Strategy through the Awda Amina project. In particular, it provides capacity building support on migration data management and processing. This support includes the development of a national migration data assessment.

To this aim, IOM cooperates with an inter-ministerial migration Technical Working Group, which includes the Central Statistics Organization (CSO) and the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office (KRSO); various ministries, departments and entities at the national level; and other relevant stakeholders.

This consultancy will be undertaken within the framework of the European Union funded “Awda Amina” project, which is implemented by IOM with the overall objective of improving migration governance in Iraq.

Core Functions / Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM), technical guidance of the Head of the Migration Management Unit and direct supervision of the Programme Officer (Migration Governance), the successful candidate will assess the information management and data governance aspects of migration data production in Iraq (including migrant stock and flow data; disaggregated demographics and nationality data; vulnerability; integration and wellbeing; remittances; and other relevant types of migration data). The consultancy will contribute to achieving Result 1.4 (Government has increased technical knowledge and ability to collect, use and report migration data) by implementing Activity 1.4.1 (conducting a national migration data assessment) using the UN Toolkit for the assessment of national migration data capacity developed under the guidance of the UN Expert Group on Migration Statistics and similar best practices centered on international norms and standards, as well as parts of Activity 1.4.2 (specialized training for the TWG and Migration Data Taskforce on migration data collection, use and reporting, and data protection).

The elements of the assignment are as follows:

· A literature review of the existing migration data landscape in Iraq to provide initial guidance.

· At least one consultative meeting with national data stakeholders in Iraq (online) to gather their views, needs and priorities.

· A final assessment report.

· A validation exercise with key national stakeholders to pave the way for a joint action plan.

· The preparation of four specialized training modules for national stakeholders addressing the gaps found in the assessment.

· Developing data protection policy recommendations as appropriate, in line with the IOM Data Protection Manual and international best practice and IOM Migration Data Strategy and relevant UN policy.

Methodology:

The methodology must guarantee inclusive participation of all the stakeholders involved. Coordination with the IOM Office in Iraq shall be ensured throughout the process, particularly regarding in-country consultations. Technical review will be supported by the IOM Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) as appropriate. IOM will provide outreach support to key stakeholders.

Timeline:

The assignment is expected to start as soon as possible. The timeline is to be agreed at the start of the contract with the management.

Required Qualifications

IOM is seeking applications from individual consultants and/or consortiums of individual consultants with the following qualifications and experience:

Education

• Master’s degree in Demography, Migration Studies, Economics, Statistics, International Relations, Social Sciences, Development Studies, International Affairs or a related field from an accredited institution or a related field from an accredited academic institution with at least 5 years of relevant professional experience; or
• University degree in the above fields with at least 10 years of relevant professional experience.

Experience & Skills

· At least 5 years of experience with working on issues of migration data management, including data collection, storage, analysis and dissemination practices; track record of relevant publications;

· Strong knowledge of migration data collection methodologies, as well as of migration data definitions, indicators and international standards;

· Experience in similar data assessments and the UN Toolkit for the assessment of national migration data capacity;

· Strong understanding of data protection principles and practices;

· Proven knowledge of international migration dynamics in Iraq;

· Proven research experience and ability to write analytical reports in English;

· Proven experience in facilitating meetings with government stakeholders;

· Capacity to conduct surveys and interviews with a wide range of stakeholders;

· Knowledge of statistical software (i.e. SPSS, STATA, R) would be a benefit;

· Excellent critical thinking and writing skills;

· Ability to produce quality work accurately and concisely according to deadlines;

· Ability to work effectively and harmoniously in a team of colleagues of varied cultural and professional backgrounds.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required.
• Arabic or any other language is an advantage.

Competencies

Values

· Inclusion and respect for diversity: encourages the inclusion of all team members and stakeholders while demonstrating the ability to work constructively with people with different backgrounds and orientations.

· Integrity and transparency: maintain impartiality and takes prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behavior.

· Professionalism: demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter and willingness to improve knowledge and skills.

Core Competencies

· Teamwork: establishes strong relationships with colleagues and partners; relates well to people at all levels.

· Delivering results: produces quality results and provides quality services to clients.

· Managing and sharing knowledge: shares knowledge and learning willingly, and proactively seeks to learn from the experiences of others.

· Accountability: operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.

· Communication: encourages others to share their views, using active listening to demonstrate openness and to build understanding of different perspectives.

Other

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

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

[1] Accessible at https://migrationdataportal.org/