Consultant - Livelihoods Adviser (C)

Job Description

Introduction

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.
 

Context

The Peace, Recovery and Solutions Division (PRSD) leads IOM’s global efforts to operationalize the humanitarian–development–peace nexus, translating the ambitions of the IOM Strategic Plan 2024–2028 into integrated, programmatic solutions that address fragility, displacement, and recovery.

Within this framework, economic recovery is not treated as a standalone sector but as a system-level enabler of stabilization, peace, and durable solutions. It is central to addressing the structural drivers of displacement, strengthening resilience, enabling reintegration, and supporting state and community capacity to sustain recovery trajectories over time.

PRSD’s evolving portfolio recognizes that traditional livelihoods approach alone are insufficient to meet the scale and complexity of crisis contexts. There is a need to move toward market systems transformation, job creation at scale, innovative financing, and private sector–led recovery models, embedded within broader governance and stabilization frameworks.

The Senior Economic Development, Markets, and Livelihoods Advisor will lead this transformation, positioning IOM as a key actor at the intersection of humanitarian response, economic recovery, and development finance ecosystems. 

Under the overall supervision of the Director for Humanitarian Response and Recovery Department and direct supervision of the Chief Peace, Recovery, and Solutions Division the Livelihoods Adviser will lead efforts to ensuring that livelihoods programming is effectively integrated into community stabilization, peacebuilding, recovery, and durable solutions efforts, while strengthening partnerships with the private sector, development actors, and financial institutions.

Overall Objective of the Position

The position is established to design, lead, and scale a next-generation economic recovery and growth portfolio within PRSD, moving beyond traditional livelihoods programming toward integrated approaches that drive market development, job creation, financial inclusion, and private sector engagement in fragile and crisis-affected contexts.

The role will reposition IOM’s offer from project-based livelihoods interventions to a comprehensive economic recovery platform, integrating innovative financing, partnerships with MDBs and IFIs, private sector investment, and system-level economic transformation.

Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership and Portfolio Transformation

• Lead the design and development of PRSD’s global economic recovery and growth portfolio, transforming IOM’s approach from livelihoods programming toward integrated economic systems strengthening and job creation frameworks. 
• Define and operationalize a coherent institutional offer on economic recovery that spans stabilization, reintegration, peacebuilding, and development-oriented solutions. 
• Position PRSD as a nexus enabler linking humanitarian response to medium- and long-term economic recovery and development pathways. 

2. Market Systems and Economic Transformation

• Lead the application of market systems development (MSD) and value chain approaches to strengthen local economies in fragile and crisis-affected contexts. 
• Identify and develop high-impact sectors and economic corridors, linking local economies to regional and global markets. 
• Promote area-based economic recovery models that integrate infrastructure, services, governance, and market functionality. 

3. Job Creation, Private Sector Engagement and Economic Inclusion

• Design and scale job creation strategies that move beyond skills training toward demand-driven employment generation and private sector-led growth. 
• Establish and expand strategic partnerships with private sector actors, including corporations, SMEs, and impact investors. 
• Promote public-private partnerships (PPPs) that enable service delivery, infrastructure development, and employment generation in fragile settings.  
• Advance inclusive economic models that integrate youth, women, displaced populations, and host communities into labour markets and value chains. 

4. Innovative Financing and Investment Models

• Lead the development of innovative financing mechanisms, including blended finance, catalytic funding, results-based financing, and impact investment models. 
• Expand and reposition instruments such as the Enterprise Development Fund (EDF) within a broader ecosystem of financing tools. 
• Engage with venture capital, social enterprises, and fintech solutions to unlock new pathways for economic inclusion and enterprise growth. 
• Lead the development of digital financial inclusion and fintech solutions for , including access to credit, mobile finance, and digital livelihoods ecosystems. 

5. Engagement with MDBs, IFIs, and Regional Economic Actors

• Establish and strengthen partnerships with multilateral development banks (MDBs), international financial institutions (IFIs), and regional development banks, positioning IOM within large-scale financing frameworks. 
• Engage with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and regional platforms to align economic recovery programming with regional integration and development agendas. 
• Support the development of bankable programmes and pipelines that enable IOM and Member States to access concessional and development financing windows. 

6. Social Protection, Resilience and Crisis Economies

• Integrate shock-responsive social protection systems into economic recovery programming, linking humanitarian assistance with longer-term safety nets.  
• Design economic interventions that strengthen household resilience and reduce reliance on negative coping strategies, including irregular migration. 
• Promote approaches that enable populations to remain in place safely and with dignity by addressing economic drivers of displacement. 

7. Technical Advisory and Operational Support

• Provide high-level technical guidance and backstopping to Country Offices on the design and implementation of economic recovery and growth programmes. 
• Support the development of multi-country and regional programmes, ensuring coherence with PRSD’s strategic framework and IOM’s broader objectives. 
• Strengthen the quality and consistency of economic programming through tools, guidance, and standards. 

8. Policy, Partnerships and Global Positioning

• Lead the development of policy frameworks, guidance, and thought leadership on economic recovery in crisis and displacement contexts. 
• Represent IOM in global and regional fora related to economic recovery, development finance, and private sector engagement. 
• Strengthen partnerships with UN agencies (e.g., UNDP, ILO), development actors, and financial institutions to ensure complementarity and joint programming. 

9. Data, Evidence and Foresight

• Promote the use of data, analytics, and foresight tools to inform economic programming, including labour market analysis and economic diagnostics. 
• Support the development of evidence-based approaches that link mobility dynamics, economic drivers, and recovery outcomes. 

10. Resource Mobilization and Programmatic Growth

• Lead the development of large-scale, multi-donor funding proposals and programmatic packages aligned with donor priorities. 
• Expand PRSD’s funding base by positioning economic recovery as a core entry point for donor engagement, including with non-traditional donors and financing mechanisms. 

Expected Impact of the Role

This position will fundamentally transform PRSD’s economic portfolio by:

• Shifting from small-scale livelihoods programming to system-level economic transformation. 
• Positioning IOM as a key actor in economic recovery, development finance, and private sector engagement in crisis settings. 
• Enabling job creation at scale and sustainable reintegration outcomes 
• Strengthening IOM’s role in supporting state-led recovery, resilience, and development pathways.

Technical Support to IOM South Sudan

• Provide technical advisory support to the South Sudan stabilization, recovery, and solutions portfolio, guiding the design and implementation of integrated economic recovery, market systems, and job creation interventions aligned with PRSD’s global approach. 

• Support the strategic development and positioning of the South Sudan livelihoods portfolio ensuring coherence with PRSD’s contribution to sustainable reintegration and resilience.

Other Duties

• Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Political or Social Sciences, Business Administration, International Relations or Law from an accredited academic institution with seven years of relevant professional experience; or,

• University degree in the above fields with nine years of relevant professional experience in communications is desirable.

Experience

• Programme management in complex environments;
• Strong technical expertise in recovery, reconstruction, and resilience programming;
•  Post-crisis recovery and reconstruction programming;
• Area-based and community-driven approaches;
• Programme design and strategic planning at regional or global level; and
• Working across humanitarian and development contexts.

Skills

• Excellent  reporting and writing skills;

• Demonstrated ability to supervise and manage staff at an operational level in humanitarian emergencies;

• Good knowledge of UN and bilateral donor programming;

• Ability to write and speak clearly and concisely in English;

• Strong computer skills; and,

• Proven high-level representation skills, such as speaking at meetings and providing situational analysis.

Languages

All staff members in all categories are required to be fluent in one of the IOM’s official languages (English, French, and Spanish).

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

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 five 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

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 accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work. 

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, security clearances.

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.

IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

No late applications will be accepted. 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.

Required Skills

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